Turning a Coat Closet Into a Kitchen Pantry

Measure your coat closet to determine how much wood you will need and to decide how you will build the shelves. The depth of the closet will determine how wide the shelves need to be, while the length of the closet will determine how long the plywood will need to be. Determine how many shelves you want in your pantry and how far apart you want them to be. For example, shelves for cereal boxes should have about 18 inches of available height, while you may install shorter shelves for soup cans.

Cut your plywood and the 2-by-4s according to your measurements. For each shelf, you will need one 2-by-4 that runs the entire width of the closet and two 2-by-4s that are 2 inches shorter than the width of your shelf. The plywood should be cut to the exact measurement of the shelf.

Sand the cut edges of the plywood and 2-by-4s, so you do not get splinters. Paint and allow them to dry, so you do not drip paint in the closet. The paint can be the same color as the closet walls, or you can choose a contrasting color for a decorative effect.

Mark where you want to put the shelves in the closet. Locate the studs in your wall with your stud finder and mark the studs. This is where you will put in the nails for the 2-by-4s.

Nail the 2-by-4s into the wall according to your markings. The shelves will rest on top of them, so the top of the 2-by-4 should be at the height at which you want your shelf to rest. Use the level to make sure each 2-by-4 is completely straight before you nail it in. If you fail to do this, the shelves will tilt and will not hold your food safely.

Place the plywood shelves along the frames of the 2-by-4s. The shelves should stay on this fairly securely. You can nail the shelves into the 2-by-4s for added security, but this step is not necessary and makes it more difficult to remove the shelves if you choose to convert your pantry back into a coat closet.