Larder Renovation

Okay, I call it a pantry - Mr. Brit calls it a larder. In either terminology it's an ill-designed storage facility and it's been that way since we moved in four years ago.  When I first started stocking it, I thought I could put up with it until we had the time to renovate it properly with full-length shelves and proper lighting.

Fast-forward four years - and those years have gone fast - I'm still storing tins here and there in no orderly manner on these shelves that are just can-width around the perimeter of this "closet." I added a clear-pocket shoe organizer on the inside of the door for soft packages, like rice, beans, nuts and dried-fruits. But as far as the dead space in the center - I tried various, shelf, cart and bin options in here and nothing has worked too well. Plain and simple, it always ends up a mess.

I have seen dreamy pantry renovations on Pinterest - dreams, just dreams. 

Each time I open my pantry to retrieve a tin of something - I just growl - sometimes aloud.

Overtime I have added two larger metal wire shelving units in the kitchen for storage of various things - large bowls to hold my potatoes and onions, cookbooks, baskets of fruit, a basket for napkins, etc. So, I started giving thought to buying one to fit inside the pantry. If I bought one the right size to fit inside the pantry that should take care of any actual construction. Mr. Brit isn't exactly into constructing - he's more into deconstructing.


One of the other issues with this ill-designed pantry - the lighting. There is a small table lamp, hung upside down on the ceiling with the electric cord hanging down - a couple of staples to hold the cord against the back wall.  A few occasions Mr. Brit has been searching for something inside the larder and forgotten to turn off the lamp.

As Mr. Brit began sizing up the deconstruction, he discovered that every bit of the shelving was constructed with nails - small thin silver nails, small finishing nails - larger finishing nails - a bazillion nails! Not a single wood screw was used in the construction of the mismatched wood shelving.

WHO designed this pantry?

I finally had enough with this pantry - it was becoming more and more useless.

I ordered a 24"x24" chrome wire shelving unit with 5 shelves from The Shelving Store. Mr. Brit and I assembled it and added some unused casters from a previous shelving unit. This would be beneficial for rolling the shelves in and out of the pantry for the occasional floor cleaning, etc.


My angst came with the placement of the first shelf - the bottom one - when Mr. Brit wanted to know how low I wanted it. I didn't want it close to the floor. I wanted a bit of space to allow storage of a box of ... something, a jug of ...something, a bin of  ...something. 

Once fully assembled, I thought to myself - hmmm - is this right? But, I didn't say a word. I figured I would make this work. Anything had to be better than before.

Next step, transfer all the canned goods from the pantry onto the shelf unit. hammered, sledged and pried those boards until they slowing started coming apart. Some of the boards looked like porcupines as he took them out one-by-one.

Mr. Brit thought perhaps, just perhaps, one section of the wooden shelving could remain - just for some additional storage along the wall. He attempted to roll the chrome wire shelving unit into the larder - but realized it wasn't going to work. 

That last remaining shelf unit would have to come out. And so it did.

In went the stocked chrome wire shelving unit with space to spare.

It's taking some adjustment - locating items in the newly organized areas, but it certainly is much tidier and looks so much better.

I may add some fold up shelves on the left to store a few things like my Dyson hand-held vac - the electrical outlet on the back wall is nice to keep it charged.

I'll have to figure out some lighting source - be it a new, more practical ceiling light, one with a clamp that clips onto the shelf or just those push-on LED lights.

Now onto the rest of the mess that seems to keep visiting my kitchen - even though I have made it clear it's not welcome.

Remember! Sunday's coming!