Kitchen Organization - Pull Out Shelves in Pantry

Taming the Pantry Beast: A DIY Pull-Out Shelf Transformation

I am beyond thrilled to finally check this project off my to-do list! If you've ever struggled with kitchen organization, you know that one project that stays in the back of your mind for years. 

For me, it was our pantry. When we gave our kitchen a makeover, this project moved up the priority list, but it still took a little "extra" motivation to finally make it happen.

The Problem: The 24-Inch "Black Hole"

My pantry is a skinny 24-inch-deep cabinet. On paper, it was working "well" for storage. But in reality? It worked too well. Anything that went into the back of those shelves stayed there—forever.

In fact, while emptying the shelves, I made a legendary discovery: a can of pumpkin with a "Best by" date of April 2010. Yes, you read that right. I had a can of pumpkin that was nearly four years past its prime! It's a bit embarrassing, but it proves the point: if you can't see it or reach it, you won't use it. 

Dealing with deep, narrow shelves makes it nearly impossible to access what's hiding in the shadows.

Why I Waited (The Tool Dilemma)

So, why did it take me forever to start this pantry makeover? 

Honestly, it came down to my tools. I don't own a table saw, and my old miter saw has become so unreliable that I just don't trust it for the precise cuts needed for drawer boxes.

A Professional Twist on a DIY Project

Here's the best part: I didn't actually build or install these drawers myself! While this might sound like a sponsored post, I promise it's not. I just have a very talented brother-in-law, Stanley, who is the pro behind Kitchens with Style.

During a family reunion, I was venting about my pantry tribulations. Stanley offered to source professional-grade slide-out shelves from his distributors. He took a few quick measurements, and two weeks later, a giant package arrived at my door like an early Christmas present. He even walked me through the installation process.

Even though I had an expert helping hand, the process taught me so much about how these systems work. If you're looking to add pull-out drawers to your pantry, here is exactly what I learned during the installation:

Installation

The pantry was emptied, duh of course ;)

Measure

One of the biggest troubles I had when contemplating how to build the drawers was the dimensions, the width, and how deep into the cabinet they should go. That's why I took measurements of what we used, so in case you're building your own, you can relate to this.

The face frame opening is the one to be measured, after all, the drawers have to go through that opening ;) 

As a rule of thumb, he said, leave 1-1/8" space for the slides.

The drawers are screwed to the front face. They'll go from there, the front face to the back of the cabinet. The space I had 23-½". 

The drawers were ordered 22" deep.

The drawer slides were screwed to the face frame and to 1x2 supports installed parallel and flush to the face frame on the back of the cabinet.

Use the slides to determine the placement of the 1 x 2 wooden supports above. 

We used 22" full extension slides.

The slides have a few openings where the screws can be driven (left picture below). 

I used only one support post on the back of the cabinet, since I don't store heavy loads here. If you're going to store heavy products on those drawers, you might need to install another support in the middle.

Once the 1 x 2 supports were in place, it was time to install the inner slides for the first drawer, the one at the bottom of the cabinet. It was the trickiest because of the small lip the face frame creates at the bottom.

To prevent the drawer from getting stuck on that lip, you have to install the slides high enough for the drawer to come out freely. 

Let's check out the simplest trick used here:

Formica laminate samples!

Each sample is 1/8" thick. You can place as many as you want on each side; they will keep the slides level. We used 7 on each side.

You can also use cards, credit cards, or even paper.

Now you can place the slide on top of the samples and mark your points on the face frame and the back support.

Place the drawer inside the cabinet, then mark the location where the slide should be installed.  

Take it out, make a level line along that mark, and drive the screws to secure this part of the slides in place.

After the first drawer is installed, you need to know what you want to store in it to ensure it has the proper height.

 Then, you can continue installing the next shelf, making sure it's level.

Until they are all installed and you can do a happy dance  :)

Ha, I went the extra mile with the decor, transforming the doors with chalkboard paint.

Some tags, for when I send the Mr., looking for something ;)

And I even spruced up the top part, too. I usually store oversized items in there, so no need for slides. 

The door also got a makeover with the free Measuring Equivalents found HERE.

For more kitchen organization, check these out:

How to Make and Install Drawers in the Cabinet Above the Fridge

DIY - Inside Cabinet Plate Rack

For the kitchen renovation, click HERE.
Updating the Kitchen Island
How to build the Refrigerator Enclosure
How to build the Range Hood
Closing the Space above the Kitchen Cabinets
Adding Moldings to your Kitchen Cabinets
Painting Oak Kitchen Cabinets
Installing the Marble Backsplash
Lighting Plan
Kitchen Cost Breakdown
1 ½ Years Later: How the Kitchen is Holding up
Built-in Plate Rack
LG Appliances Review and Complaint

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