Do you feel like you’ve run out of room to store all your food storage? If so, we’ve got another Do It Yourself solution for you. For your next DIY project, consider making a canned food organizer. Now, I know you’ve probably seen a lot b of different DIY shelf organizers on the web that range from flipping wire shelves upside down in a closet to putting Lazy Susan shelves into a traditional pantry. So what makes this canned food organizer different than all the rest? It’s a shelf that slides out from the space between your fridge and the wall. It makes great use of wasted space. Instead of taking up extra space in your cabinets and cupboards, this shelf creates a totally new space to store your food and other supplies in. We found a tutorial from Mallory at classyclutter.net that shows you a step-by-step process for making a canned food organizer.

DIY Food Storage Organizer

Photo courtesy of ClassyClutter.net

Here’s what you’ll need: 9 – 1×4s cut to 29 1/2? (top board, shelves, bottom board) 2 – 1×4s, cut to 64? (Side boards) 1 – Thin board, cut to 31 1/2 x 64? (Mallory used bead board/wainscoting board from Home Depot) 4 – 1 ½-2? Metal Casters that hold 50+ lbs (Mallory used 2?, 80lbs) 7 – 7/16 dowels cut to 30? long (lumber section of Home Depot) Handle or knob Paint and Brush, Roller, or Sprayer (if needed) Tools and Supplies: Drill 7/16? drill bit for drilling dowel holes Several wood screws (purchase a bulk-size bag or box to make sure you have enough) Several 2? nails (purchase a bulk-size bag or box to make sure you have enough) Several finishing nails (purchase a bulk-size bag or box to make sure you have enough) Hammer Directions: Essentially you’re going to build a ladder-like structure and then put a back panel onto it so that all your food stays in place. Put the completed structure on wheels and put a handle on the side so that you can easily roll the shelving unit out. For step-by-step instructions and pictures, check out the article, “DIY Canned Food Organizer Tutorial—Build Your Own.” Or check out this “imgr” food storage shelf tutorial as an alternative technique for building this awesome shelf. Want more DIYs? Check out this list of 60+ DIY Kitchen Shelf projects from diyncrafts.com that can help you organize your cabinets, pots and pans, spices, and much more. If you’re looking for more “unconventional” places to store your emergency supplies, check out our “No Room for Supplies?” Pinterest Board and read our article, “Baby Steps: Make Room for your Food and Supply Storage.” Where do you store your store your food storage and emergency supplies? Sources http://www.classyclutter.net/2012/05/build-your-own-extra-storage-diy-canned-food-organizer.html (Tutorial) http://imgur.com/a/nqKrk (Tutorial)
DiyFood storage

8 comments

Bob

Bob

I like your tip about using a 7/16 for drilling holes. My wife and I need a lot more storage in our house. We’ll have to just buy some storage cabinets instead of doing it ourselves. https://www.clarencesgiftshop.com/furniture/furniture-top/cabinets.html

Storage Shelves online

Storage Shelves online

thank u for giving suggestions

beprepared

beprepared

TSgt B,
Great question. The people at Classyclutter.net (where we found the tutorial) were asked this question as well. The woman who created the post on classyclutter.net said this “My refrigerator does not heat up on the sides and over the past year, I have had absolutely no issues with food spoiling from any heat. The fridge is completely cool to the touch.” However, this doesn’t really help someone whose fridge heats up. This is where judgement comes into play—if your fridge heats up, it might not be the best idea to make this particular food storage shelf. But if it doesn’t heat up, this could be a good option. There are other tutorials for food storage shelves to check out and to use to store your food. We provide a link to more tutorials to check out as alternatives to this one. Check out this website for more shelf ideas: diyncrafts.com

beprepared

beprepared

Hi Matt,
Very good question. We found this shelf idea and tutorial on the classyclutter.net website. They have had this question asked several times and provide a solution. They say “You could install a stopper on the floor or locking casters to prevent an accident.” Check out what other advice they give at this site http://www.classyclutter.net/2012/05/build-your-own-extra-storage-diy-canned-food-organizer.html.

Eric Mayhew

Eric Mayhew

plans

bumpkin

bumpkin

WONDERFUL TUT! Will do it!

Matt

Matt

Screws would hold it together. But more importantly what’s to keep it from tipping over when pulled out. All this is on a very skinny base. Quite tall and heavy.

TSgt B

TSgt B

One considerable disadvantage to this is the amount of heat that is generated/radiated from the heat exchanger coils on the refrigerator. This would be detrimental to shelf life of canned goods.

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