Treasures Left Behind

Alternatively titled “how to convert the beautiful hardwood closets that were abandoned in your garage into pantries.”

Step 1: Get the closets out of the garage and into the sunlight so you can see what you are doing. One may not have a back, but you can add something to stabilize it later.

Proof they used to be closets:

Step 2: Get out your husband’s father’s favorite radio and break out the tunes.

Step 3: Measure to ensure that the closets-turned-pantries will, indeed, fit into their intended space.

Step 4: Unbury all the doors and bring them outside, too.

Step 5: Get out the soap and some sponges. Wash everything, inside and out.

Step 6: Using old, holey socks or t-shirts, rub the inside and outside of the closets and doors with lemon oil to make the wood shine and protect it. Doesn’t it look nice?

Step 7: Make sure all the hardware (hinges, handles, etc) are present and in working order. If not, go to the hardware store and make it so.

Step 8: Bring everything inside and install the doors.

Step 9: Measure the inside dimensions of the closets and cut 1/2″-3/4″ wood to fit the space and serve as shelves.

Step 9b: Cover each shelf with a piece of Contact paper so that spills are easier to clean-up.

Step 10: Install pegs into the walls of the closet for the shelves to rest on. There should be four pegs: front right, back right, front left and back left corner of the shelves.

Step 11: Slide the shelves onto the pegs.

Step 12: Stock the shelves.

Step 13: Enjoy the sudden increase in storage space and organization for your foodstuffs.