How do i pretty up bookcase?

Michelle
by Michelle

I have a very tiny kitchen no pantry. I have orginal uppers cabinets that I cant access. I cant stand on stool to reach due to balance issues. Inexpensive ideas welcome

Eventually dishwasher will go that area will be trash and recycling

  16 answers
  • Baskets, cardboard boxes covered in pretty contact paper, or maybe hang a curtain over it.

  • Redcatcec Redcatcec on Aug 15, 2020

    You could measure and get small cardboard boxes from the stores, cover them with gift wrap, funnies from newspapers, seed catalogues, etc...wrap them as if there were gifts, leaving the front or top open, then label the boxes.

    Another idea is to put contact paper or even wall paper on the back of the cabinets.

    • Michelle Michelle on Aug 15, 2020

      Thank you I dont use cabinets for food pantry wth exception of breakfast items on first shelf

  • PJ PJ on Aug 15, 2020

    Dollar Tree or other type stores have a lot of inexpensive storage baskets etc.

    • Patty Patty on Aug 15, 2020

      You are right! I have done mu entire pantry with Dollar Tree red plastic baskets...about 15 of them! I love it because brightens up my pantry.

  • 17335038 17335038 on Aug 15, 2020

    Cardboard boxes are not going to be sturdy enough to withstand the continuous removing and putting back that is required to access panty items, simply due to the weight of the cans and jars. Besides, they cannot be sufficiently cleaned to the extent that a food storage area requires.

  • 17335038 17335038 on Aug 15, 2020

    The problem here is that there are just too many items for the amount of surface space in the shelving unit. There is potential for a much greater wall space to be put to use, but the present set up is very inefficient.


    My suggestion is to use this little shelving unit somewhere else in the home, and put in new shallow shelves that are wide enough to fit in between the wall and the black item on the righthand side (a fridge?). Hang these shelves with brackets that are mounted directly into the wall studs.


    Mounting the individual shelves closer together in vertical distance will allow for pantry items to be put onto the shelf surface in between the top and bottom shelf one layer high, without trying to stack them, and having them fall down.

    • See 1 previous
    • 17335038 17335038 on Aug 15, 2020

      Good to hear that this idea may work for you.

      I would advise to get wooden shelves rather than the wire ones. They will be much stronger to support heavier jars, and items such as packages always get caught or fall through the wire slats.

  • Oliva Oliva on Aug 15, 2020

    If you have sufficient arm/hand strength, I'd look for a long handled gripper tool to place items into/remove items from upper cabinets. Obviously, you donlt want to place very heavy items on upper shelves.

  • FrugalFamilyTimes.com FrugalFamilyTimes.com on Aug 15, 2020

    What about adding a curtain rod To the top of the shelf and covering it all with a pretty curtain.

  • Peggy L Burnette Peggy L Burnette on Aug 16, 2020

    Hi Michelle, you could group like thins together and put them in baskets. You can also take cardboard boxes and cover them with shelf paper or wall paper. You could also paint them. Hope this idea helps you.

  • Vimarhonor Vimarhonor on Aug 16, 2020

    Hello. It might depend on your budget. You might wish get some lumber and build a more substantial surround and add some doors or screens. Sometimes it could be more economical to look on craigslist or Facebook marketplace for a replacement piece as renovation - lumber supplies could be cost prohibitive. Hope you find the perfect solution.

  • O.shag O.shag on Aug 16, 2020

    Cheap solution would be pretty baskets to hold the cans and bottles and decorative glass,ceramic or plastic containers for dry goods like cereal, flour, sugar,pasta,etc. also maybe paint the shelving unit. If it's an option budget wise you'd have more storage with a taller storage cabinet and one with doors which would keep the busy look of all those items hidden.

  • Homeroad Homeroad on Dec 10, 2020

    You can add a spring rod at the top and hang a curtain over your shelving unit.

  • Deb K Deb K on Jun 05, 2021

    Hi Brenda, this looks country chic! Why not put a coat of chalk paint on it and distress it a bit, then add a piece of wood to the top, could be butcher block or plywood painted the same color as you painted it, this will make it look great, and you could add matching dollar store baskets to it to keep the clutter to a minimum.

  • Johnavallance82 Johnavallance82 on Jun 18, 2021

    Hi there,

    Add Lace edge to shelves - You can buy a plastic edging.

  • Holly Lengner - Lost Mom Holly Lengner - Lost Mom on Aug 11, 2021

    You could always hang a nice piece of fabric over it to hide everything underneath .