Interiors-obsessed blogger Becky Pink talks about tackling on-hold DIY projects.
Do you have a project on your to do list that you just can’t face?
I hope my latest DIY will inspire you to tackle it, like I did with the ‘cupboard of doom’ I’ve been avoiding for the last six years.
Our walk-in under-stairs cupboard leads off from the kitchen.
It’s supposed to be a pantry, but it’s always just been a chaotic muddle.
Finally, after six years, I have made it functional, on a budget, using materials we already had as much as possible.
Here is the ‘before’.
There were rickety old shelves that were no longer fit for purpose, and the walls were a dingy greenish colour.
We had the flooring replaced when we had the kitchen floor laid, but apart from that, it was the same as
when we moved in, complete with a 1970s chipboard door in a fake wood finish.
After emptying it all, I removed the shelves, filled in a lot of holes and painted it all matte white, with leftover paint.
Next, we added a wide shelf at the back using a bit of leftover kitchen cupboard. The IKEA SORTERA storage
bins beneath store bulky items like bags of oats and pasta, and things like reusable shopping bags and recycling.
The shelf also created space for our coffee machine and food processor.
Before lockdown we got seven of the cheapest shelves and brackets IKEA do, to make space to organise tins and bottles, and here is the ‘after’.
We opted for more bargain IKEA storage solutions on the other wall, in the shape of SUNNERSTA hanging rails, plus some hooks, a shelf and some tubs to house things like candles, chargers, glue, scissors and tape.
The best part of my pantry makeover is that it’s actually stayed pretty tidy, as there is a designated place for everything.
Becky Pink is a freelance copywriter and journalist who blogs about her family, life and home at pinkscharming.com. You can follow her on Instagram and Twitter at @pinkscharming.
