Immediately we’re speaking concerning the inventory market! Simply kidding. Precisely because the title suggests, we’re going to indicate you ways we earned some actually helpful further storage in our new kitchen by upgrading a previously VERY PACKED utility closet. It used to mainly simply have a water heater and an HVAC system in it with out a lot room for anything, and now there’s, say it with me… a lot room for actions. Okay, not for like cartwheels, however considerably extra room to retailer stuff than earlier than. Like perhaps 500% extra. Actually.
In case you watched our drawer-by-drawer kitchen group video, you already acquired a peek at what now we have occurring in there, however in the present day we’re sharing all of the angles, and explaining how we have been capable of take this closet from “largely water heater” to “a lot the whole lot else.”
The Utility Closet Earlier than
We don’t have a whole lot of “earlier than” photographs of this closet as a result of it was completely nothing to write down residence about. In a smaller home like ours, you want a spot for the ugly stuff just like the HVAC system and the water heater and this closet was it. The photograph under was taken proper after we moved in. The HVAC system is to the fitting of that doorframe (the black tubes result in it) and though this closet is fairly deep (it goes all the best way beneath the steps), the water heater fully blocked greater than half of the closet that continues to the left of the doorframe.
That is an instance of a particularly random pile of stuff we saved in there on that random patch of ground house between the water heater and the HVAC system in our first few days of dwelling right here. I believe it was largely bins of Christmas stuff and miscellaneous gadgets we hadn’t discovered a spot for but. Don’t thoughts the (not actual) chihuahua skeleton. Our Halloween stuff now lives in a cloth bin in the laundry closet with the easter eggs and our pumpkin carving instruments. And all of our Christmas stuff is in certainly one of the wardrobes in our bed room. Our home’s group had nowhere to go however up from the day we took this photograph.
I already talked about essentially the most irritating factor about this set-up, which is that the water heater was blocking A LOT of potential space for storing beneath the steps, rendering it completely inaccessible and unusable. And particularly in a smaller home, it’s painful to know that there’s an enormous empty cavity of completely useful space for storing THAT YOU CAN’T GET TO.
In order that leads us to step one in our mini makeover…
Step 1: Replace (& Relocate) The Water Heater
In a transfer that may solely be referred to as the MVP of this venture, we had that cumbersome electrical water heater changed with a extra energy-efficient tankless mannequin. We used tankless water heaters in our pink seaside home and our duplex (see under), so we knew it could take up rather a lot much less house and provides us higher entry to the again of the closet if the swap could possibly be made.
And – to our nice shock! – we discovered that tankless water heaters are usually put in on the OUTSIDE of houses round right here (name us Florida novices). Thar she blows, mounted to the siding proper outdoors of that closet on the again of our home the place we put all of the ugly stuff as a result of no person can actually see it (it’s additionally the place our pool tools, gasoline meter, and generator reside – all hidden behind a tall gate).
So not solely had we earned a way more environment friendly water heater, we all of the sudden gained entry to TONS of additional space for storing that runs all the best way beneath the steps. Which, while you downsize, is mainly your love language.
We did our greatest to reap the benefits of the brand new house, nevertheless it was type of a slapdash strategy for some time as a result of we weren’t fairly positive what would work finest. We hung some wire cabinets to wrangle instruments and miscellaneous provides & threw some bigger gadgets we wished to retailer in that newly accessible space beneath the steps, nevertheless it was clearly a chaotic vibe (and never the easiest way to retailer that stuff, we fairly shortly realized), therefore having zero photographs of it. That is truly an outdated video screenshot from a fast spin round the home that Sherry does for insurance coverage functions each time we go away on a visit as a result of Shavonda says so. Word: the speculation is if you happen to’ve just lately recorded each nook & cranny of your home, you’ve that to reference if one thing occurs when you’re gone, and you may present your insurance coverage provider to ensure they reimburse you for all of the gadgets you misplaced (which you gained’t overlook, as a result of you’ve all of it on tape).
We lived with issues like that for some time, understanding it wasn’t working flawlessly, but in addition making an attempt to not rush into another concept that additionally wouldn’t work properly, and over time because the remainder of the kitchen renovation began to return collectively, we had extra readability on how we wished to make use of this bonus house. And let’s simply say it didn’t contain shallow wire shelving.
However earlier than we may usher in some better-looking storage, we had just a few issues in our manner. Fairly actually.
Step 2: Reroute The Pipes & Wires
The closet nonetheless had numerous wires, tubes, and pipes that prevented us from placing issues the place we wished them. So we paid round $280 to get two execs to return out and transfer them for us. First our favourite HVAC guys rerouted the thick black tubing and white pipe for the HVAC system as far to the fitting aspect as doable (in order that they now not arc out so extensively into the closet). Word: by no means compromise your system by altering issues with a handyman or DIY if you happen to’re undecided how that system works. We all the time use a very good HVAC man after we’re making HVAC modifications as a result of a cushty home temp is vital 😉
Later that very same day we had our favourite plumber out to re-route the water strains that run out to our tankless water heater, so these water strains are now not obstructing the again wall in any respect. We hid them behind the doorway so you may’t even see it from the kitchen anymore! See the blue and purple water strains that run above the baseboards within the photograph above? Now they sneakily snake behind the doorway (they’re these clear tubes you see on this photograph under):
So with the whole lot out of the best way, we have been lastly capable of get to the enjoyable half…
Step 3: Customise A Dice Storage Shelf
Maintain onto your butts, as a result of that is the place it begins to get much more thrilling.
We upgraded from that shallow wire wall storage to a fundamental dice shelf organizer – and we made it look a little bit less-than-basic by including 5″ brass furnishings legs and topping it with a chunk of butcher block counter that we lower to dimension and sealed with 2 coats of slicing board oil (it all the time dries a little bit lighter as soon as it’s soaked in).
Since you may see 4 of the 8 cubes when the closet door is open, we used matching taupe material bins to make the issues look tidier than they are surely. These bins maintain SO MUCH STUFF. Completely thrilling.
We use certainly one of them to retailer pet food & treats, one other one has our steamer & vacuum attachments, one has random issues like spray paint & caulk & our a caulk gun. Let’s simply say it’s about 5X extra pleasurable than making an attempt to stability that stuff in shallow wire cabinets (which by no means may maintain our pet food anyway).
We left the opposite 4 cubes bin-less and open, and people additionally maintain a smorgasbord of stuff like further rest room paper, overflow drinks, emergency provides, and even our Berkey water filter. A number of folks have requested what occurred to it because it’s not out on our counter anymore, and the reply is that in the course of the closing stage of our kitchen reno, we lastly ran a waterline to our fridge (which created filtered always-cold water on demand – plus ICE!). After over two years with out one, having a chilly water & ice dispenser has been superior. The fridge additionally dispenses sizzling water for tea so it has mainly modified our lives. If this have been Cribs on MTV I’d welcome you in and discuss my fridge for ten minutes.
Anyway, again to the Berkey. We had it assembled on the counter within the utility closet for some time, however all of us tended to only use the fridge after we wished a drink. However we love our Berkey so we’re protecting it in case we ever want a very superb water filter (it will possibly actually make pond water potable!), like a hurricane or different emergency. We have now one dice devoted to hurricane provides the place it sits, which additionally holds a crank radio, a solar-powered charger, some flashlights, and so on.
There’s further house past the storage shelf for some random greater stuff to take a seat on the ground. And sure, that’s a dehumidifier that you just see operating as a result of, properly, Florida. Because it sits between the consumption vent and our HVAC unit, it truly helps dehumidify the entire home.
And as a reminder, this was the view from this angle. So yeah… huge distinction.
Step 4: Add A Floating Shelf
Actually, the dice organizer turned out to be more-than-enough storage for us for the time being, however we had some further butcher block after we made the counter and we thought it could be good so as to add a shelf for much more vertical storage.
We created a easy shelf with the assistance of those metallic shelf brackets that we spray-painted Rust-Oleum’s Sunlit Brass to match the toes that we added to the dice storage shelf under. We truly used the identical paint on the metallic legs on the dice shelf after realizing they have been extra of an orange brass, and now the whole lot matches.
The shelf and the countertop do retailer some useful issues, like mugs and additional cups, a pitcher Sherry makes use of to water her 438 crops, and a handheld vacuum that’s simple for the youngsters to make use of. However Sherry threw some ornamental issues in there too as a result of, properly, we now have room for that. This closet actually went from feeling like a wasted underutilized house to giving off an almost-pantry or bonus-bar vibe that we recognize a lot.
So yeah, framed illustrations of your canine and fairly vases can reside in a closet too. Reside your finest life.
Step 5: Cowl The Ugly
We nonetheless had that extraordinarily utilitarian-looking HVAC unit proper subsequent to the world we had simply spruced up… however I had an thought.
We constructed a easy cowl panel from a sheet of skinny plywood that we trimmed across the edges with 1 x 2″ boards and painted the wall coloration (SW Pure White).
The entire thing hangs from some eye hooks that we screwed right into a fundamental picket closet rod that we added close to the ceiling.
This implies we are able to simply take away the panel every time the HVAC unit must be serviced.
And, for the reason that consumption is on the underside of the unit, it doesn’t block an inch of airflow, and we are able to simply change the filter with out having to take it down.
The general impact of including that panel is surprisingly useful. It feels MUCH much less like a utility closet in right here, however nonetheless has all of the perform.
Step 6: Take Benefit of Hidden Partitions
Final however not least, we utilized the within wall (reverse the dice shelf, to the left of the doorway) to wrangle some final remaining gadgets: a dustpan, some cleansing wands, a fly swatter… you realize, the actually horny stuff.
We additionally hung this 24″ under-cabinet mild vertically alongside the door molding to present us some further mild in there. It simply plugs into a standard outlet (we had that added after we eliminated the water heater since energy had been run to that spot for the water heater) and it affords two brightness settings. Toggle the swap a method for 50% brightness, and toggle it the opposite manner for 100%. That is simply 50% under, so it’s PLENTY vivid.
In order that’s the story of how we took this unassuming utility closet that actually solely had this a lot accessible ground house…
… and gave it fairly the glow up.
As a P.S. – I do know it seems extremely shallow in there, however we are able to each simply stand absolutely throughout the closet, stroll all the best way to the again nook to get the storage gadgets that now we have again there, and so on.
If it helps, right here is Sherry standing inside:
Since that doubtless didn’t assist as a result of she’s 5’2″, I’ll repeat this image for you, as a result of you may see that I’m standing absolutely inside the closet (see the doorframe in entrance of me) to take away that HVAC panel. Thrilling, proper? I can absolutely stand in that spot with out hitting my head, and each of us need to duck to get to the again of the closet for the reason that ceiling dips down, however that’s par for the course for a closet beneath the steps.
One final observe about that black upright vacuum, since I do know somebody will ask. We broke our beloved Shark Navigator that you just’ve heard us discuss roughly 42 instances (it was our fault, not the vacuums’) and it was now not bought at that second we broke it, so we caved and acquired a Shark ION P50 – however don’t fall for it. The Shark Navigator is eternally and all the time our favourite cordless vac (so glad it’s again and obtainable once more! Sherry needs we had waited). I’ll admit that we not often use a “actual vacuum” now that Eufy has come into our lives, besides primarily for doing the steps (which we generally do with our handheld vacuum as a result of we’re cool like that).
To learn all about our kitchen renovation, this publish has you coated (together with the price). And if you happen to’d wish to see how our total kitchen is organized, we throw open all of the doorways & drawers proper right here on this publish.
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