Can Storage

Our pantry is just off the kitchen.  When we are preparing a meal, it is a few steps away.  It is so handy, but over the years we bring things in and nothing goes out.  That is not entirely true.  There are some things that have come out, but ended up in the garage.  Now the garage is another problem to deal with.

Above is a look in the pantry.  It has been worse. There are times that we can't walk to the back without stepping over things.

This is a looking to the right.  This where our bottled fruits, beans, sauces, juices, jams and jellies are kept.  Most are used during and replenished when our garden begins to produce.  Canned fruits and vegetable that we buy from time to time are stored on the right.  Can in the back exceed their "eat by" date.

So I am looking for a way to organize the all the canned goods.  First place to look is on You Tube.  In the past I have seen storage containers for cans in the big box stores, but lately I haven't been able to find them.  One of the many You Tube videos I viewed impressed me.  I viewed it a dozen times.   I got the plans, but the dimension would not fit in the place where I was going to put it.   I had to design one that would fit. 

You may not be able to see the above drawings.  Plans are usaually made to scale.  This is not to scale, but to exact size.  I then used the plans and measured each piece, cut them out, and did a little dry fitting.  I glued some or the parts together, others I glued and nailed and some I used screws.  When finished I put cans in it.  Some cans got stuck.  I made several adjustments, and finally it works the way planned.

The picture above and the one below show the finished piece.  It is a little rough looking.  I made only one unit to get the design right.  The next project will be to make one that is about four feet long.  I should be able to put all of our cans, then use the oldest first.   I put new cans in the top and take the older ones out the bottom.