Pantry / Closet Organizing – Design Process with SketchUp

I’ve finally settled on what to do with my pantry. The decision is to not keep it as a pantry but instead use it as a closet. I also figured I would try to explain my thought process a little more on the front end. Hopefully you find this video useful.

15 COMMENTS

  1. Very nicely done Jay! Definitely will improve your confidence going into the project that everything will indeed fit. I’ve done a similar project when laying out my garage and added an extra .25″ “fudge factor” to my items to allow a bit of wiggle room when organizing. Also, this process is a good way to get “buy-in” from the significant other prior to construction ;) Great video!

  2. Hey Jay,

    Old guy Bill here. Once, again, you have provided something more useful than it might first seem. I’ve been wanting to do the same with our pantry for ten years, just never got to is on the honeydew list ;) – and, as an artist and illustrator, I’ve been intending to take time to learn Sketchup. It’s a wonderfully simple design program, sure, but it still has a learning curve. What you have done with this post is to give me one of the best lightning-speed tutorials on Sketchup. Thanks, again. I truly appreciate the work you put into videos and podcasts (thanks to all who participate w/ you). BTW, the way you go through everything rapidly is refreshing. I’m a patient person, generally, but it drives me nuts to wait for someone in a tutorial vlog to go through endless, plodding explanations. You really can teach an old dog new tricks.

  3. Thanks Jay, nice job on the layout. Just a quick thought on the over-the-door hangers, you might try making your own from some flat metal stock but on the top make the horizontal surface about 1/2 to 3/4 of the door thickness, then bending the holding/vertical part of the tab down so it’s about 1″ down from the top, and then routing a 1/8″ (or whatever) wide slot on the top of the door for that tab to fit into. That way it accomplishes the hanging aspect but can still be removed easily if necessary. And nothing shows on the front of the door nor does the hanger mess up the paint or stain on the outside face of the door. Just a thought… Cheers!

  4. Dang, I actually enjoyed this Jay! I am new to woodworking and have not learned the SketchUp program yet and I am amazed at what you can do with it. Thanks for what you do.

  5. Thanks for the show..In making the decision to on what side you would place your mop bucket did you consider which way your door was swinging. Sorry if you had mentioned that.

    • Hey Tom. The door doesn’t matter in this situation. It can be opened completely without obstruction. The mop bucket has a handle on the right side though which makes it more cumbersome if it is stored on the left of the closet.

  6. Really enjoy your site. Believe me I’m not a hater. I think you must be running out of ideas to do videos on. No offense but this is pretty weak. I work for a major woodworking retailer that sponsors a couple of your fellow bloggers. In my humble opinion I think you should get out in your shop and do some woodworking. Good luck.

    • Thanks for your input, Mike, and congrats for working for a major retailer that sponsors a couple of my fellow bloggers. I’ve been making these SketchUp videos as extra videos from my main weekly content on and off for a few years now. This is nothing new. I get requests for more SketchUp videos frequently which is why I continue to make them. However, I encourage you to make weekly woodworking videos, articles, and occasional plans in such a way that you can create a business that provides for your family. Please do so without creating “weak” content. In doing so you will quickly find that you simply cannot please everyone with every post. Especially when the content you provide is free.

      • Hiya, what a great way you have for dealing with those who can’t do anything themselves except dig at others. Before anyone points that at me before becoming disabled I worked in film and T.V. doing lighting and power. My most prestigious job was a sad one doing all the power for the B.B.C. at Princess Di’s funeral. I don’t claim kudos for a very tenuous relationship. “I work for a” etc he doesn’t say what he does there, he could be a janitor, if that’s not putting janitors down…

  7. This video is actually a very good introduction to using SketchUp for everyday problems that I would not have thought of myself. Great after having seen all your SketchUp tutorials. I think I’m getting there.

    Greetings from Denmark!!

  8. Jay– When you “solve” the multiple glass/cup situation could you explain how!!!
    We also are two people with enough glasses/cups to supply the whole community.
    I get told that I have too many tools & she doesn’t have enough room for her crafts–all in a two car garage.

    Enjoyed the video/tutorial. Need to venture into learning Sketch Up.

  9. Jay, thanks for the practical SketchUp instructional and talking us through the thought process you use while working a project. I am very new to both DIY and SketchUp and would like to do a better job planning projects instead of using basic drafting skills from high school. Thanks too for describing the SketchUp steps and also shortcut keys. Thanks again for your time and keep up the great work!

  10. Hey Jay! Love the site and especially your tutorials on SU. I have learned so much in a short time. I could never get a rectangle to draw on the correct plane. All I need to do is rotate a little. Thanks.
    Also, good answer to blogger Mike on you ‘weak’ episode! Keep up the good work. Look forward to the Interesting Stuff on the web every week!

  11. Hey Jay
    I loved you’re video as usual, I wanted to suggest on you’re pots and pans storage you have all that ceiling space you might want to consider a pots and pans rack hung from the ceiling they have so many selections to chose from modern, rustic, antics, etc. any way just a thought I’ve been watching for years and love you’re videos also the sketch up ones I’ve learnt more from you on sketch up than any of the other people doing sketch up video, any how thanks for all you do.
    David

  12. Hey Jay,

    Thanks so much for taking the time to create and share your SketchUp videos. I’m a woodworker and I have been using the software for a little over a month now. I have been learning as I go from youtube tutorials. I just found your videos today, and in just the last couple of hours I have learned more than the last few weeks. Very concise and quick paced. Much appreciated.

    John

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