Organize a closet or office with adjustable shelves
- Store disparate items, such as files and notebooks, on adjustable shelves so you can tailor the space.
- Put up adjustable shelving in closets, a home office or a laundry room -- the utilitarian look of these shelves makes them best suited for hidden areas.
- Pop out the brackets and rearrange the configuration as you acquire or eliminate items
Installation technique: Position one track on the wall. Drill a hole through one of the holes in the track, and drive in a screw. Use a long level to check that the track is perfectly vertical (draw a line along it with a pencil) and install the rest of the screws through the holes in the track. Insert a bracket in the track. Insert another bracket in the corresponding slot on a second, uninstalled track. Place a long level across the brackets; adjust the second track to make the brackets even. Install the second track as you did the first, followed by any remaining tracks, and then arrange the brackets and shelves.
Store heavy items on bracket shelves
- Use bracket shelves to house books and other weighty objects. The heavy-duty brackets can hold more poundage than the decorative, floating shelves (below).
- Brackets come in many styles, including sleek stainless steel, antique wrought iron and cozy carved pine, so they will work with any decor or room style.
- Purchase a shelf-and-bracket kit, or pair vintage brackets (find them at flea markets or online) with shelves cut at a lumberyard.
Installation technique: Position a bracket on the wall. Drill a hole in the wall through one of the holes in the bracket. Drive in a screw; repeat. Align the other bracket with a level; install. Attach the shelf to the brackets by driving screws into the holes at the base and tip of the bracket.