Cost-effective shelving

Q: I rented a small studio near my college that has very little storage space, especially in the kitchen, which has only a couple of cabinets under the counter. My landlord gave the OK to put in cabinets, but I have no budget for that. Do you have any other ideas? — Jack in New Hampshire

A: The best option for your wallet would be to add shelves to the kitchen. This can be done in place of cabinets, and later, should you or the landlord decide to upgrade, the shelves can easily be removed.

Home-improvement stores carry a wide assortment of ready-made shelving, ranging from the most basic particle-board kits to custom-designed materials. You’ll want to go with the former, and you’ll need only basic tools to assemble and mount.

•But before heading to the store, dig out the measuring tape, pencil and paper. Sketch out a rough design of how you want the shelves laid out. Think about what you want to put on them — heavier items require sturdier supports. Measure the space where the shelves will go. Once all this is written down, carry your notes to the store and pick the materials that fit your budget.

•Shelves consist of three basic items: standards, the vertical supports that attach directly to the wall; brackets, which fit into the standards and hold the shelves; and the shelves themselves. A bracket-standard assembly every 24 inches should support a shelf, and the shelf should never extend more than 8 inches past the last bracket.

•Standards should ideally be screwed into wall studs to provide maximum support. You can locate the studs by knocking along the wall; a hollow sound means you are between studs (they are typically 16 inches apart). A stud locator can help pinpoint their exact placement. Mark the studs with a pencil, and figure out how many standards to place. Pre-drill holes into the studs, then attach the standards.

•Even placement of the standards is important, so use a level as you set the standards to make sure they are plumb, both vertically and horizontally. Once the standards are in place, you can snap in the brackets and set the shelves atop them.