By Brad Gandy

If you’re a pet owner, you probably treat your furry housemates like family. You watch TV together, make your pets feel better in times of stress, and always make sure that they have a nice comfortable spot to rest at night, which may or may not be the same spot you rest at night.

Why should the way you store their food be any different? When a human looks for a house, pantry space is almost always a must. Hey, some of us just won’t settle for anything less than a walk-in closet for our groceries, but when it comes to pets, lidded bins or colossal bags tucked away in a corner are somehow sufficient for a family member. There has to be a better way.

Now, I’m not suggesting that you visit your favorite store and buy a whole new cabinet for pet food. That is excessive and definitely not ideal for a tight budget, but these four projects are certainly eye-catching alternatives.

Plastic Storage Drawers with Stencils

Let’s start simple. You know those storage drawers (sometimes with castors on them) that you put your kids’ toys in? They work great for pet food. Storing food in lower drawers, as KC found out, is much better than her dog having to reach for their heater at meal time. Plus, she added some super easy stencils for that extra “Wow!” factor.

Personalized Metal Wastebasket

If you want your pet feeding area to have an industrial look, check out Kimberly’s idea. She picked up a metal trash can at the hardware store and added some pretty edgy stencils to complete the look. It’s a great look that her adorable pup couldn’t resist photobombing!

Large Popcorn Tins

This idea is similar to the previous one, but it’s better suited for larger pets or multi-pet households. Diane took popcorn tins (the ones you get for Christmas almost every year, am I right?) and then added craft paper and printable stencils. The result is an elegant storage solution and a stylish way to keep things organized, one for dog food and one for cat food.

Pet Food Dispenser

If you’re feeling extra handy, this homemade dispenser can fit on a garage wall. It’s made of pine wood and has acrylic so you can see exactly how much food is left before a refill, and since it’s a dispenser, you don’t have to scoop the food into the pet bowl. All you do is flick a switch!

Read More: DIY Pet Toy Storage With Wheels 

Share Your Own Tips

What are some of your pet food or treat storage ideas? Have you ditched the giant bag for good? I’d love to hear how you make sure your fur babies are treated like family when they eat.