Rachel has written for Dotdash Meredith's Ecommerce team since 2021. Previously, she was the Deputy Editor at HelloGiggles, the Entertainment Editor at Bustle, and the Wellbeing Editor at Mic. Her work has also appeared in The New York Times, Vulture, Glamour, NBC News, and many more outlets. Additionally, she teaches writing through Gotham Writers Workshop and Redbud Writing Project. Highlights: * Previously the Deputy Editor at Dotdash Meredith's HelloGiggles * Founding writer for Bustle and founding editor for Mic * 10+ writing classes taught via Gotham Writers Workshop and Redbud Writing Project

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Despite living in our home for over a year, it took my husband and I getting sick for a week and being unable to go shopping for us to realize that we really needed to have a pantry. While we stored plenty of food in our kitchen cabinets and had a downstairs cupboard filled with paper goods, we lacked a proper space that could hold all our rainy-day extras and emergency supplies like cereals, soups, medicine, and so-on. After some searching, we found the answer to our problem: an adjustable five-shelf storage unit from Amazon Basics with over 86,000 five-star ratings.

In their feedback, Amazon customers have raved about the best-selling unit's substantial size, sturdy legs, and hassle-free assembly, among other features. Optimistic, I placed my order, and I was thrilled to discover that the storage rack was just as great as I'd read. For one thing, it's huge, with each shelf large enough to fit several items (up to 350 pounds per shelf), and since you can adjust the height of each shelf (which was super easy and quick to do), storing taller items like liquor bottles or detergent is no problem. Setting it up was fairly simple, too, thanks to its clear instruction manual—and despite the unit's size, it took little effort to move it into place and adjust it later on as needed.

I admit I was a bit skeptical about how sturdy the unit would really be, but when my husband and I filled the shelves with dozens of items after a Costco trip, we found them to be just as solid as the reviews had promised, even with all the added weight. The unit also just looks great, too, with its alloy steel material painted in a classic black, but it also comes in chrome, if that's more your style.

At just $86, the unit is a steal, considering all that it offers. We bought a second one shortly after our first purchase to store tools in our garage, and we're even considering getting a third—perhaps in one of the smaller three- or four-shelf versions—which we'd use to hold additional toiletries and emergency supplies.

This storage unit has made a great addition to our home, and I'm truly so impressed with it. Honestly, it's hard to imagine how we went so long without it. If your space needs a storage overhaul, too, head to Amazon to shop this unit for $86.

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