Yes, we regularly repurpose ours. At present, having to clear room for a potential housemate (and/or hunters in residence) has jump-started that process again. There's always been a "spare" cabinet, here; its location moves according to need. (There used to be two-- but one has permanently become the spice cabinet, with one shelf for each cuisine's unique items.)

I discovered the scary fun today of removing not-cleanable layers of gucked-up clearcoat with..... oven cleaner. Nasty stuff, but neutralized with vineger it's easy paint prep.

So I can have "clean" now, any time (as long as it's warm enough to open windows.) The paint job will wait till all the doors and drawer-fronts come off. They'll go outdoors then for a good sanding, and then-- once the road dust settles down in the freeze-up-- the doors can be painted with a compressor. The tall hutch is painted in an oil paint my sister used when she made it for us-- has held up marvelously. (And oil covers latex, but not the other way around.)

The landlord has a huge salamander (think industrial-sized blowdryer) to make sure it's warm enough for the paint to cure, and maybe instead of of doing it on the porch he'll say to move it all into the unused section of the big ole barn out back. His teenager Luke can help-- maintain the property he will someday inherit. Bruce loves for us to give Luke small jobs where we can teach him How to Work.

Only fair-- they taught ours. :~)

~Susan