Making The Most Of Your Kitchen Pantry

Jan 30, 2023 | Custom Pantries

A kitchen pantry is a highly coveted feature in homes that can add value, much like a kitchen island and high-end appliances. Pantries offer valuable space to store food and other kitchen needs within easy reach. To make the most out of the space and increase its value, it is important to have an organizational system to make the space really pay off and work for you. Follow these tips and ideas on how to organize your pantry for maximum storage and optimal usability.

A Variety Of Shelving Options

It is good to have a variety of different shelf depths in your pantry. Shallow pantry shelves are great for canned goods, pasta, snacks and other small items. The shallower depths ensure that these products remain accessible and do not get lost in the back of the shelf. You can also add a shelf rail to the narrower shelves to keep small items from falling off.
Deep pantry shelves or pull-out drawers are great for storing serving pieces, platters and large appliances. Just be sure to design pull-out drawers with varying amounts of space in between in order to accommodate different size items. Your pantry system can have adjustable shelves so you can determine what works as you organize the space to suit your needs.

Wire Baskets For Storage

Pull-out wire baskets are great for storing potatoes and onions, as well as things like bags of chips and other snacks. They help contain items while still allowing you to see what’s inside, and also allow for air circulation that will help keep root vegetables dry. The wire baskets can also be a catch all for reusable bags for taking to the grocery store.

Make Use Of Corners

Corners are underutilized areas of any type of kitchen cabinetry. In the panty, the dead space in the cabinet corners can be used for built in corner shelving with a “lazy susan” rotating shelf to house other canned goods and food storage. This approach allows for items to be easily stored, but still accessible and easy to get what you need.

Recycling Center

The pantry is also a good place to house all of your recyclables. Designate an area for the different sorting containers that can be stored away and pulled out for easy use. Come recycling day, the task of sorting and placing items to curb will be much easier with a pantry recycling center in place.

Beverage Storage

Many pantries also double as wine and beverage storage areas. This can be a good place to add pull-out bottle racks, beverage storage cubes or wine cubbies. Wine bottles, as well as many other bottled beverages, are best stored horizontally, and these storage solutions will make sure that the beverages will be kept fresh and the corks will not dry out.

Keep The Floor Clear

Floor space in a pantry can be used for storing heavier items like cases of water and soda for easy access and maneuvering. It is a good idea to leave the floor space open so you can easily slide items in and out as you need them.
Add Hooks

Hooks are convenient in many areas of the home, and the pantry is no exception. The real advantage of hooks is that they make that all-important vertical space usable. In a pantry, you can hang aprons, reusable shopping bags, grilling tools, pet leashes, mops, brooms, and more.

Choose Storage Containers

There are many storage container options to store bulk food items and dry goods like rice, beans, popcorn, flour and sugar. This will go a long way to staying organized and help prevent food spoilage by eliminating multiple open boxes or bags of the same item, each partially used. Clear containers are a good option so you can see how much is left inside.
These tips will get you on the way to a pantry organizational system that is best for you, and can add value to your home for years to come. A closet professional can assist in maximizing your storage space in a way that provides easy access and high visibility for all of your food storage and kitchen needs.