For the enthusiast chef in the house, there is never enough pantry space. When cupboards are a disorganized mess, finding ingredients can take as long as cooking the dinner itself. Why waste time shuffling through the pantry for paprika or penne pasta? You can keep even the smallest pantry organized while maximizing space using these clever and efficient storage tips alongside helpful, space-saving components.
If you choose to utilize deep shelves, line up the jars and boxes on top of the bin and place less used items on the bottom or in the back. If you need goods that are not in the everyday rotation, simply pull out the entire container for access.
Jars are magnificent storage containers in that they seal for freshness, are constructed from durable glass and they are the perfect size and shape to fit in any small pantry. Having a variety of jar sizes allows you to scale down on storage as ingredients dwindle. Have just enough jars where you can clean and reuse them once an ingredient has been used.
If you have a small walk-in pantry or even a shallow pantry, utilize a rolling cart in the unused space to maximize storage and efficiency. Place everyday items, such as baking ingredients that can be rolled over to the prep area of your kitchen. In addition to being a space saver, the cart is also a time saver in that all of the ingredients you need can be accessed on the cart during preparation.
By placing children’s snacks at the bottom of the pantry, it allows easier access for them to help themselves and avoid knocking over other sundries such as an entire bag of flour. Just make sure they are healthy snacks or else your children will be in the pantry constantly!
Save space in your pantry by discarding the packaging on items such as wrapped crackers or granola bars. Also, if you shop in the bulk section of your grocery store, you can save on the cardboard packaging altogether.
Long, shallow shelves ensure that no goods will become lost in the back of the pantry and you can easily access the stock needed. Narrow shelves wrapping around the pantry are much more efficient than other shelving that occupies more space.
There are two excellent ways to utilize the back of the door: over-the-door storage and magnetic. Over-the-door storage typically has a few small shelves which can hold small jars and products. A set of hooks could also be beneficial to hold bagged items using clips.
On the magnetic side, paint the inside of the pantry using magnetic paint. Find magnetic jars, that can be used for spices, rubber bands, wine stoppers, birthday candles or other kitchen ephemera, and stick them to the door. Utilizing the back of the door for storage is usually an oversight for most when trying to maximize the efficiency of a pantry. Do not pass over this opportunity.
Place your most used (and colorful) spices on display in big beautiful jars that line the back of your countertop. This allows you to free up space in the pantry for the less display-worthy ingredients and sundries.
Find a spot on the shelving units or even the floor to stack bagged items such as rice, beans, nuts or other staples. These can flop all over the pantry and consume significantly more space than any other item. In many instances you will not have enough jars to hold these products so stacking them in the corner is the next best option. Place boxed items next to the bags to keep them from falling over.
Drawer organizers are excellent components to place products like teas and spices in the pantry. This eliminates the need for pulling every item in front of the cupboard only to get to the back. Instead, you simply slide out one of the trays to easily access products. There are a variety of sizes based on your specific requirement.
If you have internal walls inside of the pantry, make efficient use of them by adding a strip with hooks for individual serving bags. There are guides available on the Internet to create your own custom holder using everyday household items.
There are numerous methods of maximizing the space in your pantry to hold everything you need for a brilliant meal. It just takes a little time and creativity to be efficient. Once you have the shelving and basic storage components available and labeled, you can cook and operate more efficiently in your kitchen.
