5 Ways to Make More Room in Your Pantry
If you feel like you’re constantly running out of room in your pantry, or like bags of beans always seem to be cascading off the shelves, then it might be time to rethink the way you’re using the space. Even small pantries can be effective storage areas if you know how to use the space. Here are five ways you can maximize the space in your pantry without actually adding any shelves.
- Organize, organize, organize. Maintaining order in your pantry always helps maximize space, regardless of how much there is to begin with. When you’re working with a small pantry, careful organization becomes imperative. One simple way to keep your food organized is to use bins or baskets. Although it may seem as though adding these storage containers would actually eat up more space, there’s no better way to keep your spices from encroaching on the canned goods or baking supplies from floating into rice-and-beans territory.
- Use the empty space beneath shelves. When you’re working with a small storage space, every square inch counts—so don’t waste a single one. Instead of letting the space between the shelves remain empty, fill it with wire baskets that hang right from the shelf immediately above them. These baskets are perfect for stowing lighter items, such as bags of popcorn kernels or dried beans.
- Stack bagged stuff. If you do choose to use wire baskets, this is the perfect opportunity to stack bagged stuff. From rice and quinoa to dried beans and peas, lightweight bags probably take up a good amount of square inch-age in your pantry. Hanging wire baskets are typically narrow enough that you can stack bags without worrying about stuff sliding off. Even without wire baskets in place, you can still stack bags in a secure corner of the pantry. Consider the bags like a bookend; squish a stack at the very end of a shelf with sturdy boxes on one side to keep the pile from collapsing.
- Relocate as much as possible. If you’ve been stowing the food processor or coffee maker in the pantry, maybe it’s time to find these appliances a new home. When you’re working with a small storage space, certain sacrifices have to be made—like having the toaster at your fingertips. If there’s any room in kitchen cabinets, move the items you don’t use on a daily basis. You could even stow rarely used appliances in a hallway closet or other storage space. Doing so may make working in the kitchen slightly less convenient now and then, but the pantry will be much more functional on a daily basis.
- Size the container to the food. If you only have a pinch of turmeric left, there’s no need to keep in a large jar that’s eating up extra space. The same goes for a handful of rice or beans. So keep on hand plenty of jars of all sizes and shapes. That way, as you use up various ingredients, you can put them in a container that suits them. This will prevent any dead space from pervading your pantry.
How to Add Functional Space to Your Kitchen Pantry [Freshome]
10 Ways to Squeeze a Little Extra Storage Out of a Small Pantry [Apartment Therapy]