Did you know right now is the perfect time to reorganize your pantry? The holidays in the winter months bring friends and family into our homes to celebrate, so it’s important to prepare with a carefully organized pantry.
At Diplomat Closet Design, we’ve created some of the most stylish and functional custom pantries in Chester County and beyond. So we’d like to share some pantry organization tips that will help you whip your pantry right into shape.
1. Add Bright, Beautiful Lighting
The first thing you can do to improve your pantry is to add some bright task lighting that allows warm light to flow into every corner. Light instantly makes it easier to see what’s stored in your pantry and it gives you a mental boost each time you use the space.
Remember, task lighting doesn’t have to be bland. In the photo above, you can see that the homeowner added a bold, round chandelier-style light that gives a bit of glitz to an otherwise rather traditional white wood pantry.
2. Use Every Square Inch of Space
Next, it’s important to step back and assess your pantry and think creatively about how to get the most out of every bit of space. Think from floor to ceiling, and also across the horizontal lines of the space.
Consult a custom carpenter about adding shelves that line your pantry from near ground level all the way up toward the ceiling, depending on the heights of what you need to store. Before deciding on exact shelf heights, take an inventory of your pantry items.
For example, if you have lots of infrequently-used appliances, fragile serving ware, or canned/jarred food for long-term storage, talk to your pantry designer about creating just-the-right-size top shelves for these items. (And request a custom step-stool to use when needed.)
3. Install Pull-Out Shelves
Here’s another way to add instant functionality to your pantry: Replace a few standard shelves with sliding pull-out shelves. They make it much easier to access items in the back and prevent the hassle of pushing things around to see what’s there.
In fact, a pull-out shelf can work far better than many other methods of storing things in the kitchen. Add a sliding shelf for:
- Spices, instead of a traditional spice rack
- Jarred and canned foods
- Bagged and boxed foods, especially cereals
- Baking supplies like flour and sugar
- An assortment of small kitchen gadgets
- Coffee, tea, and protein powders
- Pet food and treats
- A kids’ snack shelf
4. Repurpose Floor Space for Bins of Drinks
Many households find it difficult to store extra drinks in a place that’s convenient yet keeps the clutter out of sight. Your pantry is the perfect spot.
Along the bottom of your pantry, add storage bins or baskets to hold water bottles, sodas, beer bottles, juice boxes, and anything else your family uses. This comes in especially handy during parties and holiday gatherings, when it’s easy to pull out an extra bin of drinks and pop them into the fridge.
5. Add Storage With an In-Wall Pantry
What if you don’t have space in your kitchen for a full walk-in pantry? Great news: There’s a surprise hiding right within your walls.
Carve out some wall space for an in-wall pantry that adds an amazing amount of storage. In a spot like this, you can add all kinds of bonus organization: food storage, an extra cutting board/countertop, a cute spot for your coffee pot, or even a hidden charging area for your devices.
Custom Solutions for Pantry Organization
These are just a few of the pantry organization tips from the experts at Diplomat Closet Design. We have plenty more ideas like these, ready to help you improve your kitchen pantry space.
We frequently travel to help upgrade pantries in Chadds Ford, Kennett Square, Malvern, Exton, Downingtown, Wayne, Devon, King of Prussia, the entire Main Line and more.
Contact us today to talk about upgrading your pantry with custom touches.
