- Today's pantry can be a small closet with a pull open door, a walk-in closet with double sliding doors or a series of cabinets and drawers. Some homes have a butler's panty, often positioned behind the kitchen and off the dining room, to store fine china and plate food when entertaining. Many high-end kitchens, including remodels at upwards to $80,000 and more, have unique pantry elements contained within kitchen cabinetry. Drop-down drawers for bread storage, recyclables and even dry dog food are one example.
- Pantry organization requires closely examining every storage space and every item used within your kitchen. Ideally, your pantry should efficiently use space to the maximum, giving easy access to most often-used items and a good visual overview so all food items are consumed before their expiration dates. Today, there are metal, wood and plastic organizers and shelving units in wide ranges of shapes, colors and sizes to retrofit any and every kitchen.
- Wire shelving is a fixture of many pantries. However, it is not necessarily efficient. You can add roll-out wire drawers for some items: pasta, root vegetables like potatoes and onions, storage wraps and bags. Installing can trackers, horizontally positioning cans for easy view, lets you organize by expiration date. Putting seldom used items on the top shelf on a pantry can free up other cabinets for retrofitting with a lazy Susan or pullout shelves.
- Over-the-door shelving units give added space to single-door pantries at very little cost. Spices, baking products, oils, vinegars and many other condiments stay within easy reach. Stackable, airtight, see through plastic containers will hold cereals, rice, oatmeal and other dry foods. Even coffee, teas, sugar and flour stacks well in containers; freeing up valuable counter space taken up by a traditional canister set. You might consider using the space for an easy-to-access, clutter-saving small appliance garage.
- Existing cabinetry easily turns into a smooth functioning pantry with wooden glide-out tray and shelf systems. A narrow cabinet can be fitted with a three-tier pullout shelf unit to house spices and jars and bottles. Drawers can be refitted to put cooking utensils and flatware on end for space saving efficiency. Pull out, lipped shelves, five-basket pull out shelves and rotating lazy Susan systems all offer organization for closet or cabinet pantries.