10 Pantry Storage Tips
Have you ever opened your pantry and just can’t find what you’re looking for in your kitchen storage? Pantries are commonly cluttered and overflowing, but follow these simple pantry storage tips to make access and organisation a breeze and are perfectly designed for needs of families in Australia.
1. Use Pull Out Storage for Deep Shelves
Image: Pinterest
Pull out storage is your ideal solution, if your shelves are 400mm+ (front to back). Plus solves any problems accessing those “forgotten” items at the back.
Arranging things into tubs and cannisters can also help. Also, consider arranging items into height order – place taller items at the back and short at the front.
TIP: If shelves are your only option, consider cutting then into a “U” shape for better visibility of your pantry items. The only trade off is you’ll loose space for storage.
READ MORE: Houzz: The Pro’s & Con’s of 5 Different Pantry Systems
2. Spice Things Up with a Spice Rack
Spice racks can be placed in between shelves to give you more storage. Alternatively, you can also make the shelves shorter and use spices racks on the door, so when everything opens, you have improved access.
You can also place them in between pull out baskets but you’ll need to consider the correct placement to ensure you can close the door.
TIP: Check that your hinges have adequate strength if you plan to fit several racks to a cabinet door.
READ MORE: Wall Mount Baskets For Kitchen Storage
3. Use Jars, Baskets, or Containers to Organise Pantry Contents
A good old fashioned clean out does the trick but you can take things to the next level. Try removing as much ‘stuff’ out the packet and store it in a range of jars, baskets or containers instead.
Just about all drawers in your cabinet are square shape so using square containers will utilise the space better too. The plus here is that contents of the jar then remain fresher for longer also. It’s a win win!
TIP: Label your jars for even more efficiency!
READ MORE: Think You Have Your Pantry Sorted?
4. Organise Items by Height
In a word, yes! To really optimise the space, group small items together and then taller products together. This will allow you to place the shelves/drawers closer together for the shorter items, therefore maximising the space available in a cabinet. When you space fixed shelves or pull out wire baskets according to height, this simple step will give you far more usable space in your pantry (or any other cabinet).
TIP: Products are generally easier to find when they are next to similar grouped items.
READ MORE: Maximise The Space In Your Pantry Cabinet
5. Add Pull Out Storage to Existing Cabinets
Absolutely! This is by far the biggest “game changer” when it comes to storage. Pull Out Wire Baskets allow everything to be accessible. When you don’t have to dig to the back, a lot of storage issues are magically resolved. When things become hard to reach, you’ll end up buying double the goods.
6. Plan Your Storage Space
Use the bottom drawers for your tallest items. These drawers need to have approx 320mm space between them. To be sure, place the tallest item you plan to store and then allow for another 10-20mm. The rest requires less space, so 250mm between is plenty. There are no hard and fast rules, but with considered spacing, you can have a tall pantry with 7 pull out baskets.
TIP: Do-It-Yourself (DIY) installation can save you money. A simply revamp of an existing cabinet can fix many storage issues.
READ MORE: Kitchen Storage Solutions For Existing Cabinets
7. Maximise a Narrow Pantry
Making over a narrow pantry or cabinet is easy! These are by far the most tricky for kitchen storage when you are trying to get access to the back. Using pull out basket drawers are superior to timber drawers because the slide and basket wall space is considerably less (you could save as much as 70mm).
The possibilities to transform narrow cabinets is extensive. There are many options including attaching a drawer front. Tansel storage pull out baskets start from as little as 100 mm W for a 200 width kitchen cabinet! Contact us for expert advice to make over an existing narrow cabinet.
TIP: Replacing shelves with pull out storage can increase your capacity by 30%!
READ MORE: Tiny Pantry Makeover
8. Add Organised Storage Solution for Bottles
Yes. These are an easy addition to a pantry or under bench cabinet in the kitchen. Each wine basket can hold up to 40kgs in weight (when side mounted) so there is plenty of strength. It’s also a good way of concealing wine in your storage.
The size options are extensive so suitable for just about any cabinet space. DIY friendly installation also make it an easy weekend project.
TIP: You don’t just need a dedicated wine cellar to be able to store wine like a pro!
READ MORE: Wine Storage For All Different Cabinet Sizes
9. Section-Up Wide Cabinets
There are many options here. If your pantry is over 1 metre wide, perhaps consider dividing it into sections. Whether you have a shelf or a drawer, when the cabinet is very wide things can bow in the middle over time.
Consider pull out drawers side by side or dividing the cabinet into sections. This will help to balance the load and give you a more robust long term solution. Consider Tansel storage slide out shelves to utilise the width of the space with a product that can take their weight. If you have a tricky space, contact us for expert advice because the options for such a large space are endless!
TIP: If you are going to use shelves, consider double thickness board to prevent sagging over time.
READ MORE: Alternative Pantry Pulls For Your Kitchen
10. Use Your Pantry for More than just Food!
If your pantry needs to be “dual purpose”, you may like to try installing pull out plate racks or basket drawers that can store heavier items such as kitchen aids, everyday appliances, or anything else you need to store and access with ease.
These stainless steel plate drawers are durable and hold up to 40kg in weight. They keep all your crockery organised and plates are easy to access now. There are a range of size options too, single or double plate racks options also.
TIP: Storing plates upright minimises the chance of breakages.
READ MORE: Pull Out Plate Racks In Kitchen Storage
Our range of products are suitable for Do-It-Yourself installation, as well as a professional installation service if need be. Get in touch for more information on what type of installation is going to work best for you. We offer friendly expert advice and always happy to have an obligation free chat with you.
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