Creating an Organised Pantry

The word pantry conjures up images of a bygone era; a rural idyll or the effortlessly organised housewife making the most of her rations. But there is a change afoot in contemporary kitchens as the pantry rises in popularity again. Many people are re-purposing old cupboards or having new pantries fitted, eschewing previous trends for a more open plan kitchen-diner. Contemporary pantries are finding a place in all styles of kitchen from country chic to uber modern.

If you’re unsure about the definition of a pantry, it is simply an area used to store food. It makes life a lot easier to have all your canned goods, dried goods, spices and condiments in the same place. The great thing about this trend is that it is accessible to everyone, no matter what size of kitchen you have. Using smart storage solutions, you can create the perfect pantry for the space you have.

You have two options when it comes to creating a pantry. You can start from scratch and build your own, which actually isn’t as daunting as it sounds. You can find an unused corner of the room and create a wall and a door using a wooden frame and plasterboard. You can even convert a nearby hall, broom closet or even the cupboard under the stairs. Or, if you are short on room you can reorganise the cupboard space you already have.

The key to a successful pantry is organised storage. It needs to be clearly seen and easy to find – visibility is king. The joy of a pantry is having a place that you can go into and pick out what you need easily, without having to hunt at the back of cupboards. Clear Storage Boxes are very useful, and you can also label these to make finding everything even quicker. Storage jars are also a good investment. Remember when decanting goods to label with the use by dates.

You can also maximise storage with some shelving on the back door of your pantry. We do a Grid Mesh display with four Wire Baskets which is excellent for this purpose. Chrome Wire Shelving with a sleek and cosmopolitan feel works very well in a pantry, as it is functional and also looks the part – it almost screams out to have neatly organised jars and boxes on it! When installing shelving, make sure you measure the height of your tallest packs and bottles so you have the correct amount of space. Other handy tips include using lazy susan’s to easily access bottles and jars, and use a plate rack to organise those pesky Tupperware lids.

Design-wise there are all sorts of ways of giving your pantry an individual feel. Consider covering jars with pretty fabric, painting the walls or any shelving, or you can even wallpaper any wooden shelves to add some vintage styling. If you have one wall or part of the wall free you could also consider a pin board or painting it with chalk paint to add your shopping lists and recipes to.

Most of all, have fun with organising your pantry, make it your own and make it work for you. Once you’ve put together your own pantry you’ll wonder how you did without for so long.

If you have any questions about any of our products and how they can work in your home, please get in touch.