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rachelboyett

Small kitchen food pantry

2 years ago

Any ideas on converting this small pantry into a more efficient one? ‘Small kitchen with little cabinet storage and 8 ft ceiling. The counter tops are quartz. Thanks!

Comments (10)

  • PRO
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    I need a bit more info like the size of that pantry . Is it deep so that stuff gets lost or jst a shllow cabinet. I like truepullout pantries if thee is spac e I can then see what is on every shelf at a glance I use glass square storage containers for all my dry stuff so it fits well and I can see at aglance how much I have . They can be stacked I just like aquare ones better than round.If that is 24" deep you could do a retro fit with a pullout . I need measurements to advise which company to go with but I aslo need to know the size of the walkway in front of that pantry. If a pullout cn't work then just a bteer organizing can be ahuge help and those glass storage containers can be a big help with that. I use these from Amazon they also come in different sizes and great quality


  • 2 years ago

    How deep are the shelves? Patricia has good ideas above.


    For under $60 , you can install six rechargeable motion sensitive lights, one under each shelf. They make a huge difference in the usability of pantry shelves because, all of a sudden, you can see what's in the way back. Something like this:

    https://www.amazon.com/ASOKO-Rechargeable-Operated-Wireless-Magnetic/dp/B09NM1XY24


    An easy thing to do is to take everything out once a month or so, then put it all back. It will take less than an hour. Wipe down the shelves and arrange things neatly. Anything that is going to expire in less than a couple months gets a bright colored Post-it stuck to it.


  • PRO
    2 years ago

    There are two options to make this work well.

    One is to install rollouts. The roll-outs will be the most economical option and are adjustable in height or can sit on the existing shelves.

    The other option is to convert the entire inside to a Hafele Pantry rollout. This is much more expensive, but the door would slide towards you and all the contents would be visible.

  • 2 years ago

    ^^^ This.

  • PRO
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    Any type of organizing choice will reduce the cubic storage space in favor of accessibility. Which is not a bad thing! Those little jello boxes and old cans of beans need to get purged anyway!

  • 2 years ago

    Too bad about the prep sink in the island, you would have more storage space there. Is the piano in the dining room being used? Can you move large serving pieces to the dining room buffet, or replace the piano with a storage piece? You have a lot of stuff on the countertop, do you need all those things?

  • 2 years ago

    I want to second @Yonder Way Design's comment. We went through our pantry about a year ago and were appalled at the expiry dates on so many things. Not only does it mean money and food were wasted, but it also means that we don't like or don't use those items so that years went by with them sitting on the shelf. Lesson learned not to buy things we might have bought on impulse rather than really needing them. Once we threw those things away - the obscure spice bottles, the canned goods, the mixes, the condiments, all with long-ago expiry dates - our shelves were much clearer.

    As to the suggestion of roll-out shelves - while they will provide easier access, they will curtail the storage space due to the rollers and tracks needed for them. Better is the pull-out pantry as suggested above. You don't have to go with Hafele, there are many companies that make them such as Rev-A-Shelf and others. They come in many heights and widths, but you may need to get one made custom to fit into that existing space. You will also be unlikely to match the front of the pull-out to your existing white finish. Either get as close as you can (again a custom job), or it may be better to use the island color which it also won't match exactly but because it will not be next to it, it won't be so obvious.


  • 2 years ago

    FYI...the prep sink is what makes this Kitchen "work" functionally. It's needed.


    Regarding storage. the most economical and "safest" (i.e., without risking damaging the counters or surrounding cabinets) would be Innovatus Design's first recommendation. However, that will only help for the first 4 feet or so off the floor. While roll out tray shelves will definitely improve access for those first 4 feet (or even 5 feet if you're tall enough), they won't help much for the last 3 or 4 feet since you won't be able to see above the shelves without a stool.

    Patricia's suggestions will also help.


    It looks like it's the standard 24" deep, but how wide is it? How handy are you (or do you know someone who is a "handyman" or similar)?

    You might be able to purchase pullouts from Rev-A-Shelf or similar to retrofit into the existing cabinet.

  • 2 years ago

    There are all kinds of aftermarket pullouts that are easy to install in existing cabinets and on existing shelves - no need for any major renovation. Ditto for making better use of the height of the shelves, and for extras like storage options on the inside of the door. Don't fall for the hype of buying new containers for things because they're easier to stack, or a new storage system that requires new space - it's just more stuff that will create more trash. You can buy pullouts and stacking tools to help you economically use what you've got without buying too much more stuff that will go out of fashion or utility soon.




  • 2 years ago

    I put these rev-a-shelf pullouts in our new (to us) house before we even moved in, turning base cabinets into almost drawers. They were pretty easy to install, and work great! I especially like that the door fronts attached to the pullout.