Kitchen pantry organization ideas?

[TwoBees]

Our new house has two narrow pantries, one on either side of the fridge. I'm at a loss as to how to organize. Would you put cooking stuff on one and snacks in the other? Cleaning stuff in one? Please give me your suggestions, I'm an awful organizer.

Here's a photo:
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/08/13/8u4y6y7a.jpg

[KrisM]

What do they look like inside? Fixed shelves or pull out? Do you have other food storage space or other cleaning supply space?

[TwoBees]

What do they look like inside? Fixed shelves or pull out? Do you have other food storage space or other cleaning supply space?

We're not actually in the house until the weekend. I believe they are fixed shelves. The kitchen has a fair amount of cabinet space.

[KrisM]

They look pretty deep. If they are fixed, you might they are a pain. I have a fridge deep pantry with fixed shelves and I lose things in the back all the time. I'd probably start with snacks, cereal, and anything else kids might get to on their own in there. I have snacks and cereal in mine, but behind a front layer, I have baking dishes on a rack. I have to move 2 boxes of cereal to get to the 9x13 Pyrex, but it works. It's better than cereal boxes sliding to the back never to be seen again.

I'd probably put little used baking sheets (cupcake, cake pans) on the top or paper towels. If it's a fixed shelf, it's really hard to reach anything in the back without a stool.

If you do cleaning stuff, maybe put them in a basket so the whole thing slides out together?

[mjs64]

Definitely not cleaning stuff, if there's anywhere else to store it. That is prime.pantry.real estate. Don't feel like you have to entirely fill it; leave space. I would probably use both as ingredient/food storage, designating one or two shelves for easy access to snacks. Looks cute! Congrats!

Eta I might store less used appliances or bulk stuff on the pantry floors.

[azzeps]

Um, well, I am in no position to give organization advice, especially with regards to pantries... mine is a disaster. However, once upon a time, I lived in a house that had a very deep pantry with fixed shelves, and I ripped them out and replaced them with an Elfa system thingy (freestanding) that had drawers. And it was lovely. That way, I never lost my risotto at the back of the pantry. I wish my current pantry would accommodate drawers, but alas, it is weird shaped and will not. Or at least that's my excuse as to why it's a mess.

[brittone2]

Yeah, if they are fixed, longterm you might want to get them retrofitted with pull outs. My last house had a smaller kitchen, but we had two walk in pantries, and it was divine. My current house has a bigger kitchen, but we have just one regular pantry with pull out shelves, and then a cabinet above it that also holds pantry items. The pull out shelves help a LOT.

I would possibly consider putting some small lazy susans in there so you can access some of the stuff toward the back more easily.

I don't know if it will help, but I just discovered this woman's organizing site recently. She has lots of youtube videos and I found them more helpful than some sites I've used. I am working on redoing my dresser and closet so it was good motivation this week. edited to add: do you have a place to store kitchen equipment like a food processor, blender, mixer, etc.? Do you typically keep those out full time? If not, I would think about where those are going to go. I would probably not use either space for cleaning supplies unless I had no other option.
http://www.alejandra.tv/


(http://www.alejandra.tv/)

[hillview]

I love my labeled container store multipurpose bins in our pantry.

[Cam&Clay]

I love my labeled container store multipurpose bins in our pantry.

:yeahthat:I have a narrow, deep pantry and use the multipurpose bins to keep things from disappearing in the back.

[TwoBees]

Thank you for all of the suggestions! I have to go to the container store now.

How would you divide items between the two? Dry goods in one and canned/jarred in the other? That's one of the things I can't figure out!

[KrisM]

I need more info on the multi purpose bins there. I've tried a few times without much luck in really making them work. I do use them in my pantry overflow area in the laundry room, but that is a nice wide open shelving unit. I feel like in the kitchen pantry, they are too tall or something.

[jam224]

I don't know if it will help, but I just discovered this woman's organizing site recently. She has lots of youtube videos and I found them more helpful than some sites I've used. I am working on redoing my dresser and closet so it was good motivation this week.
http://www.alejandra.tv/

I love her videos! This is my favorite pantry video of hers: Pantry Organization: How to Organize the Pantry in the Kitchen (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPVjZfcLpgE).

Another tip is to use Tupperware bins or baking sheets as makeshift pull-out shelves: Use Baking Sheets as Kitchen Cabinet Pull Outs! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_ApxUuw3eA)

I also love my multipurpose bins from the Container Store for my pantry! :)

I don't know how I would organize my pantry items between the two spaces, but maybe once you start putting stuff away, you'll figure out something that works? I think it really depends on what it is that you need to store. I don't have very many canned goods personally, but we have a lot of breakfast foods, snacks, and dry goods. Good luck!

[hillview]

http://windsorpeak.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?433943-Kitchen-reno-rave-More-kitchen-after-photos-in-52/page6&highlight=kitchen
old post of mine, post #52 has photos of pantry with MPB

[legaleagle]

Container store has 15% off this weekend - code in bargain forum

[KrisM]

http://windsorpeak.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?433943-Kitchen-reno-rave-More-kitchen-after-photos-in-52/page6&highlight=kitchen
old post of mine, post #52 has photos of pantry with MPB

Thanks. It looks great!

I have them like that in my laundry room which is our panty spillover. But, our pantry in the kitchen is so small and deep, I can't make it work. It's only 24" wide with a bi-fold door so we lose about 6" behind the door. And it's 24" deep...2 containers are too big and 1 leaves 11" of shelf in front or behind.

[gummibear]

I have short shelves in our pantry. The multipurpose bins are too high to fit in many of our shelves, and just slightly too long for the ones they do fit in. I use a couple on the floor for random things, but on the shelves, I use CS shoe boxes (womens, 13" x 7-1/2" x 4-1/4" h). The shoe boxes are surprisingly sturdy and not a bad price, esp. in a pack of 20.

[happymom]

I would probably use one pantry for ingredients- flour, sugar, spices, bread crumbs, etc + appliances (food processor, blender) and the second pantry for snacks, cereals, water bottles, soda, etc.

Or another option would be one pantry for items currently open and in use, and the second pantry for your extra stock.

[KrisM]

I would probably use one pantry for ingredients- flour, sugar, spices, bread crumbs, etc + appliances (food processor, blender) and the second pantry for snacks, cereals, water bottles, soda, etc.

Or another option would be one pantry for items currently open and in use, and the second pantry for your extra stock.

I like both of these options. They make a lot of sense.

[TwoBees]

Thank you thank you! I turns out that the shelving is built in but not fixed, in that the shelves can be removed but cannot be adjusted up or down. We may be redoing these shelves depending on the cost. But I am going to check out the Container Store multipurposes boxes and I like ths suggestions for dividing up "ingredients" in one and snacks/everyday stuff in the other.