We have an open closet full of shelves at the bottom of the basement stairs for most of our dry goods. We keep upstairs: (open) cereal boxes, snacks (just a few open things at a time) and baking supplies (flours and such - the more "specialty" flours are kept in the freezer, though). Things like juice pouches we keep in their boxes on the basement stairs so we don't have to go down all the way to get them.

It's kind of a pain to have to go down to the basement to get things, but it works. I would rather have a large pantry in the kitchen, but there's no space at all for it. My dream, someday, is to remodel our kitchen and dining room to make it one giant eat-in kitchen with pantry space and dedicated shelving for cookbooks, but we'd have to win the lottery first. (Since we don't actually buy tickets, it could be a while.)

Sarah