Home Kitchen Pantry – What You Need to Know Before Buying

For many property owners who are revamping their kitchens, having a kitchen pantry at home is often the key reason for starting this project. For these homeowners, renovating the kitchen revolves around making more room.

Unless you’re expanding the kitchen area or constructing a larger extension, you’re not really increasing the square footage. Instead, you’re making better use of the existing space. Having a pantry in your home kitchen is a great way to make the most of the available space.

What Is a Kitchen Pantry?

Kitchens have a designated area for keeping non-expiration food items such as canned goods, pasta, oils, and anything else that comes in a package or bag. Pantries can contain items for preparing food, including aluminum foil, wax paper, extra trays, and dishes for serving.

Since home pantries tend to be inside, they are suitable for storing some foods that are prone to spoiling, like potatoes, onions, and other root vegetables. Kitchens with a lot of space often contain cupboards which house plates, glasses, tumblers, and fine dinnerware.

It’s great to hear that you don’t have to do an extensive renovation to have a pantry in your kitchen. You do not have to break the bank to have a kitchen pantry, but it can be as lavish as a butler’s pantry the size of a room. Usually, kitchen pantries are compact and affordable pieces of furniture that can be placed off to one side in or out of the kitchen. We have compiled an informative guide on kitchen pantries, including various styles, their associated costs, as well as tips on what to consider when buying one for your residence.

Before You Buy a Kitchen Pantry

Making changes to your kitchen to contain a kitchen pantry is a great way to help with storage and organization. It is important to be mindful when deciding what type of pantry will be most beneficial in your kitchen. Examine the current state of your kitchen cabinets; consider what items you’d like to move into the pantry and how it should work for you. Prior to purchasing a kitchen pantry, it is essential to consider all your needs and have a clear plan of what you would like it to feature.

Buying Considerations for a Kitchen Pantry

Space

Be certain to gauge the area set aside for the kitchen cupboard in order to make out how much space there is for it before shopping. Obtain the measurements of the width, height, and length of the area and have them ready when shopping for a kitchen pantry.

Examine the room you are in and look at the floor plan to decide if you desire a door that swings open, or a foldable or sliding door. It might not be possible to have a door that swings outward due to lack of space or the inability for it to open fully. Some folks would prefer a pantry that is open and accessible, with no door and shelves that can easily be accessed.

Style

The design of your larder should coordinate or harmonize well with the cabinets already present in the kitchen. You should not combine a modern pantry with classic cabinets, since it will appear incongruous.

You should attempt to replicate the color as precisely as possible, similar to the way you would attempt to mirror the style. See if the company who made your present cupboards has a larder selection accessible–if your kitchen cabinets are quite modern.

Features

Decide if you want to include any unique elements in your fresh kitchen pantry. Some of these designs feature shelves built for the purpose of holding spices, bigger cubbies, spinning trays, shelves that can be lowered, and drawers and baskets those can be extracted. Having specific features in your pantry can make it simpler to stay on top of the items you have, while at the same time letting you get to the items you need quickly and easily while you are in the kitchen. They could be beneficial in providing storage space for bigger objects like mini appliances.

Cost

You have the choice to either purchase a kitchen pantry or assemble a unit that is made to measure your kitchen space and fulfill your requirements.

You can buy a freestanding pantry online for between $150 and $500. These products are delivered as a flat-pack, making them ready to be put together by yourself using a cam-lock assembly. Pantries have minimal components, so they usually come together quickly.

You have the choice to purchase either stock or semi-custom kitchen pantry cupboards when buying the other cupboards for your kitchen. In this scenario, cabinet firms will build and fit the pantry.

Prices may be higher when you employ carpenters or specialist woodworkers to create custom kitchen pantries, however the quality also rises. As expenses increase, more focus is being placed on your individual needs. One can anticipate having to shell out at least $1,000 for the minimum 15-inch by 80-inch pantry unit that has been tailored.

If you want your kitchen to feature a butler’s pantry or a corridor pantry, you may need to bring in professional carpenters or a contractor to complete the project.

How to Choose a Kitchen Pantry

You have a range of options to choose from when selecting a kitchen pantry. The type of pantry you will be able to select for your kitchen will be determined by the look you desire, the amount of money you can spend, and the size of the area you have. Pose these queries to yourself while determining what will suit you best.

How Will You Use Your Kitchen Pantry?

Figuring out the purpose for your kitchen cupboard can assist you in choosing the type that will give you the capacity you require. If you plan to store more items such as dishes, special glassware, or something valuable, then you should seek out a bigger container. If you’re using the storage cabinet for food cans and other products, you likely won’t need a container as large as you would for other items.

How Long Do You Plan to Stay Where You Are?

Are you looking to remain in your home for years to come or do you have intentions of leaving it soon? Depending on your response, it is worth thinking about the kind of kitchen pantry you are installing and how much money you are spending on it. Will it contribute to the sale of the house if you’re planning to relocate? Consider whether you should invest in the pricier pantry if you’re likely to be relocating in the near future.

Where to Shop

It is possible to find kitchen pantries at numerous home improvement shops, cupboard makers, and on the internet. Take a while to look around to get an idea of what you’d prefer, how much it costs, and if you’re able to spend that amount. Entering a retail establishment affords you the chance to interrogate the clerk about any queries you may have and to cautiously observe the construction of the pantry. You have the benefit of being able to open any drawers to examine how well they run and see what other features and choices there are. Therefore, some individuals favor shopping in-person at the store instead of buying online. Don’t be afraid to do some investigating, first by checking out stores and then searching the internet to determine if the item you want is obtainable and how much it costs. You just might save some money.

How to Organize a Pantry:

1. Organize by food type.

Organizing your pantry by the types of food it holds is a great way to remember what you have in your pantry, as well as find what you’re looking for quickly and easily. Put the tins together on a single shelf, the jars together on another, and so on. This approach is similar to tidying up your fridge and helps you to be more aware of expiration dates, resulting in less food being wasted on your following purchase as you’ll be aware of the things you need. To promote sustainability in your home, clean and save your jam jars and use them for storage purposes.

Group similar products: store all your baking supplies together, as well as your staples e.g. rice, pasta, oats, and lentils. Group your canned goods with your spices. Make sure to place items with a soon-expiring best before date at the front when organizing food that can spoil, for example, cereals.

2. Use glass jars.

Store your rice, flour, sugar, herbs, and tea in jars that are sealed tight. This will help you to keep them organized and the possibilities are endless! Keeping your food fresh and knowing when you need to buy more can be made much easier by transferring pantry staples such as rice, flour, and sugar into clear glass jars, according to Lauren Allen, head of Not a Boring Box, an online home storage and organizational shop.

“And while storing your food in these air-tight containers is great for freshness and shelf-life, it can also be more hygienic. Flour mites and pantry weevils are, unfortunately, way more common than you may think!” Lauren explains. “They thrive in dark and humid environments, which means your pantry and food cupboards are the perfect breeding ground for these little pests- especially in the summer.”

Grains such as flour, oats, and rice are highly appealing to pantry insects, many of which are capable of eating through cardboard and parchment packaging! So, one of the most effective approaches of lowering the odds of these tiny bugs is to store all the items in your pantry in sealed containers. Using glass containers in your cupboards will give them an improved, orderly appearance. Who doesn’t want that!?

One should also consider purchasing a labeling device or labels to use on these attractive Not a Boring Box Pantry Labels. Putting labels on your jars will not only make your pantry look neat and tidy, but it will also make cooking and grocery shopping easier since you can quickly check how much is left and how it fits in your meal plans.

3. Use different kinds of containers for different foods.

Glass jars can be beneficial in many ways, yet they may not be suitable for your house. Kids who are looking for something to eat might prefer snacks that are not as heavy and less prone to breaking, for instance. You may require larger containers or containers that are simpler to pour out if you are using them regularly. You might even consider putting some products in boxes that are kept out of sight. Think about utilizing diverse sorts of holders for various kinds of things. You could put canned foods in containers, pasta in cans, and treats in baskets.

You can include any type of container, from antique cases and wicker baskets to bold and basic plastics.

4. Make sure essentials are easy to access.

Only you know what you consider a kitchen essential. Make sure that the things you use the most are easy to get to. Regular baker? Store the flour, sugar, and spices on an intermediate shelf, close to the entrance. It looks like you won’t be eating much of that store-bought can of fish any time soon. Store it higher up. Do you want your children to be able to get their own snacks? Put the items in a location where they can access them without having to ask for help.

5. Create an ‘appliance zone’.

In 2022, designating specific areas for particular items in the kitchen will be popular, so why not do the same for your pantry? If you have limited counter space in your kitchen, think about using your pantry as a spot for keeping and using kitchen machines like blenders or food processors. If possible, designate a separate region in your pantry specifically for gadgets, distant from any edibles in order to avoid any mess.

Tom suggests that a pantry is an ideal place to keep small appliances, such as toasters and coffee machines, in order to create a decluttered, more minimalist feel and more room for food preparation.

Roselind Wilson, an award-winning interior designer, suggests considering having an outlet in one’s pantry area as a nice addition.

6. Use baskets for fruit and veg.

Containers such as baskets or boxes are an effective way to conserve space and make accessing any stored items easier. Containers with perforations can also help maintain the freshness of your fruits and vegetables, as the air flow prevents mould from growing. Lauren suggests that you categorize all of your miscellaneous things into categories and then put them in baskets.

Using wire baskets to keep produce such as potatoes, onions, and fruit is an excellent way to organize them. The amount of fresh food you can keep depends on the temperature and humidity in your pantry, so keep that in mind.

7. Store spices on the door.

Spices may be oddly formed and troublesome to organize, but they are likewise things we usually must lay our hands on rapidly when we do cooking. You can turn the back of your pantry door into a practical spice rack with a few straightforward adjustments. Wall shelves that fit onto a door surface can be installed easily, or you could find shelves that hang from the top of a door.

8. Use wall-mounted hooks to hang oven mits and towels.

Using the space on the walls of your pantry, install hooks to get the most out of it. You can utilize these things to keep oven gloves, towels, and kitchen aprons, allowing more room in your kitchen drawers.

9. Mount a chalkboard on the door or wall.

Chalk and pinboards can always come in handy in a kitchen, whether for listing recipes, attaching coupons, or writing down grocery items. Using a chalkboard to keep track of your stock allows you to quickly view your inventory and recognize what you require to purchase with a single look. If you customize a pantry, consider having a chalkboard wall if you know you would use it a lot.

10. Use Lazy Susans to maximize space.

Organizers that rotate, otherwise known as lazy susans, are incredibly useful for keeping items that are hard to get to in the back of shelves. Perfect for items like spice containers, these superb space-savers imply that your preferred seasonings are only a spin away.