Every homeowner dreams of having a beautiful walk-in pantry, but most homes just aren’t built for that. If you don’t have space for a giant closet in your kitchen, you can still tap in to your full storage potential. Here are some creative alternatives to walk-in pantries.
Dedicate a Section of Your Cabinets as “Pantry Cabinets”
The simplest alternative to having a walk-in pantry is to use a section of your cabinets as pantry storage. You might need to rearrange some of your dishes, oils, etc., but you can make this happen in just about any kitchen. You may have a set of upper cabinets just for pantry items, or maybe you use a pair of uppers and lowers for your pantry. The goal is to get all of your canned goods, pastas, grains, cereals, and the like in one area of the kitchen, just like you’d have with a walk-in pantry.
Maximize Unused Space with a Rolling Pantry
You probably have a few inches of unused space that you never take notice of. This could be the perfect place for a narrow rolling pantry! Fill the gap next to your kitchen or stove with rolling storage designed for cans, boxed goods and spaces. There are tons of premade products on the market for this purpose, but you can also custom build a rolling pantry suited to your needs.
Choose a Floor-to-Ceiling Corner Cabinet instead of Uppers and Lowers
If you’re replacing your kitchen cabinets, you might consider a floor-to-ceiling cabinet in the corner, rather than upper and lower cabinets. This will cut down on the amount of counter-space you have, but it creates one large cabinet that feels like a walk-in pantry. If you’re strategic with your organization strategies, this can be a functional feature of your kitchen that you use for years to come.
Sacrifice Counter-space for a Pantry Wall
If you have sufficient counter-space in your kitchen, you may consider doing a pantry wall somewhere in the room. This may be a set of cabinets surrounding the fridge or a wall of cabinetry in a rare-used area of the kitchen. Don’t do this if the lack of countertop will hinder your experience in the kitchen. Only make the sacrifice if you can justify the lost counter space for the added storage potential.
Convert a Nearby Closet for Dry Storage and Bulk Items
Instead of storing all of your dry goods, paper towels, and bulk items in your pantry, you could store them in a closet near your kitchen. For instance, maybe you have a coat closet near your kitchen that you don’t actually use for coats. You could make that your dry storage area and keep your coats in the entryway instead. Even a linen closet in the hallway could be a space for overflow kitchen items, as long as it doesn’t impact the rest of your organization tasks.
Optimize Your Storage Potential with Custom Cabinet Interiors
Sometimes a lack of storage is actually a lack of organization. Finding storage solutions that work for your home and lifestyle may allow you to get significantly more use out of your kitchen. Consider investing in custom cabinet interiors, such as pull-out drawers or blind corner cabinet organizers. Even something as simple as a $4 pot rack inside your cabinet may open up a ton of usable square footage.
Change Your Kitchen Layout
This is certainly the most expensive and labor-intensive option, but it is something to consider if you’re doing a complete kitchen remodel. Maybe there is room in your kitchen for a walk-in pantry, but your current layout doesn’t allow for that. During your kitchen design consultation, we can go over your kitchen layout options to come up with the best flow for your needs.
Contact O’Hanlon Kitchens at 443-285-0558 to schedule a kitchen design consultation in Maryland or Pennsylvania.
