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Food Storage Tips

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The pantry is staging a comeback. As more people buy in bulk from discount stores and use a wider array of cooking appliances, they need more kitchen storage space. "Pantries are popular because storage is an absolutely critical issue today," says designer Mary Jo Peterson, consultant to the National Kitchen & Bath Association. "Most people are constantly struggling to find more space in their homes."

Design tips
We asked experts around the West for their tips on organizing pantries.

Think small. Pantries don't have to be large or expensive. Is there a small, underutilized space in your kitchen that could be converted to this purpose? "Narrow pantries are a good way to use space in your kitchen that otherwise would go to waste," says kitchen designer Michelle Minch of Moving Mountains Design in Denver. Many home stores sell small, inexpensive modular pantry units that you can put together yourself. For instance, IKEA's Elemental Pantry-1 foot wide by 7 feet tall by 2 feet deep-sells for about $120.

Think versatile. As you and your family grow older, your storage needs are likely to change. That means using adjustable shelves, wire racks that can be added or removed from pantry doors, and multiuse baskets that can be stacked and moved. For additional space efficiency, consider such adaptable items as 12- to 16-inch-wide wire baskets, which can easily hook to and hang from shelves.

For ease of access, divide your pantry into zones with separate areas for baking goods, canned goods, appliances, boxed items, and soft packets of food. "This makes it much easier to find things when you're preparing meals or when you're in a rush," says Susan Lund, a kitchen and bath designer and professional organizer with Spacial Design in Fairfax, California.

Always measure your largest items before building your pantry. "If you have large pots and pans, or big serving trays, you'll need extrawide shelves or baskets," says cabinetmaker Peter Eggers of Denver.

Use shelves of different depths--ranging from 3 inches to 18 inches--to customize your pantry to your needs. Tiered shelves will also give the stored items increased visibility

Build roll-out shelves into your cabinetry. "They're the simplest and best way to store just about anything," says Eggers.

Include counter space. For example, it's particularly useful to have a convenient spot to rest bags of groceries while you're filling up the shelves.

Consider space outside but still close to the kitchen. "For people with small kitchens, it often makes sense to convert a hall closet or nearby bathroom cabinet into pantry space," says Lou Ann Bauer, a San Francisco interior designer.

Pantry fixtures
Whatever your needs, there's probably a pantry product to suit you.

Ready-made pantries are available in almost any size and shape, from narrow cabinets to elegant armoires that have been converted for kitchen storage. Roll-out pantry systems include wire, steel, and epoxy-coated baskets and shelves, tiers of lazy susans, and automated shelves that move like a Ferris wheel. There are walls of shelves that pivot from side to side, and floor-to-ceiling shelf units that slide out fully. Such fittings usually cost between $500 and $2,000.