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The 5 Worst Ways You’re Wasting Space in Your Pantry

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Credit: Diana Liang

When it comes to our pantries, we can’t afford to waste a single inch of space. (Of course, we don’t want to jam so much in there that we can’t see what we have — because then we end up buying duplicates or letting things spoil, which we also can’t afford to do!) More than any other storage spot in your home, the pantry is an exercise in balancing form and function. We want things to look pretty, but not at the expense of being able to store everything we need to, while also finding what we need when we need it. See? A balancing act! And so, today, we’re here to talk about the biggest mistakes we all make that cause us to waste space in our pantries.

Here are the worst pantry space-wasters.

Credit: Sarah Crowley

1. Not using turntables in corners.

Pantry corners can either be the trickiest spots or the most efficient, and it all depends on whether or not you put turntables there. By placing turntables in your corners, you make dead space usable and simultaneously make bottles and jars accessible. A non-skid turntable ensures that nothing slides around or falls over.

Credit: Lauren Kolyn

2. Storing items in round containers.

Round containers might look nice, but they don’t make the best use of space. Opting for square or rectangular ones allows you to place items close together, whereas round ones simply don’t nest together. We love OXO storage containers for their ability to keep food fresh, good looks, and stack-ability.

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Credit: Lauren Kolyn

3. Not taking advantage of vertical space.

This one refers to a few things. First: Use the height of all your pantry shelves. Adjust the shelves and use shelf risers to get the most out of each one. Also, don’t skip high-up storage just because you can’t reach it. Pull out the step ladder and use those spaces to store seasonal items or overflow stock.

Credit: Tess Wilson

4. Facing boxes with long sides out.

Rather than placing boxes on your shelves so that you can see their fronts, file them like books. This way, you’ll actually be able to store more while also being able to see what you have.

Credit: Marge Perry

5. Not using the walls and the door as storage opportunities.

Even a few inches of available wall space can be turned into storage. See this walk-in pantry above? We love how the homeowner added super-shallow shelves along the wall on the left. These shelves are a great place for small jars and specialty bottles. If you have a door to your pantry, use an over-the-door shelving system to creates storage space out of thin air. In a cabinet-turned-pantry, you can attach a small caddy to an inside wall and use it to hold small sauce packets.

Are you making any of these mistakes right now?

Shifrah Combiths

Contributor

With five children, Shifrah is learning a thing or two about how to keep a fairly organized and pretty clean house with a grateful heart in a way that leaves plenty of time for the people who matter most. Shifrah grew up in San Francisco, but has come to appreciate smaller town life in Tallahassee, Florida, which she now calls home. She's been writing professionally for twenty years and she loves lifestyle photography, memory keeping, gardening, reading, and going to the beach with her husband and children.

Source : food