It's Time to Make "Pantry Chaos" a Thing of the Past
For family homes across the country, walk-in pantries and butler's pantries have become increasingly common. But all of that valuable storage space can be difficult to keep organized. Sure, having a designated shelf for small appliances is easy to maintain, but when you're managing a household's worth of food, chaos can ensue pretty quickly.
The best walk-in pantry organization ideas still allow you to function normally in your kitchen and pantry while also helping to streamline your daily routine. Think about keeping your children's snacks at their level and seasonal items up high. The most visibility and space should be allotted to items you reach for every day, which will look different for everyone. Remember, a great organizational method is only as good as its ability to be maintained. There's nothing beneficial about a system you have to reboot every six weeks. Whether you're focused on better storing your bakeware and dishes or your dry goods and snack foods, we have you covered.
To spark your organization inspiration, we've gathered the 14 best walk-in pantry organization ideas. From open shelving and like-item sorting to installing cabinet fronts on appliances and utilizing baskets instead of plastic containers, keep reading for the best walk-in pantry organization ideas.
Keep clutter in check with these organization tips:
Repurpose Antiques
A walk-in pantry doesn't have to be full of expensive built-ins or secondary full-size appliances. Take a note from designer Christina Salway, founder of ElevenTwoEleven Design, and use an antique cabinet instead. This one houses everything that Salway can't fit in her kitchen, from extra serving pieces to overflow produce.
Make Use of a Small Island
Whether you need to test out table setting designs or place food in their serving containers, a small island within your walk-in pantry can change the way you work. This can also help you stay organized if you choose an option with extra drawers or cabinets for those overflowing shelves.
Related: Are Kitchen Islands Over?
Opt for Lower-Level Baskets
Open shelving is great for knowing what you have, but little items like napkins, snack bags, and bottle stoppers can be difficult to store neatly without a container. Instead, use storage baskets to keep all those miscellaneous belongings in check. Plus, keeping them down low allows your prime shelves to remain open for more everyday necessities.
Keep Essentials Accessible
There aren't any rules when it comes to organization as long as it works for you. And if closed storage makes it difficult for you to know what you have, remove the doors. This pantry foregoes lower cabinet doors in favor of more visible serving buckets.
Related: The Best Kitchen Cabinet Ideas
Leave Room for Discovery
In House Beautiful's 2022 Whole Home, the sprawling scullery and pantry features a designated wine room—all designed by Whittney Parkinson. Two wine fridges ensure every type gets their own shelf, while ample glassware, and a brass backsplash create a chic hideaway to discover your new favorite blend.
Keep Favorites Close By
The pantry in House Beautiful's 2022 Whole Home is expansive, but when making your morning cup of coffee or bowl of cereal, you don't want to rummage through cabinets for those dishes. Instead, take inspiration from designer Whittney Parkinson and opt to store your favorite mugs and even Moscow Mule cups prominently on display.
Group Like Items
Sure, even the biggest baking enthusiast may not have 12 cake tins, but this pantry demonstrates the importance of grouping like items together. In the same way you store your shoes in pairs, your pantry should function similarly. Keep baking tools in one corner, small appliances in the other, and ensure all dry goods are in the same area. This ensures you'll be able to find exactly what you need with ease.
Related: The Gifts to Buy the Baking Enthusiast in Your Life
Streamline Your Countertops
The saying “clear surface, clear mind” can also apply to your pantries. If you're walking into a cluttered room, you can quickly become distracted and forget why you even walked in there in the first place. Instead, keep counters clear and use them as a home for your most-used appliances or essentials only.
Use Clear Canisters
Decanting foods and ingredients into more aesthetically pleasing containers is all the rage on organization social media, but we have a tip: use clear containers. This way, you'll know exactly what you're grabbing, and you can see when you're running low and need to add all-purpose flour or coffee grounds back to your grocery list.
Related: The Best Food Storage Containers
Install Lower Cabinets
Oftentimes, pantries only feature shelving for storage. But for those using their walk-in space as more of a prep zone or butler's pantry, simple shelving isn't going to cut it. Take a note from House Beautiful's 2021 Whole Home and install full cabinetry as well.
Use Every Square Inch
Rather than fill in the sides of this drawer built-in, Lynn Kloythanomsup of Landed Interiors & Homes opted to further maximize the space by turning the bite-sized area into wine shelving. Even the smallest of walk-in pantries can be functional if you're clever about storage.
Label Everything
Baskets and storage containers are only beneficial if you can remember what's stored in them. In this pantry by designer Meta Coleman, chic labels are used on everything to take the guesswork away. And if the basket needs a new use, simply swap the label.
Don't Overfill
If you have the space, the best organization tip is to have a designated zone for every type of thing. On a smaller scale, that could mean a silverware drawer, a shelf for mugs, and a basket for granola bars. But designer Tina Ramchandani chose to go big instead. This under-the-stairs bar pantry sorts its contents by type of alcohol, and the shelves are only one layer deep to keep everything visible.
Sort by Occasion
If you're big into entertaining, organize your walk-in pantry by occasion or event. A cabinet with picnic essentials, dinner party garb, or even birthday party fare can mean a one-stop shop for you when it comes time to set up and prep.
Keep Everyday Items at Eye Level
The quickest way to find something you need is to keep it within your sight line. This means you should store your most often-used pantry items (like this home's KitchenAid mixer and favorite cookbooks) at eye level.
Related: Our 55 Favorite Colors to Paint Your Kitchen
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