I waited years to finally have a pantry space, but it took these 4 storage buys to actually make it functional
Here's how I'm trying to make the most of this space
Amidst the chaos of moving home this month, the one spot in my new flat I focused on setting up first was my pantry. I've never had one dedicated spot for all of my store cupboard essentials, as well as containers and gadgets, and I couldn't wait to get stuck in.
While I'm still getting to grips with exactly how to best lay out the cupboard, the one thing that's helped massively to visually separate the space has been my long-amassed collection of organisers.
From wire baskets to add-on hanging shelves, this is exactly how I'm storing my collection of the best cookware within my hidden pantry. So far, it's helped my kitchen stay a lot tidier than usual.
1. Wire baskets with a wooden base
One of the rules I've copied from our guide on how to organise a pantry is to 'divide and conquer'. I started with this tactic on my most used everyday essentials – cooking oils, everyday seasonings and tea and coffee. Each of these got their own basket at the most convenient height.
My exact organisers are from iDesign, available for £16.99 via Amazon. I've tried many different ones in my time but these white wire ones with lower fronts for easy access are the best I've come across. The bottom of each is covered in a solid acacia wood material so that items don't have to balance on the wire surface.
They sit in a cluster of three in my pantry but they could also be stacked vertically if you're faking a pantry within a cupboard. They're pretty enough to be seen if you don't have the space to hide things away either.
2. Kilner jars
I know I'm not reinventing the wheel here but my Kilner jars are worth every penny in my pantry. I've carved out my top shelf for my baking bits and they're a central element of keeping things tidy. Before, I would have half-used bags of flour and sugar that eventually gained holes and started to leak. Now, I have the overlarge 1 litre containers for my plain and self-raising flour as well as icing sugar and everything is nice and neat.
I prefer the screw top design of this set, for £17.99 from Lakeland, over the classic mechanism for keeping things fresh. Whatever you do, don't fall into the trap of thinking you need to decant everything in a pantry as it can be a lot more stress than its worth. One of the secrets of professional organisers for a pantry is that less decanting is sometimes more!
3. Shelf inserts
I had a lot of dead space in the lower half of my pantry when I first set it up, which is where I used two different kinds of shelf inserts to make more real estate for storage.
The first was inserts, like these from Amazon for £13.59, to create more space placed on the shelf itself. This was something roundly recommended by the rest of the Ideal Home team when we've talked before about how to organise a cupboard.
It's been very effective in allowing me to stack items both under and on the shelf as well as creating mini zones without needing to buy more organisers. My only regret right now is opting for the wire version though, as there are some items that just don't sit right due to the large gaps.
Next time I'd opt for this version from Dunelm instead (£15 for 2). They're much more pleasing on the eye and seem sturdier for stacking bulky items, too.
There are also under-shelf organisers within my pantry which I've been using to store onions, potatoes and similar. They make so much extra space! My colleague Holly swears by Joseph Joseph's to keep her kitchen tidy.
4. Stackable food containers
One of the things I was most keen to do was organise my food containers before I moved so that I could start afresh in the pantry. In doing so, I got rid of loose and mismatched ones and just kept hold of the best versions instead. The star of the show are my Black + Blum stainless steel ones in the 'lunch bowl' style (£44.95 for 3).
One of the reasons I like the Black + Blum stainless steel containers so much is that they stack so neatly for storage. I'm currently testing the brand's new Stack and Nest glass set as well to see how they measure up. They nest together just as pleasingly.
One thing I desperately need to do to make that shelf tidier is get hold of a lid organiser. They're one of those things that can really clutter up a space!
My pantry is still very much a work-in-progress for now and I'm hoping to pick up a few more organisers here and there to make it a more cohesive space. But for now, I'm loving how it streamlines my cooking process.
