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Catherine Toth Fox Catherine Toth Fox Born and raised on Oʻahu, Catherine Toth Fox is a Honolulu-based editor, writer, children’s book author, blogger, podcaster and former journalism instructor. She is currently the editor at large for HAWAIʻI Magazine. editor of Hawaiʻi Farm & Food and columnist at Civil Beat, and her work has been featured in Outside, Lonely Planet and more. She lives in Honolulu with her aquaculturist husband, Pokemon-crazed son, two rescue dogs and a kitten named Eevee.
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If you’re like me, you’ve seriously considered converting a spare bedroom into a walk-in pantry. (I’ve thought about converting my son’s bedroom, to be honest.) It doesn’t matter how spacious your kitchen is, you can always use more room — and a walk-in pantry is a great solution.
A walk-in pantry is a place to stash small appliances, stock non-perishables, and store everything that doesn’t fit in your kitchen. But like other places in your home, you’ll want to keep this space organized and easy to navigate. Oh, and cute, too. Here’s some of the best walk-in pantry inspo to help you maximize your storage space.
1. Open pantry shelves.
The benefit of open shelves is that you can immediately see what you have. You can install simple wooden shelves like TikTok user @ourwintonhome did, and line up baskets, jars of dry goods, spice racks, and other kitchen essentials that you can access easily.
2. Use baskets.
Baskets not only keep your pantry items organized, but they’re also pretty. You can store everything from produce to packaged foods, like how this Toronto condo does it. They’re even great for paper towels and napkins. Stick to the same basket, color, or material to keep your pantry looking neat and organized.
3. Add a countertop.
If you have the space, consider including a countertop in your pantry, as TikTok user @farahjmerhi did. This gives you storage plus additional workspace, in case you need it.
4. Organize with glass jars.
Airtight glass jars — whether small Mason jars or straight-sided ones — are great for dry goods like pasta, beans, flour, sugar, cereals, and other kitchen essentials. This Australian home uses a mix of them to store things in. You can immediately see what’s inside, making access — and organization — a cinch.
5. Use lazy Susans.
Who doesn’t love a lazy Susan? There are many ways to use them, from organizing condiments in the fridge to storing cleaning products under the sink. So why not put them in your walk-in pantry? Store small items like spice jars, cooking oils, cake decorations, and fruit spreads on these turntables so you can grab the items you need without moving others out of the way.
6. Add pull-out drawers to your pantry.
Drawers are great in a pantry, but pull-out ones are even better. TikTok user @ourperthreno installed open pull-out drawers that make accessing pantry items super easy.
7. Hide the clutter with a cute door.
Open walk-in pantries can look cluttered — especially if you’re slacking on tidying up in there. Solution? A door! Choose one that conveys a mood or aesthetic. It could be a wooden door with a frosted window or a rustic wooden shiplap sliding door — like @house.on.holmes used — to match a farmhouse decor.
8. Create a space for small appliances.
Don’t waste valuable real estate in your kitchen for rarely used appliances. Create spaces for these items — rice cookers, electric mixers, bread machines, juicers — in the walk-in pantry. Stash them on countertops, in cabinets, or on shelves. TikTok user @nicoles.home.travels uses pull-out drawers for each appliance, so they’re easy to grab when you need them. Here are more pro tips for storing small appliances.
9. Carry over your kitchen style.
If you think of your walk-in pantry as an extension of your kitchen — which it is — you may want it to have a similar look and feel. Home designer Amy Miles (@a.milesdesign) used subway tiles in her pantry, which aligns with the backsplash in her kitchen.
10. Use the back of the door for storage.
Your pantry door can be another opportunity for storage, especially if you’re tight on space. This pro organizer attached adhesive bins to the back of her door and stocked frequently used items for easier access.
11. Use clear, stackable containers.
Airtight containers keep your dry foods, spices, and baking supplies fresh and bug-free. Opt for clear ones, like the ones in this Florida home, so you see how much of what you’re storing you have left. Even better if they’re stackable to save space on your shelves.
12. Add lighting.
Lighting can transform your pantry into something more than just extra storage. Hang pendant lights, install recessed lighting, or get a motion-sensor light that turns on when you walk in like Kristina Roy did in her space. The extra effort to add lighting will improve the mood and appearance.
13. Install a ladder.
Ladders — whether small step ladders or sliding ones — are helpful in pantries with floor-to-ceiling shelves. Interior designer Tracey Ramaeker (@myiowafarmhouse) installed a blond wood ladder in her walk-in pantry to help her access the high built-in shelves.
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Kitchen
Organizing
