Pantry fix?
My pantry is well organized except for the bottom. The floor space to the first shelf is 28 in tall. I have a small roll cart there to accommodate the pressure cooker, crock pot and blender. But to the left of that everything just gets piled in there. Large items gets stacked up, cookbooks are at the bottom of a bin, plastic bags on the loose (tried storing them in an on the wall container but it won't stay up). It's a mess!
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Hi Shelley
Can you move any of those items to the garage or laundry room? I have a metal flat roll out that I store larger items on in my pantry floor. Also the top shelf of a pantry is good for storing things you don't use that often.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCM1p-VuTek
Consider attaching a container like this to the wall for the plastic bags: https://rstyle.me/+88M-xxMalacJzu3tHjiQgw
And then ...something like this for the other items: https://amzn.to/3g0Wdza
Get some large baskets or cover boxes with contact paper to hold these items.
Can the cookbooks go to a bookcase? Or the end of an island or a counter shelf? Recently I reevaluated my cookbooks and realized I really only use a couple of recipes in them, so away they went, get recipes online and print and store a page vs a cookbook.
For loose plastic grocery bags, put up a hook and put 1 of the 2 handles on it, then stuff the plastic bags in it, no more fall off the wall bag holder. When full tie the handles together and take them in to the store for recycle,.
Not sure what large items are getting stacked up??? Are they boxes of product? Upper shelves are great for this.
Could you put a bookcase next to the pullout cart? Then your cookbooks would have an easier to access area. I've started to corral my plastic bags in a pretty tote hung on the wall - makes me smile and does the job.
Get some bins that have a partial open front. You can add wheels or slides to them for when you have to pull them out. You could go with a few smaller ones that stack or larger ones.
As for plastic bags, get a coffee container or some other large ones and cut and "X" in the center of the plastic top if it's a thin one or a hand sized hole for a larger one. You can put your bags in there. You'll be amazed how many you can fit in one. I have also used the square tissue boxes. Smaller but still effective. If you go that route, you can stack them laying on their side and go several high but use double sided tape to secure them and prevent toppling.
Cookbooks-I recently purged mine. I now have a 3 ring binder and recipes that I actually use go in a page protector. When I want to cook, I pull one out (protector and all) and stick on my cabinet using poster putty. I'm not quite ready to go digital. I have a few that way and don't enjoy using it.
As for other large items, consider adding slides to them if you can't put in a bin. Without specific examples, it's a bit more difficult to come up with organizational ideas.
try little storage crates or old boxes to fit things in without flopping over. That will keep them separate
https://www.hometalk.com/diy/organize/kitchen/small-pantry-organization-on-a-budget-30953200
https://www.hometalk.com/diy/organize/pantry/s-pantry-organization-ideas-41819979
https://www.hometalk.com/diy/organize/kitchen/kitchen-and-pantry-storage-organization-28282584
https://www.hometalk.com/diy/organize/pantry/diy-pantry-can-organizer-43417153?expand_all_questions=1#!
Small Pantry Organization on a Tiny Budget
Kitchen and Pantry Storage & Organization
DIY Pantry Can Organizer
For plastic bags try this. Take a one gallon plastic milk jug that has the indented circle on one side. Using sharp scissors poke a hole in the middle of the hole then cut outward to remove the indented circle (an approximate 2" circle.) Stuff grocery store bags in always pushing in from the bottom of the bag to let the air our. You can fit about 50 bags inside. Stays neat. Sit on shelf or floor. Build a second shelf on part of the wall only half of the 28 inches to add an extra shelf to house cook books or cook ware. Hang some things from the bottom of the lowest shelf and use cup hooks to hang some items. Use a crate or two underneath to store other items.
I use a lot of storage bins that I can put like items together, pull them out when I need them, then push them back in. I also made this to store my plastic bags - https://chascrazycreations.com/trash-bag-storage-dispenser-container/
Hi Shelley. We have 2 sets of 3-part storage bins that stack on top of each other on the lowest level of our pantry. That's where I store potatoes, onions, and envelopes of instant rice, potatoes, gravy, etc. I use the other 3 bins for dog and cat food and treats. The bins keep everything organized and I can take inventory with just a look.
I made this that slides next to my pantry and holds all the small appliances. The extra room is great! https://www.homeroad.net/2020/01/diy-rolling-kitchen-appliance-storage.html
Why not just add a couple more shelves across the space?
I'd look for a stackable shelf you could fit in there with maybe 2 pull out canvas or basket bins.
Hello Shelley,
Make or buy another rolling trolley or set of drawers to put the stuff. Use a back of door hook or Storage too. Bet wishes.
I used baskets for the bottom my pantry and store misc items.
Perhaps get some more rolling carts and put your flour and sugar bins on them to fill the space.
Well organized is my middle name are all labels facing same direction towards the person that opens the pantry?