The pictures are everywhere. You come across gorgeous and impressive photos of people’s pantries on every social media platform. With a combination of coordinating bins, stylish turntables, and perfectly organized products, you can’t tear your eyes away! Add in the fact that many people don’t have a designated pantry, making the wistful feeling even more potent!
Looking at these images can give you the impression that having a pantry of this style is a lot of work to pull off the end result. But that is not the case! These simple pantry cabinet ideas will give you the pantry organization of your dreams in no time!
Re-Style a Bookshelf
A pantry doesn’t have to be one size fits all. Instead, you can get creative and make one from various furniture items. One of those options is with a bookshelf.
Coming in various sizes and shapes, you can acquire a bookshelf with floor-to-ceiling shelving, a shorter style with a few longer shelves, or even a cube style with identically shaped box shelves. These pieces make for a great pantry and can hold more items than you think!
You can either leave your bookshelf exposed and have all the contents organized neatly, or you can attach a curtain to go in front of it and keep the products hidden. For organization, you can use all the same components that you would in a typical pantry, including:
- Turntables for spices
- Baskets for overstock
- Canned goods stand
- Riser shelving
- Cereal storage
- And much more!
Additionally, you can place decorative items on the top of the furniture piece to tie it in with the rest of your kitchen aesthetic. With this option, you can have your very own custom pantry with minimal effort!
Repurpose an Armoire or Wardrobe
Many consignment shops or secondhand furniture stores have a variety of wardrobes and armoires in many different styles. It is pretty simple to take one of these treasures and turn it into a beautiful addition to your kitchen space for use as a pantry!
If the piece of your choosing doesn’t have adequate shelving inside, you can easily add additional with a few pieces of wood and a little elbow grease. You can then paint the unit to match the rest of your space or leave it as is. While some individuals and households reserve spaces like this for extra dish storage, you can easily use them for food!
As for a few ideas of what you can utilize an armoire or wardrobe for as it pertains to food storage, a few common uses include:
- Extra boxed goods
- Overstock canned goods
- Boxes of cereal
- Baking items
- Potatoes
- Onions
- Snacks
The possibilities are endless! You can also incorporate many of the storage pieces that the Instagram-worthy pantries use, including:
- Clear storage bins
- Baking canisters
- Produce baskets
- Spice organization
- And all the others!
Reassign a Cupboard
You don’t have to use an existing cupboard for one specific item. Instead, you can customize it to meet the needs of your household! Some of the cupboard hacks that you see today include:
- Garbage and recycling storage
- Broom and dustpan space
- Built-in risers for heavy appliances
- Microwave space
- Drawer inserts
Having this information, it’s easy to see how you can take a standard cupboard and renovate the space to create an in-kitchen pantry. After surveilling the different cabinets that you have and selecting the best option with adequate space to fit your needs, you can do the following:
- Add or remove shelving
- Replace doors if desired
- Install or insert storage solutions and containers
- Organize products within the space
The best thing about this option is that you don’t even have to choose a large cupboard to fulfill this need. Instead, you can take the smaller cabinets that act as a catch-all for extra items without a dedicated space and alter them to serve a purpose that better suits your household!
Final Thoughts
All hope is not lost if you find yourself without dedicated pantry space. The suggestions listed above are only a few options that those in that situation can utilize. You can also turn a coat closet into extra storage, make a hallway pantry, or – if you want to put in a lot of time and effort – create a hidden pantry!
Before accepting that it’s an impossible feat, take the time to research pantry cabinet ideas. Whether you do it on your own with existing space, purchase new furniture, or work with a company to build something new, pantry organization is possible in some form for everyone!