When it comes to maximizing the real estate in your home, you may not typically think of your pantry as an area to focus on.
However, there’s a lot to be said for such a modest space, and organizing your pantry in particular can add just the right dose of appeal for potential buyers. The living room is a place where you store important kitchen items and groceries, which, in theory, should increase kitchen organization and simplify the cooking process.
It has every reason to be on a buyer’s list of hot properties and is worth your design time.
How do you organize the pantry?
First, you need to think about the basic function of your space in its natural state. Just as not all warehouses are created equal, every home will function differently. The size and layout of not only your pantry, but also your kitchen will determine how much you use your walk-in and may indicate where space needs improvement.
“With any pantry, whether large or small, keep in mind function and desired use,” says Mindy O’Connor, principal and founder of Melinda Kelson O’Connor Architects and Interiors. “A pantry can be very simple and efficient with shelves for food storage and additional appliances, or fairly elaborate with secondary appliances, counter space, and cabinets.”
It all depends on what you’re working with. Understanding the basics will help you determine how your system works and how you can achieve maximum impact when organizing your pantry, just like this:
Mindy O’Connor is a Pennsylvania registered and LEED-certified architect. She earned a Master of Architecture from Harvard University and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Pennsylvania before starting her own practice. Melinda Kelson O’Connor Architects and Interiors focuses on residential and small commercial projects, creating modern, thoughtful spaces that reference sustainability,
1. Show how it works smoothly
(Image credit: Future)
Whether you have a small pantry to display, or a spacious area to work with, you want to make sure potential buyers will know how to make the most of the space, so show them exactly how it’s done by using wall space and combining more than one storage method.
Installing custom shelving will add efficiency to a lot of different areas of the home, but it can make the most of your pantry in particular.
“In a purely functional room for additional food or cooking utensils/small appliance storage, combine deep and shallow shelves with easy access from the door,” O’Connor recommends.
To meet the natural design of the room and keep everything at a comfortable working distance, the combination can work wonders both visually and practically. This is especially true if your pantry isn’t a place to relax, prepare food, or take a coffee break.
“Utilitarian open shelving makes a lot of sense and makes it easier to pick up and organize items in this scenario. Consider narrow spice storage in smaller nooks or narrow, custom-sized shelves for glassware and vases versus deep, lower shelves for appliances or food and bulk supplies. You can also add shallow open shelves Or pull-out drawers for food. Make sure the shelves won’t allow items to fall through any slats, and also have some vertical dividers to help organize by type.’
2. Discover beautiful ways to neatly organize everything
Although shelving works well in this space where you want quick and easy access, it’s important to keep open shelving organized so your pantry is attractive. If spices, seasonings, or any other item you wish to keep often loses its way from one shelf to another, you may need careful organization for better efficiency and an altogether quieter finish.
This might mean spice racks or matching jars, as Stephanie Breschbuhler, principal and co-founder of WORKSTEAD, tells us: “So the main ways to design this space are jars, jars, and more jars!”
Brechbuehler recommends investing in a set of glass jars and anything that works hard to organize items and look good at the same time.
“I’m a person who feels happy and calm when I open a neat, organized pantry or drawer. It literally makes my day better. It’s almost meditative, and I enjoy it very much.” Brechbuehler likes Blisshaus products in particular because of their customizable pantry kits: “They also have spice jars with labels Customized on top so you can put them in the drawers. ‘I converted the drawers next to my cooking area into spice drawers and they are so convenient. I also asked my father-in-law to make little wooden dividers so everything stays in place.’
Find your favorite products to use, whether it’s a Lazy Susan (a favorite in homes and gardens), a turntable, or mason jars. What works for organizing kitchen corner cabinets can usually be pulled into the pantry as well, so inspire yourself with the things around you.
Allowing some similarity between containers will give a more cohesive and attractive finish.
Stephanie Breschbuehler is the Director and Co-Founder of WORKSTEAD. Stephanie studied at the Rhode Island School of Design, then after working in design at Gensler, she and Robert Highsmith founded Workstead in 2009. Now, Stephanie leads special projects and events and coordinates design efforts within the lighting and building design studio. . Prior to that, Stephanie also oversaw interior designs at Michael Graves Architecture & Design.
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The Lazy Susan is the perfect workhorse for high-traffic storage. It’s made of stainless steel, so it’s good for more humid rooms like warehouses.
Wooden circle 1- Lazy Susan shelf
Home Edit Large Turntable
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Dividers make it easy to keep different ingredients and spices separate, so you don’t have to think about your pantry.
3. Aggregate sensibly and think about the opening scene
(Image credit: Tom Hawley)
Depending on the layout of the pantry and the details of the door, you may or may not be able to see certain items from the outside. Plan around your layout, and if you can see the upper shelves, decorate them with better-looking appliances, or use whatever nice-looking china you have as you might in a kitchen display.
Grouping similar items together will create a more organized finish as O’Connor reminds us: “Glass upper cabinets for glassware and serving utensils can be beautiful if viewed from another space.” Group countertop appliances/cabinets such as the dishwasher, garbage disposal, beverage refrigerator, and ice maker together next to the sink, if included, all under the surface of the countertop.’
The design should make sense, so use your walls and see what will and won’t be displayed. “Plan a separate wall for more food or appliance storage,” O’Connor adds.
4. Make it sparkle and smell great
While allowing your pantry to serve as a surplus of your kitchen storage is not a bad practice, a cluttered and disorganized pantry will not only lack appeal for your family members, but potential buyers may find it less than desirable.
Stay away from clutter and be very aware of dust, crumbs and anything that doesn’t sparkle in your pantry like spoiled food – it has no place.
You want visitors to feel invited, so keep everything clean, spacious and well-lit, and make sure your pantry smells better than pumpkin pie with fresh indoor herbs or other natural, fragrant additions. We recommend using your best steam cleaner to work on the preparation as well.
5. Give your own flair
(Image credit: Stephen Karlish for Studio Maestri)
Although they are unique in their primary function, giving your pantry the same decorative treatment as kitchens, hallways and the like will help it stand out. Consider a distinctive feature such as lighting or give the walls an interesting coat of paint that will look charming across the open shelving. If you have a particularly large space with room for art, this would also make a great addition, as would a kitchen rug – all provided your space remains usable.
“Large pantry spaces are often a great opportunity to play with different paint colors, cabinet colors, tile or wallpaper,” says O’Connor. “It’s an opportunity to be practical and bold.”
You want buyers to feel impressed and a little awestruck by how beautiful your pantry is, so if you have the opportunity to enhance the flooring with the same flooring that runs through the kitchen, or add something less permanent if your vision comes to life, for moving homes, make a few adjustments and see where they take you .
common questions
Why is it important to properly organize the pantry?
A beautifully designed walk-in closet can do more than you think, for potential buyers and your family right now. Breschbuhler highlights how a well-put together space will naturally improve functionality and have a positive impact on overall well-being:
“For me, having a beautiful, organized pantry, or any pantry or closet in general, has a lot to do with mental health and feeling well. “For me, it’s about increasing well-being and creating a sense of calm,” says Brechbuehler, who points out that giving everything A designated living space will make items easier to find, making walking through the house functional and beautiful.
“If you’re the cook in the family, juggling work and/or kids, it’s also helpful to be able to quickly see what you’re missing. So it helps functionally with grocery shopping, making menus, etc. It really impacts so many aspects of Individual life.
Where do people go wrong in stores?
Letting clutter build up is the ultimate pantry sin, entry or not. Purge items regularly, depending on the size of your inventory, and don’t let your space host a surplus of redundant kitchen utensils, spoiled food items, or simply anything that doesn’t belong there.
How should you plan your pantry?
It’s all about how you use it. “For a more robust pantry or pantry, talk about how much prep work or cleanup might occur, whether bar space is needed, and how much pure storage versus work space is needed,” O’Connor recommends. Once you’ve lived in your space for a month or so, it will be easier to decide where you can make adjustments. Do what feels good and your efforts will be reflected on stage.
Although the design of your pantry may not initially have been a priority when staging your home, the finer, more subtle details will often attract buyers, so put your best design forward.
