Pantry and utility closet...swap? Anyone have 24 in utility?

11 years ago

My latest idea is to maybe switch our pantry and ulitily closet. The utility closet has an interior of 31x23, plus I'd be able to keep our onion/potato bin and cases of beverages on the floor. I'm just not sure how using a 24 inch cabinet would work for a utility closet. It would have hold cleaning supplies, lightbulbs, indoor tools, etc. I will probably be able to move our paper plates and utensils to another area with the taller uppers. I would probably use the top part for paper towels and TP, but could also put them in the top of the pantry (current utility) closet.

Has anyone used cabinets for utility storage? I had a hard time finding pics online since 24 inches is the depth of many cabinets. I need to see width of 24 inches, which doesn't seem common at all. Too small?

Here's the almost final layout, pantry and utility are on the far right. Still some other small details to work out, but until my quotes come back I can't make any other final decisions.

Am I crazy? DH is no help here, need some honesty. Any comments would be appreciated!

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Comments (3)

desertsteph
11 years ago
I'd switch them. I'd find more use for pantry space where I could also keep small appliances, platters and other large items. I also wouldn't have a problem using an upper shelf in it for PT, TP and light bulbs.

I'd rather have a separate space for things like cleaning supplies, tools, broom, mop, dust mop, vac rather than with food items.
lascatx
11 years ago
I have a 12" utility next to my exterior door. It is open and has a broom, swiffer, step stool, dog leashes, key holder, flashlight and an outlet for charging. The narrow cabinet above it has a divider and holds some trays and cutting boards. I have stacked cabinets to the ceiling and the one above that is actually part of a larger one that also sits on top of a pantry with rollouts. That is where we store extra PT (TP stays in the bathrooms, light bulbs are in a drawer in the garage -- used to be under my dryer, and batteries are in a hall table drawer), cereal, chips and dog food. I have one drawer for pens, pencils, rubber bands and such and other than that, if we don't eat it or use it for preparing or storing food, I try to keep it out of the kitchen.

I'd rather have the pantry closer to my food prep and not everything in a long line, especially if you have more that one person in the kitchen -- that can be a real bottle neck, but yes, I would make the pantry larger than a utility cabinet or closet.
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I would make the far wall into a majestic 'wall-o-cabinetry' but something that might look more like a butlers pantry when viewed from the kitchen, rather than a laundry room. Since you want to do something cheaply, I mocked something up with Ikea sized cabinets. I'm guessing something like this could be done in Adel White and Basalt Slate laminate for about $1500, which is not exactly the cheapest thing ever, but it's a thought. Here's a mockup: And here we go: Doing a tall pantry and the exterior corner would give you the vacuum storage, and with a creative behind the door hold you could get the kitchen rag hamper done too. Next in would be a pull-out trash organizer at 18" and then a blind corner with swing out for the kitty liter storage and what not. On the uppers some glass front doubles would look nice, but I mocked up three high 30" horizontal ones just for fun next to the 36" double on the end. I popped two 18" appliance garages in under the far corner to organize the small appliances. I tried doing this all in Ikea kitchen planner but got too frustrated with it. I think you get the idea though. It's not terribly important that it be Ikea, just if you want to do cheap cabinetry, at least they have a decent guarantee and good hardware. You would have to pull the blind corner out away from the wall in order to get it to work properly around a washer/dryer and you would need some filler up top, but none of what I put in would be too tight to not allow for all that.
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Honestly, I'm confused. How big is your pantry closet? 36" long x 24" deep? Or is it 36" long by 36" deep and you want to narrow the depth to 24" and put a 12" deep cabinet BEHIND it? I cannot picture this at all! Do you have cabinets next to the fridge right now or just a deep pantry closet? OK, well, you only have a coat closet if you completely get rid of the pantry closet, therefore I say that you must have at a minimum a 24"x24" utility / broom closet. As far as an actual "pantry" goes, it's hard to say without a floorplan. A well designed pantry is invaluable, a poorly designed pantry is a major waste of space. If you have a small kitchen and lack counterspace then you may be better off without a pantry, but usually that would be replacing it with 24" deep base cabs and 12" deep uppers. You still need storage space - the equivalent of what your pantry held at least. A "pantry" stores food. A "closet" stores non-food items such as cleaning supplies and, well, yes, dog food too. A pantry can be replaced with the equivalent in cabinets (drawer base - regular base cabs are just as bad as a poorly designed pantry). Food and non-food items should have separate storage spaces - otherwise you end up with a mess as you apparently have right now (as do I - my pantry is poorly designed and at the opposite end of the dining room diagonally across from the kitchen - I don't know what the builder was thinking). Note that a 24" deep pantry only works if it is a pull-out, otherwise 12-15" shelves are the way to go.
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Can you post some photos of the area you have to work with? As you saw, I ended up with just a 21" wall to work with for my mops and brooms. I repurposed a hook rack that had been in a bathroom for years. I had to tie strings on some of the implements because the holes on them were too small to fit on the hooks. I really really wanted a tall pullout for cleaning supplies but had no space for it in the end. I love that I didn't spend a dime extra (compared to $1400 for those pullouts), and so far it works great. I'll know better after today when my friend who cleans for me has tried to reach the things on it -- she's a little shorter than I. My point is that if you have a small bit of wall space you could put up a hanging rack of some sort. Another idea I had was to use one of the rail systems from IKEA, any one that comes with hooks. I like the Grundtal best, but last time I looked they didn't have them listed online anymore, so I wonder if they are D/C'd or I just missed them. Those kinds of hooks would give you lots of flexibility. The shortest one is 21", I believe.
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williamsem
Original Author
11 years ago
Ok, suspicions confirmed! Thanks, desertsteph!

Lascatz, how do you fit all that in 12 inches? Pegboard? I thought a lot about where to put the pantry. It is currently where the fridge and pantry are pictured with 12 inch deep fixed shelves and much wasted space. I really want to avoid all tall cabinets on the short wall against the bathroom as it makes the space feel closed in (fridge is currently there). It was hard to decide between having the Advantium next to the fridge or the pantry, and in the end I wanted the pantry by the fridge and to steal the 6 inches for an 18 inch drawer stack vs 12 inch. I agree a straight line isn't ideal, but the space is small, and that's the only option that works without major structural changes or filling up that short wall floor to ceiling. Or we could lose the Advantium, but DH is pretty excited to get one and it's the only thing he's asked be included other than a double sink!

So any additional ideas for making a 24 inch cabinet into utility/cleaning storage? Looks like I can work on converting the utility closet to a pantry while I'm waiting for the remodel to begin, kind of excited about that as it feels like it's starting!

Pantry and utility closet...swap? Anyone have 24 in utility?

Comments (3)

desertsteph

lascatx

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Pantry and utility closet...swap? Anyone have 24 in utility?

Comments (3)

desertsteph

lascatx

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