You could keep the smaller items in baskets and keep cans in special can organizers.

Can't you switch out to wood shelves? I have had wire shelves. Pain in the butt.

I have Elfa in mine and they make thick plastic sheets that fit in the shelves and make it an even surface.

Either replace the shelving with solid shelves or put a rigid plastic/Plexiglas surface on the shelves.

There are two main issues with open shelving of any kind:

(1) If something spills - the spill will fall all the way to the floor. Anything on the shelves under the spill will also have whatever spilled all over it. Think honey or molasses or oil...

(2) It's difficult to balance smaller items on the shelves - thus leading to spills in some cases!

Can you ask them to not put in shelving and give you money back? Then, you can install your own shelving - that's what we did!

I'm betting they're going to put in 18" deep (or deeper) shelving - much too deep for a pantry (12" is ideal).

Check out this thread:

Thread: Pantry photos/ pics of pantries

• http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2401919/pantry-photos-pics-of-pantries

There is a product made for covering those wire shelves. HERE'S a link to one company. There are others. (GW member Mustangs used something, I can't find the link to the thread, but she was happy with them).

Thanks everyone! Since replacing the shelves isn't in the budget, I'll take a look at the products that might make them more functional!

I'm not sure what brand you went with, but all of the commercial types - the ones I've had -- had fairly stiff sheets as an option. It works well.

I had solid shelving in my first pantry and wire shelving in my current one. The wire shelving is awful. I keep most of my pantry items in plastic baskets on the shelves. Then I slide out the basket to get what I want. My pantry shelves are also deep so the baskets help me get to the items in back of the pantry.

I have had wire shelving in our pantry for years. I covered part of it with heavy clear plastic as mentioned above. I had an extra shelf board from another project and used that over the wire on one section. But I also left lots of it just wire. I like how the wire allows for air flow. I have never had anything spill or leak. I also like how the wire (even with the clear plastic) allows for visibility all the way to the back of the shelf. I know that seems odd - but I have a poor memory, and for the rarely-used items that are stored on the highest shelves it's been really helpful for me to actually see where they are from underneath! (I now prefer thin shelving and will do that in our lake house.)

Omelet - What do you mean by "thin shelving" for your next house?

buehl - We will be redoing our walk-in pantry after our kitchen update is complete. I looked at the link you posted and the photos are expired.

Do you recommend getting a company like California Closets or simply a carpenter who can build it. I would like something along these lines, a my space is similar:

Binnie Street, Brighton East · More Info

I've had Elfa shelves in my pantry for years and have had no issues with cans, jars, boxes or bags that I have stored. I struggle to see the issue unless one was storing pencils or coins on the shelves.

gramarows - narrower, not thinner.

I hate cleaning wire shelves. You have to clean over, under and in between every blessed prong.

Cutting and covering foam core with pretty shelf paper works too. Just run a search on google images and you will find some great ideas.

I have Elfa in mine and they make thick plastic sheets that fit in the shelves and make it an even surface.

I saw a picture -- probably on Pinterest -- of laminate floor tiles placed on wire shelves. Small, easy to clean, cheap; seems like a winner to me.

I'm betting they're going to put in 18" deep (or deeper) shelving - much too deep for a pantry (12" is ideal).

I know this is standard advice, but I'm fine with 18". I have a number of LARGE Lazy Susans that allow me to access things at the back. Since I bake wedding cakes, I have cake pans as large as 16" wide, which I store on the upper shelves.

In my new house, I plan to have BOTH 12" and 18" shelves in my pantry. I plan to have some Elfa pull-out drawers on the lower portion, and they're something like 22 or 23" deep.

We have Metro shelving - with liners that are heavy-duty plastic (they're available at the Container Store, although I think you can get more sizes online). The plastic is not corrugated - not sure why you'd want corrugated.

I bought a ton of the Multipurpose bins from the Container Store, in different sizes. It made a huge difference!

Corrugated plastic sheets cut with a razor blade? Or you could actually by a product that is made for wire shelving

http://www.uline.com/BL_4214/Wire-Shelving-Shelf-Liners

That uline liner is what we have and it works great.

They sell plastic floor runner by the linear foot at Home Despot. You could use that. Cut to size with a utility knife. It probably doesn't matter much, but you might want the stuff that goes on wood floor - it doesn't have the little knobblies that are supposed to keep it from slipping on carpet.

On standalone wire shelving I've been using floor tile, which I buy when its on sale from wherever. I wouldn't use it on the stuff they attach to the walls as it won't take the weight.