Thanks all…these are the kinds of questions I am hoping a closet/pantry designer could help answer. I know what I want to store, but it is optimizing it that is daunting.

My builder provides a designer, but she is more of a “I’ll help you pick interior stuff” and hasn’t been all that helpful. They don’t have a kitchen designer, but rather just a meeting with the cabinet maker and then trim person who does shelving.

I will happily post the layout (it’s a big square) and answer these questions though :)

Chispa, what are the dimensions of your pantry?

@blueskysunnyday, the dimensions are 7' 2" x 5' 1" with high ceilings!

@Naomi, the problem is the closet/pantry "designer" is going to want to sell you whatever product they are selling. I would suggest you visit The Containers Store, California Closets and any other closet company in your area. Go to the showrooms and see what they offer and pick up some brochures. You can ask about pricing of the floor display and that will give you an idea of the cost of their systems.

You need to be able to figure out what you need/want in the pantry ... otherwise the "designer" will design the pantry of their dreams and not yours!

Mark! You’ve hit it perfectly LOL

Chispa- that is a good point. I may sketch out some ideas and see what ppl on here think. I know, for example, that I’d like a counter area and then shelves….my dilemma is figuring out how many pull out wire drawers and getting dimensions down for the baking storage that I want. I have this picture in my head of this beautifully designed space that fits my needs…but maybe that is a pipe dream.

Mark, you are so behind the times! These days the shelves would be for vegan products and pot edibles!

;-)

If you haven't seen it already, this show on Netflix offers some interesting tips on organizing pantrys and closets. If find the celebrity focus a little annoying but the discussions are helpful and a bit inspiring. https://www.thehomeedit.com/the-show/ I think they also have an instagram account with ideas but haven't checked that out.

Kudos to you for not wanting to take free professional services from someone you know you won't buy from. I find it so annoying when people use retail organizations to gather all their info and then go online for a cheaper price at a different vendor. I realize sometimes you may think you are going to purchase and then the services or products don't meet your needs, so folks, please don't attack me for my view. It's all about intention for me.

I agree that a walk through a showroom/display for gathering ideas is good. When I do that I am very clear with the staff that I am on initial reconnaissance to gather ideas so they know to give me a high overview and not waste time with me.

You mentioned baking items. Have you considered reaching out to others in baking groups on social media who might have ideas to offer?

Good luck on your house build!

I am building a new home and I want to go into my cabinet meeting armed with a plan for the pantry. This is the room I care the most about in my house. While I can look at a lot of inspiration pics, I really want to design the best layout and not make rushed decisions when I get to the cabinet phase of our home.

A girl after my own heart! A good pantry is so important, and you're wise to go into this meeting well-prepared. You're much more likely to get what you want in the end. My thoughts:

- Take in a carefully-measured, well-rendered drawing of the space you want to lay out. Make several copies so you can draw and reject a couple plans as you talk it through.

- Make a list of the functions you want your pantry to provide. For example, do you want to include a small beverage fridge? Do you want a tall, skinny set of shelves to house small appliances? Do you want pull-out drawers? Do you want a shelf for unloading groceries or setting aside a pan of rolls as they rise?

- Make a list of the things you want to store in your pantry. For example, tell your pantry-pro if you're a bulk-buyer and need to store a giant package of paper towels, or if you want to house your large cookbook collection, or if you want to store Christmas and Easter dishes away during most of the year. Do you want a place to store tablecloths? Do you need hooks for aprons? Will you store your broom in the pantry? Your pantry-pro can't assume what you have; for example, no one would assume that I own more than 100 cake pans + more cake plates than you'd expect (I make wedding cakes).

- What kind of foods do you typically use? Do you need to store every type of pasta, or do you need space for home-canned goods? Build for your own, real habits ... not what someone else shows in pictures.

- Do you store any unexpected items in your pantry? For example, do you want a spot for batteries, light bulbs, extension cords, or do you have another spot in your home for them? No right answer exists, but you should have your answer before meeting your pantry-pro.

- Take in pictures of online pantries you admire ... even if they aren't exactly your dimensions. This will give you pantry-pro an idea of the look you like, though looks aren't nearly as important as function. Study these pictures yourself ... do you keep picking pictures that include organic baskets? bright colors? lots of white?

- Things you should consider including: a trash can, a recycling spot, a fire extinguisher (unless you have one already planned in the kitchen), multiple light sources (one light in the middle of the room will cause your head to throw shadows onto the shelves), an electrical outlet at the floor level and another at waist-level.

- When you get your new pantry, it's a good time to establish "good pantry habits". One thing I heard years ago and have lived by is, "Complete the purchase." That means, when you get home from the store, put your items away so that they're stored correctly ... correctly meaning easy-to-grab and stored-so-they'll-last. For example, I have a drawer for individual snacks that people can take to work or school ... so I remove the granola bars, peanut butter crackers, and Little Debbie oatmeal cookies from their boxes and put them into that pull-out drawer. Similarly, I take butter sticks out of their box and put them directly in the refrigerator bin. Because I live in the South and bugs are a problem, I decant my dried beans and pastas in to glass jars.

But you can certainly use the website for the Container Store to do some layout ideas.

I love Elfa Shelving from The Container Store. It's not as Pinterest-worthy as custom built-in cabinets, but it's a fraction of the price and highly versatile. It also goes on an excellent sale 1-2 times each year.

”walk in pantries are a waste of space”

Totes wrong. I'll die on this hill.

Like you, the pantry was top of the list to be efficient and organized with the closets second, and my kitchen is organized. It makes for an easy to clean home.

Are you me?

My pantry ended up a bit narrower than planned or I would have done drawers on both sides.

If your space is too narrow for shelves /drawers on both sides, a great option is to place a pegboard on one side. This allows for one side of good shelves /drawers ... ample walking space ... and loads of storage on the pegboard. I'm amazed at what mine holds. I wish I had 2Xs as much pegboard.

I know what I want to store, but it is optimizing it that is daunting.

Not half so daunting as bringing in your things on move-in day /trying to arrange your things onto someone else's pre-built shelves.

the dimensions are 7' 2" x 5' 1" with high ceilings!

Two thoughts on high ceilings: Include a stool of some sort somewhere in your pantry. Plan for baskets (or tubs) on those highest shelves; organize things into them so you can bring down "the cookie baking basket" and have your rolling pin, cookie cutters and sprinkles all in one place ... or you can bring down "the Halloween basket" and have your pumpkin-decorating items, the candy bowl you like to set out for Trick or Treaters, and the candles you bought on clearance last year all in one place.

MrsPete, whether a walk-in pantry is efficient, optimal, or a waste of space is not an absolute! So many factors like design of kitchen and utility spaces, residents’ needs and habits, etc.

I agree with Mrs Pete. I am going to die on the hill of the usefulness of a walk in pantry. I think it was the only thing on my wish list for my new house that I did not get. Well, maybe I didn’t die on the hill…. But I still feel they are very valuable and have had to find alternatives.

I am a waste of space pantry hater. I love true pullout pantries for a ton of storage at your finger tips and so easy to keep organized I even like the under the counter ones for oils and vinegars too IMO a pantry is part of the kitchen not a space outside the work area so what is your kitchen design? I would suggest you get an actaul KD to work with and for sure not the designer the builder uses bwcause they have usually one cabinet company. As for cloests again a personal choice since we all have different needs for what we wear and how we store it . I am a shoe nut and dowsized to 120 prs that is my driving force when I design a closet .I used to own many evening gowns so needed long hanging space , now maybe 3 so not a big deal. Again what is the size of the space and what is your budget . I love Pax from Ikea and often use that in walk in closets depending on my clients needs.

@tozmo1 I tried so hard to watch that show, but the two owners drove me absolutely batty with how much they talked over one another. And I love to organize! I just couldn't make it past an episode. I do follow them and the NeatMethod on Instagram though.

@Mrs Pete Those are all wonderful questions and all ones I have given thought to....I know what I want in the pantry, the hang-up is figuring out how to lay it all out. For example, I want areas for the cake pans that are easy to reach, slide-ins for the muffin/madeleine pans, an undercounter wine fridge, areas to store dog food, places for almost all the small appliances (Kitchenaid lives on my counter all the time, but the other stuff gets used less often), cookbook shelf as right now they hog an entire counter area and I don't like that. Also space for all the Costco backfill. As a baker, I bet you are like me where you buy tons of flour or sugar when it is on sale. Right now that ends up in the garage and then I can't see it and I forget and I buy more stuff LOL

@Patricia Colwell Consulting Ummmm, can we see your shoe collection? LOL But to the pantry....pullout just doesn't work for me. Right now I have a decently sized reach-in and it's not enough. I hate having all my baking pans crammed into cupboards where they fall over when I reach them. I also hate storing my backfill from Costco out in the garage. I have no room for a lot of the small appliances...many are in the garage.

I guess the question is...where do you find a pantry pro? My kitchen design is quite simple and I've already laid out where the appliances are....I'm not sure if a kitchen designer does pantry/closet stuff (my other upcoming dilemma will be my master closet).

@Mrs Pete @Patricia Colwell Consulting @chispa and others....

Here is a snap from the plans (I don't have a simple version without all the measurements! Sorry!). The approximate size is ~8' deep x ~8' wide (give or take a few inches). I know a square might not be the most optimal for a pantry (or most common), but it's what worked with the floor plan.

As you can see, the pantry is right off the kitchen. This was a must in my design as many had them in weird places where you had to walk too far. I envision it being pretty simple to easily drop food/spices etc. on the counter near the cooktop. I do something similar now, although I often am reaching in to my existing one to grab something.

The kitchen has the same amount of cabinets as my current house, but at least 2 sets of lowers are cluttered with baking stuff and small appliances and my goal is to get those into the pantry.

With the pantry...I had a vision of a counter along the window wall (bottom of image) with the wine fridge below it and possibly pull out wire drawers next to it (I've also contemplating a full size wine fridge, but may be out of my budget right now). The counter gives me some landing space for groceries.

I don't know whether to wrap the counter around both sides or maybe one side. I really want some floor space for the oversized Costco stuff though.

Wrapping around would give me some great space of about 4' between counters on the left and right and an enormous 6' to walk in. Ceilings are also 10' tall (I know @Mark Bischak, Architect.....you hate them LOL).

Also...I plan on a bling-y light fixture in here!

*** I know someone will comment on the kitchen layout...I agonized and went back and forth A LOT and settled on this after doing some walk throughs in homes being built with similar layouts. I didn't want the fridge near the pantry wall and I didn't want it off to the side of the island. I'm not changing it. ***

" 7' 2" x 5' 1" " ? ? ?

@Mark Bischak, Architect I think that was the size of someone else's pantry in this thread....not mine

Yup.

MrsPete, whether a walk-in pantry is efficient, optimal, or a waste of space is not an absolute! So many factors like design of kitchen and utility spaces, residents’ needs and habits, etc.

Unless it's a small apartment or a vacation home, I'll vote for a walk-in pantry every time. They're the cheapest way way to store food and other kitchen goods, and nothing beats the ease of being able to see everything at a glance. As you can see from the OP's picture, a pantry can be IN the kitchen, which is ideal, but a few feet away is acceptable.

I love true pullout pantries for a ton of storage at your finger tips and so easy to keep organized

So you're advocating for expensive cabinetry that must be built-in /can break. And cabinetry that doesn't allow you to see all your goods at one fell swoop. And pull-outs that can allow lightweight items to shift as they're moved. Nope, pull-outs might be a last-ditch option for a kitchen where literally every inch matters, but compared to even a small walk-in, they come up short.

As a baker, I bet you are like me where you buy tons of flour or sugar when it is on sale.

I am very thrifty, but I stick only one brand of flour, which I have researched thoroughly, and I buy it fresh for every wedding cake. I also open a fresh baking powder and baking soda for every wedding cake; I love those little packets at Liddle because they're economical. Well, actually, since the supply chain became an issue, I buy a little earlier than I used to -- I can't say, "Sorry, couldn't bake you a cake." Just can't be done. Anyway, that might seem like a little thing, but it's one of the reasons my cakes are genuinely the best.

On the other hand, sugar and butter are sugar and butter. I definitely stock up on them when they're on sale.

I had a vision of a counter along the window

Think carefully about that window. Light is not the friend of food storage.

@Naomi LOL, maybe you could watch with the sound off with closed captioning. There were a couple that had pantry organization that were interesting if you can get through them.

@Mrs Pete I prefer King Arthur for flour and so I will stock up when it goes on sale! Sadly, the sales have become fewer and fewer. I would like to keep a bigger stock of sugar, but my current pantry is just too small.

Yes, window with food isn't great....there will be blinds installed.

@tozmo1 Ohhhh in that case I will go and look for that episode.....maybe I can suffer through it LOL

It's the first part of episode 7 and the second part of episode 8. Both are about pantrys. And yes, just a quick look to find that info confirms, they are annoying. 😛

I'm also doing a new home build and I tried both Container Store and CA Closets. I eventually chose CA Closets because (1) I am doing multiple closets, pantry, mudroom + built-ins, and CA Closets could meet all my needs (2) I got a discount. CA Closets' customer service is excellent; your designer can mock up whatever you want and you can see it in 3D. With CA Closets, your shelving is also warrantied for life. Another option for you is Ikea.

What I did: I created my pantry and closet designs on Container Store's Web site and showed my designs to both Container Store designers + a CA Closets designer. My designs gave them a jumping-off point and they enhanced my designs. Once you have the design you like, go with the solution that meets your needs.

I ended up with 2 pantries; 1 is a hidden room behind the venthood with shelves and another is in my catering kitchen and has adjustable shelves (designed with the builder's cabinet company). Pics attached. Good luck!

Oh goodness, I just clicked on that Netflix show The Home Edit website and it shows a wall of books arranged by color.

Who arranges books like that?

I would never be able to find anything!!

"Who arranges books like that?"

Most likely someone that has not read all those books.

yup

What is even more ridiculous are decorating shows on TV that shows books with their spines faced inwards, so you can't even see what book they are when you are standing right in front of them. You'd have to remember where you put them last.

I prefer King Arthur for flour and so I will stock up when it goes on sale!

I use White Lily. Because it is grown south of the Mason-Dixon line /a longer growing season, it results in a softer wheat. If you sift out a cup of White Lily and a cup of other flour, you can SEE the difference. I might use another brand for hamburger buns or something else "just for us", but for a wedding cake, it's always White Lily.

Yes, window with food isn't great....there will be blinds installed.

Gotta love a plan.

While we're talking about light, I love-love-love the motion-sensored lights in my pantry. No reaching for the light switch while your hands are full.

The Home Edit website and it shows a wall of books arranged by color.

What is even more ridiculous are decorating shows on TV that shows books with their spines faced inwards

Two of the stupidest ideas ever. Clearly these people value books-as-decor over books-for-reading. I'll argue for function every time, and, Friends, this ain't it.

They also put everything in clear plastic containers that they then obscured with pictures of the items IN the containers. Don’t get me started on THAT, but also, you have to pull out the container to get the item. Okay, maybe okay, but in the refrigerator they put the yogurt in a lazy Susan with sides so high you can’t get the yogurt out, but you can’t really pull the lazy Susan out of the fridge. And the cookies in a basket on the almost-top shelf, and a ladder. i guess it’s good exercise for the kids. “Hey, Ricky, change the light bulb while you’re up there.” I didn’t have the volume on, but TBH the refrigerator and pantry didn’t look that different before and after, just straightened.

Ah well, this thread isn’t supposed to be about them, but about who can help the OP with her plan She knows what she stores and how she uses a pantry, just needs someone who can help her with the measurements, styles, types of cabinetry. THAT seems hard to find, someone who isn’t tied to a partiular product but can help discover the RIGHT product.

I guess your pantry is pretty determined, so I'm not sure what you want expert advice on. Look at the stuff you're storing and figure out the right mix of short and tall shelves, put in some plugs for appliances, etc.

Just one other thought: a lot of the chaos you seem to be wanting to corral here might be better served by making sure that the base cabinets in your kitchen are full of drawers rather than simple cabinets -- that was the biggest improvement in my own kitchen! Especially for baking pans and storage stuff, that tends to slide around, a drawer is a transformative solution, much more than shifting the avalanche to a different room! :))

(that second one is a lot fuller now, heh)

This one pair of 27" drawers reduced the chaos of several prior cupboards and lazy susan shelves. Allowing everything else to be more organized!

Another thought: I'd be sure to put a couple of outlets in the zone where you intend to store appliances. Sure, you might generally pull them out onto a nearby counter, but you don't have a ton of wall counter available, and most people have one or two (coffee maker? toaster?) that they never put away. So being able to use something in place would be a valuable option.

Beyond that, i like chispa's example from up at the top, suggesting the range of possible storage approaches. You could just have wooden shelves installed, permanent, or use the kind of metal braces that let you adjust a subset of the shelves as/when needed; probably the corners need to be built in for structural reasons. Drawers could be marvelous or could undermine the value of "seeing everything at once." You might like a few wire baskets at the base on one side for the Costco stuff; easy to see, but not likely to tumble around. Showcase pantries never seem to buy in bulk! lol.

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I always want a wine fridge, but honestly you might do better to have a divided bin, which would store a lot more and claim less space. But with a window in there, I guess there might be some glam to having a bit of a wine bar -- it's just a trade-off. Another consideration is whether putting some seldom-used serving ware in here would reduce pressure on kitchen cabinets. That could justify one closed cabinet zone, or a deep drawer.

Hope all this brainstorming helps!

@tozmo1 Thank you for saving me the headache of sitting through more of the show than I need to LOL

@acm It's not really determined at all...it's a big empty square right now. What I was seeking here was the interior layout advice. I do agree with you re drawers for lowers in the kitchen. Right now, I know I will have at least 2 drawers below the stovetop, which will likely corral pots and pans. I would like to do 100% drawers, but I am not sure if the budget will allow for that. I agree that they are just so much better for organization...a big issue I have in the cupboards is that I have pans shoved in the back and in the front and dragging out the bag stuff means everything ends up on the floor. Plus I'm not getting younger and it hurts the back!

Thank you for sharing the pictures....some of those I have not seen before and do give me some ideas. One reason I was pushing for the wine fridge is because I predominantly drink reds and have 5-6 bottles going at a time (I use a Coravin system). It would be nice having them at the proper temperature as opposed to shoving a bottle in the fridge for 20 minutes before drinking. I was also planning on some criss-cross wine storage for the bottles I'm not currently drinking (I usually have 20-25 bottles in the house at any given time). I *think* I want the wine storage in the pantry. I have a little area next to the MW/ovens and I was planning on that being my tea bar area (kettle and all the tea accessories and tons of loose tea tins I have).

I also agree with drawers blocking stuff off....I am definitely focusing more on an open pantry where you do see everything. When things get hidden they don't get used (at least in my world).

And 100% on outlets! I planned on one for the wine fridge and then a couple up on the counter. Just in case!

Nothing to add except that we just got our drywall up and realized that the space we have allotted as a provision for a future elevator will be a fabulous 5x5 pantry for now, and perhaps forever. It's right by the kitchen, right by the stairs up from the garage, and near the front door too. I am already gleaning as much as I can from all these comments. So, THANK YOU to everyone posting all of these amazing ideas!!!

I would give up or cut back on other things in the house before I gave up on all drawers in the kitchen.

If you are doing cabinets and some type of roll-out, then you are not going to be spending much less than just going with a drawer from the start.

@chispa Oh, I meant roll outs in the pantry as opposed to full-faced drawers (to have things more open and viewable). I have already blown my budget and we haven't gotten to the cabinet design yet :/ I'm agonizing over the fact that I have 10' ceilings and just regular uppers and whether to add a bit more to get closer to the ceiling, etc.

I will definitely need to see what the pricing is like to switch to all drawers....we had that in one rental years ago and it was nice.

If it was me and it was in my last house I would go with all drawers and have cabinets not go to ceilings. Just do 42" ones on top and it will still look good. I loved my drawers and miss them so much in this house.

Nothing wrong with having open space above cabinets, but you just need to make sure your uppers are not the basic short ones.

My upper cabinets are stacked and I still have space above the cabinets! We have beams so I didn't want to crowd them or cover them.

People usually bring up dust when you have cabinets with a space above, but I've never found it hard to clean up there a couple of times per year. The only issues is if you have a second story and the stairs are near the kitchen and you can see the top of the cabinets ... then it can be annoying to see the dust when you haven't gotten to cleaning it yet! ;-)

All that decanting the items into clear containers that match is ridiculous to me.

To those of you fellow oldies, you remember this scene-

https://www.google.com/search?q=line+from+the+graduate+about+plastics&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS973US973&oq=the+line+from+the+graduate&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0i22i30l5.7265j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#kpvalbx=_a146Yp-UCrvQkPIP-I6LoAk26

Who needs all that plastic?

Who needs to cut and paste the instructions and dietary information on the plastic containers, or have to spend even more $$ for those stick on info envelopes.

Just keep the food in their original containers, and don't be a snob or so obsessive that all containers have to look the same.

Did all your bridesmaids wear the same dress?

Because I'll bet they didn't all have the same figure.

Uh oh, don't answer that question.

Unless of course you have unwanted critters that crawl into paper boxes. That's another matter.

And then you have a far bigger problem.

@chispa and @cubby14 I think the uppers will be 42". No worries about dust...I actually lay down paper towels on the top of the cupboards and climb up once every 6 months or so and switch them out. Easy peasy!

@loobab I agree to a certain extent. I have a lot of plastic containers...I prefer to decant all my baking stuff into them as it is easier than having rumpled up plastic bags everywhere. I also use plastic bins to keep things together (pasta with pasta, rice with rice, etc.). I do have labels on everything too :) I love cleaning and organizing, so it works for me.

Off topic, but all you need is one episode of pantry moths and putting all of your stuff in sealable containers doesn't seem so crazy. Ask me how I know. The only stuff I keep in original packaging is stuff I go through quickly.

OP, we used a closet design company. We did all shelves, no doors or pull outs. I would have liked some pull out baskets for storing fruit and veg but I have baskets on the shelves and those work. The only thing I'd recommend is to be careful you don't go too wide. I have on section that's 18" (counter storage) and the only reason it works is because that's where my baskets are.

I'm really curious to see what you come up with.  We won't be getting to pantry design for quite some time,  but have almost the exact same pantry dimensions and design (8x8 with shelves on three walls) as you.  We are putting counter height electrical outlets on each of the walls for occasional appliance use,  charging vacuum batteries,  etc.

All that decanting the items into clear containers that match is ridiculous to me.

Those of us who live in the South and must battle insect infestation disagree. Pouring a box of elbow noodles into a glass jar isn't exactly rocket science, and I don't need instructions written down for most things; for those that I do need, the instructions are already on the back of the jar -- not something that must be repeated with each new purchase.

I actually lay down paper towels on the top of the cupboards

Mine too ... I get them down with a yardstick: just insert the yardstick into the center tube and "reach it down".

Off topic, but all you need is one episode of pantry moths

Yes, when they get into your stuff, they get into EVERYTHING, and it can happen in a matter of days.

@T T Ahhhhh too bad you're behind me LOL

If you want to be able to see everything, what about Metro shelving? We had an 8' x 6' pantry with a 5' long section of Metro shelving at the end-- with the top shelf about 18" down from the ceiling (8' ceilings). It held an amazing amount of kitche stuff. The shelves were 15" deep, so only items like cookie sheets stuck out further (I stored them on their sides). I found that the Container Store shelf dividers fit on the Metro shelving, so that was a real help with cake pans that don't stack. (I nested 6", 8" and 9" ones and turned them on their sides. Fortunately they did not roll off the shelves! ) I even used larger, but shallow, plastic bins on the floor to store less used items, resting them very short plant stands (on wheels that swiveled) so I could push them in and out with a foot (if that makes sense). Everything was right there where I needed it. Not for everyone, but great if you want to see at a glance just what you have.

Okay, I'm mostly jumping in on the tangents here, so sorry about that ... lots of good suggestions already for shelving systems are tools, though.

On the other hand, sugar and butter are sugar and butter. I definitely stock up on them when they're on sale.

Nope, nope, nope butter is not all the same. Do a side by side with Kerrygold, Cabot, Land O' Lakes, and generic/grocery store brand ... not the same at all. Maybe less critical if you're making a cake, but if you're making a pie crust, or a scone, or a cookie ... or especially if you're going to make a laminated dough, it matters. Definitely stock up when it's on sale, though ... freezer is great for storing extra butter. Sugar, I agree is pretty much just sugar regardless of brand.

I prefer King Arthur for flour and so I will stock up when it goes on sale!

I use White Lily. Because it is grown south of the Mason-Dixon line /a longer growing season, it results in a softer wheat. ... I might use another brand for hamburger buns or something else "just for us", but for a wedding cake, it's always White Lily.

I think this might be a matter of what one is baking. I use King Arthur for most things, but I have a number of varieties ... all-purpose, bread, cake/pastry, Italian/'00' ... White Lily has a gluten content of 9% ... that wouldn't work at all in most breads, where I'd use bread flour (12.7%) or King Arthur all-purpose (11.7%); however, it would be great where I use cake, pastry, or '00' flour, like in pasta, pizza, cake, or pastry. Foccaccia could probably take either, as could brioche ... but french bread or ciabatta (or anything else involving a sponge) wouldn't have the right crumb without the higher gluten content. (Yes, I really do have 3-4 types of flour in my pantry ... not including specialty flours, like semolina or rice, and we do not have a large pantry or fancy pantry.)

All that decanting the items into clear containers that match is ridiculous to me.

Just keep the food in their original containers, and don't be a snob or so obsessive that all containers have to look the same.

You already answered yourself ... it's a pest control thing, namely pantry moths. They can be a massive problem and can get through any crack and many materials. As for the matching containers ... they do usually stack better that way. Being very tight on space and not having much issue with pantry moths, most of our stuff stays in the original boxes/containers, but we do have containers for flour (some stay in their bags and share), sugar, baking soda, etc.

Ooh I love a good pantry. Here is mine. We did the shelving out of primed pine. Everything came to less than $500. I painted and caulked myself. Like everyone else I guess, I figured out what I needed to store and planned shelving height for those items. All shelves are 12” deep. You can see on the bottom some of our bigger items stick out past the 12” which may argue for 14-16”. Would defintely not go deeper than 18”. Did not go to ceiling because I figured I could store bigger items up top and save some money. One of my favorite features is the left hand wall. We made the shelves the exact heights for various size mason jars. We have a glass paned door on our pantry and it’s one of my favorite rooms in the house. It stays neat, even with 2 young boys, since everything has a place! All of the various baskets are for particular food items. We don’t drink any wine but my husband does drink pop. I wish I had planned better for storage of those cans (I ended up adding acrylic bins on the floor at the front of the pantry not visible here). In our design, a good bit is on the floor. It doesn’t really bother me but you should consider if that bothers you. If our budget had been bigger, I would have built up a base of some sort on the floor. I would also like to put a ”lip” on the edge of all the shelves to make them appear thicker, but I didn’t take that into account when I planned height for mason jars, and adding a lip now would make them too short! And in case anyone is wondering, that is a recipe from my grandma I had made into a wall paper. Makes me smile whenever I pass by. :)

@M R, beautiful pantry! I'm very inspired by your wallpaper.

I adore your wallpaper! That's brilliant! And you did a fabulous job with the shelves. The whole thing is perfect!

Thank you!

Is it wallpaper or a canvas?

Wallpaper!

@Mrs Pete Can you share a photo of your pegboard? I would love to see a great functioning one rather than one just for show! I think that is a great idea for narrow spaces!

We’re in the final stages of a large reno and a walk-in pantry was one of my dreams. Because we were limited to the existing footprint of the house we ended up with a 13’ x 5’ pantry (the kitchen’s width) at the back of the kitchen. We ended up with a section of open shelves on one wall that’s 12” deep for canned goods and smaller pantry items, another wall 16” deep for larger food items or baskets, and a 3rd wall has adjustable shelves underneath and a counter above with outlets on either end for extra appliances (air fryer, microwave, toaster, etc.) We stuck with open shelves to keep down costs and came up with the dimensions based on what I usually have in my kitchen. I mapped out where everything in my kitchen and pantry would live and designed from there. I listed everything I owned and used some graph paper for each elevation and made sure everything has it’s place. a little extreme but that way you know it will suit your needs.