35 Walk-In Pantry Ideas That Maximize Storage (2024)

30 Kitchen Storage Ideas to Help You Declutter on a Budget

Open Pantry Shelves

A diversified pantry such as this one serves multiple purposes. Open shelves allow you to line up baskets and jars of dry goods and display serveware. Drawers keep smaller items sorted, vertical dividers separate baking sheets and pans, and a countertop is a walk-in pantry idea that lends both storage and surface space if needed.

Simple Shelving

A single, vertical built-in bookshelf is a small walk-in pantry idea that keeps essentials in order. Place clear, airtight jars full of your favorite pasta and baking ingredients on the shelves alongside cookbooks and occasionally-used items, such as a French press or food processor.

Walk-In Pantry Storage

This walk-in pantry serves as a space for backstock food supplies and extra storage for a bar cart or home bar. A custom-built wine rack keeps bottles in place, while a stemware holder mounted under a shelf safely holds extra glasses. While the pantry should already be cool and dry, you might want to make sure the temperature is safe for wine storage before implementing this idea.

Pantry Zone Storage

There’s no shortage of space in a pantry of this size. Floor-to-ceiling shelves on opposing walls are a walk-in pantry idea that allows for two different zones. On one side, food staples are organized by category; on the other, dinnerware is sorted by dishes, glasses, and platters. Baking must-haves, such as cookie cutters and a stand mixer, are stored on a compact countertop.

Basket Storage

This rustic yet industrial walk-in pantry contains produce, packaged food, and even cookbooks in a variety of baskets. Although the bins are different, their similar aesthetic minimizes any visual clutter.

Small Walk-In Pantry Storage

This petite pantry is jam-packed with storage thanks to its myriad shelving. The shelves are arranged at different heights, leaving no wasted space and allowing room for cereal boxes, canned goods, and everything in between.

Utility Storage

If you have the extra square footage, a walk-in pantry idea is to create an area in the pantry specifically for paper goods, cleaning products, and other backstock supplies. Align items on open shelves by type so you can see what you have enough of and what you need to replenish.

Like with Like

Like any organized space, similar items should always stay near one another so you can quickly find exactly what you need. Store snacks in one section and drinks in another so everyone knows where to go for their favorite treat.

Pantry Door Ideas

While a pantry should be kept neat whenever possible, it’s a nice option to close the door when guests arrive just in case it gets messy during a busy season of life. A beautifully mirrored door with faux hardware is a walk-in pantry idea that will hide its contents, leaving none the wiser.

Pantry Drawer Solutions

You can always include lower cabinets or open shelves as walk-in pantry ideas. However, pull-out drawers will make storing and retrieving food items a breeze. Line up boxes, bags, and cans and use narrow baskets to group flimsier packages, such as bread or nuts.

Pantry Corner Storage

Use this walk-in pantry idea to make any awkward corners more functional. Use a few lazy susans to store condiments, oils, and vinegars. Place a bulky round appliance, such as the slow cooker, on the lowest level and a large yet lightweight pot on the highest shelf.

Conceal Clutter

Give your pantry a charming allure by incorporating a vintage double door that’s one of a kind. The glass openings give a sneak peek of what’s being stored on the shelves beyond the threshold but mostly conceal any possible clutter from the rest of the kitchen.

Future Preserves

If you do a lot of canning, having a walk-in pantry is an ideal storage location for your stock. Create rows of jars in order of what’s inside and their expiration. Use the space to also store dried herbs and fresh produce for future preserving projects.

Pantry Storage Containers

Choose matching containers to create a walk-in pantry idea that looks as good as it works. Spacious, open baskets keep packaged foods tidy, and clear jars display decanted dry goods, such as flour and sugar.

Organized Catchall

If you have a walk-in pantry, it doesn’t necessarily have to be used to stock non-perishable food. Use this walk-in pantry idea: employ shelves to store odds and ends that don’t fit in the kitchen, including seasonal linens, holiday centerpieces, and other decor.

Mudroom Pantry Combo

If you’re sans a pantry but your kitchen leads into an entryway, reserve a little room for overflow items. A corner built-in shelf gives just enough space to store bottled beverages and canisters of bulk-bought food.

Label Items

Organizing your walk-in pantry is half the battle. Keeping it organized is the other. You can make it easier on yourself and everyone else in the house by clearly labeling sections and containers so there’s no doubt where something is or, just as importantly, where it should be returned.

Floor-to-Ceiling Storage

Sky-high shelves in a narrow pantry maximize storage space, so don't be afraid to take them to the ceiling. Try this walk-in pantry idea: Store only the things you don’t use frequently on top shelves. Keep a step stool close by, so everything is still within reach.

Pantry Barn Door

A sliding barn door provides both functionality and style, making it a perfect farmhouse-style walk-in pantry idea. Select shelving and organizers that also fit the rustic theme so they stick out through the glass door paneling.

Decanted Goods

Removing foods from their original packages is a walk-in pantry idea that saves considerable space. Use airtight food storage containers for everything from crackers to candy and generously sized, open baskets to corral fruit and vegetables.

Specialty Serving Section

If you’re the type that lives to host, chances are you have an abundance of servingware. Give those extra cake stands to champagne flutes a proper home in your walk-in rather than forcing room in kitchen cabinets. You’ll love the convenience of a party pantry the next time you plan a big bash.

Hidden Pantry Storage

Put the pantry behind closed doors to keep food storage hidden and your kitchen looking sleek. Tall panel-style cabinet doors open to reveal a pantry and a refrigerator, keeping food in one central spot. The pantry's deep shelves are perfect for storing dry, jarred, and canned goods, while adjacent open shelving displays pretty cookbooks and serving pieces.

Add an Appliance Garage

Turn a small stretch of a wall into a hardworking breakfast station. Use cabinet doors to help it blend into the kitchen. Open shelves keep creamers, coffee beans, cereals, mugs, and juice pitchers within reach. A small countertop near electrical outlets is the perfect spot to house a coffeemaker and toaster. Heavy-duty pullout drawers at the bottom can hold muffin mixes, cereal boxes, and heavy canned goods.

Pantry Door Ideas

Who says pantry doors should blend in with their surroundings? A reclaimed barn door walk-in pantry idea breaks up an expanse of matching cabinetry, adding character and a touch of playfulness to an otherwise utilitarian space. Installing a cabinet above the door is a great way to capture additional storage space.

Restaurant-Style Walk-In Pantry Idea

No one knows food storage better than restaurants, so why not follow their lead when it comes to walk-in pantry ideas? A swinging door makes for easy in-out access, while frosted glass hides storage from guests. Wire racks from a restaurant supply store are an affordable and stylish place to house foodstuffs and cookware.

Use Frosted Glass

Small pantries tend to feel dark and cramped. A frosted glass door is a stylish walk-in pantry idea that lets in light without displaying storage. White shelving and an interior fixture also boost brightness.

Remove the Pantry Door

In a small kitchen, removing the pantry door allows for easier access and keeps the room bright and airy. Adding labels to the shelves and storage containers keeps the tight quarters organized. Another great use of space is installing various horizontal, vertical, and square shelves, sliding spice racks, and storage bins.

Pull-Out Pantry Storage

A tall pullout pantry installed in the heart of the kitchen makes it easy to store groceries near where meals are prepared. This easy-access pantry matches the other cabinetry for a cohesive look. Although narrow, it slides out to reveal long shelves that pack plenty of storage in a small space.

Double Pantry Doors

Incorporating a floor-to-ceiling, double-door pantry into the cabinetry is a great solution when the kitchen layout doesn't allow for a walk-in closet pantry. Adjustable shelving makes it easy to customize the storage for taller boxes, bottles, and canned goods. For additional storage, the on-the-door shelving doubles the space for small goods.

Butler's Pantry

A butler's pantry at the end of a small hallway off the kitchen is the perfect place to store linens, serving pieces and other infrequently used items. To make it easy to quickly spot what you need, remove the doors from the upper cabinets, install a narrow countertop, and use open-air pullout shelves in the lower cabinets.

Pantry Cabinet Ideas

Hide a walk-in pantry built behind the kitchen walls by installing an upper cabinet with cabinet-look doors below. This fool-the-eye solution provides extra storage in the bulkhead and a seamless look in the kitchen. When a pantry lacks windows, adding ample overhead lighting is crucial.

Corner Pantry Ideas

A corner pantry with an angled door maximizes storage space in the kitchen. Skip expensive custom cabinetry for basic shelving installed in an L-shape configuration. Use lazy Susan platforms to capture the corners and labeled plastic tubs under the shelves to store paper goods.

Small Reach-In Pantry Ideas

Install slide-out shelves to convert a cabinet into a pantry. Label each shelf and use colorful baskets and bins to corral small items to keep the small space organized. These simple solutions help family members quickly find what they want, return items to their correct spots, and avoid messy spills from open packaging.

Pantry Storage Inspiration

Make the most of a small pantry by outfitting the three walls with floor-to-ceiling shelving. Choose deeper, taller shelves for the back wall and short, narrow ledges on each side for cans, bottles, and other pint-size products. Reeded-glass doors hide the pantry's contents but keep the kitchen airy. Installing a pendant light inside the closet makes it easy to grab and go, especially for a late-night snack.

Bulk Pantry Storage

Kitchen pantries aren't limited to storing food. A clever kitchen pantry idea is to create a separate area for cleaning products and other household needs when space allows. For this catchall storage, it's best to install deep, tall shelves that allow plenty of room for items like paper towels, detergent bottles, and linen-filled baskets.