How A TikToker Turned 12 Inches Of Space Into A Beautiful And Spacious Pantry
How do you keep food organized in a small kitchen that lacks a pantry? While you might think you're destined to haphazardly stuff food in cabinets or on top of the refrigerator forever, a little ingenuity can go a long way. Making the most of a small kitchen comes down to smart planning, and according to TikToker @anxiouslyambitiousaz, even a narrow sliver of space can do the trick. She turned a 12-inch-wide section at the end of her kitchen cabinets into a built-in pantry ideal for canned food and dry goods.
There are many clever ideas for building a pantry for extra storage space, so even if you don't have the square footage for a typical pantry, you can take advantage of the vertical space in your kitchen. Empty corners, awkward gaps, and small closets are also fair game. Not only will you get added storage space, but you can also configure the layout and materials to your liking. You can opt for inexpensive materials like plywood or MDF, or go for higher-end solid-wood construction.
How this tiny kitchen nook was transformed into a pantry
To transform her small space into a built-in pantry, TikToker @anxiouslyambitiousaz cut a premade cabinet to fit the available width. She then added new white backing to match her current kitchen cabinets. With some strategically placed decorative trim, she was able to mimic the look of her existing cabinetry, making the pantry look like it always belonged. The pantry was complete after wallpapering the inside, adding shelves, and finally, organizing her food products.
@anxiouslyambitiousaz I had to repost this because my last one got so much hate when I posted it with the title when your kitchen designer forgets you eat food. It was just supposed to be funny, but people took it as being so snooty. 😂 what I meant was the person who ever built this house 30 years ago in a subdivision not someone who actually came and designed it. People also commented how I would need a pantry and said maybe you should try eating out of a fridge. I have a family of six. And I need places to store dried beans, pasta, rice, canned tomato, products, lentils, flour, sugar, do none of you eat any of that? It's absolutely ridiculous. That people pretend that they only eat things from the fridge because if that was true, then you don't have a very balanced diet.. The other thing I got a lot was that I blocked my view lol I did not block my view in anyway the only way I can't see out my sliding door as if I'm standing at the kitchen, looking at another window. Regardless, whatever people say, it doesn't really matter because it has been really nice having a designated spot for food!
Finding a premade pantry cabinet that matches your kitchen is an easy way to add much-needed food storage space, but when that's not possible, you can DIY a freestanding pantry for the organized kitchen of your dreams. A freestanding style pantry works best if you don't have the space to make it look built-in. Instead of matching it to your cabinetry, you can paint or stain it to complement your kitchen design. (Think: white kitchen cabinets with a beautiful walnut freestanding pantry.) Either way, with some creativity, even the most awkward of gaps or nooks in your kitchen can be transformed into custom storage.