The Advantages of a Walk-in Pantry

Inventory Control

• Storing nonperishable food items in a pantry instead of kitchen cabinets gives you the advantage of seeing what you have on hand without moving cans, boxes and bags. Arrange the food items in rows so you can tell at a glance what is needed. Keep a clipboard on the pantry wall with a list of staples such as flour, sugar, long and short pasta, canned fruits and vegetables, bulk spices, cereals and grains. Update it as food is consumed, and you can compile your grocery lists in a snap.

Counter Space

• When planning and building a walk-in pantry, install as many electrical outlets as possible without overloading your circuit capacity. Strategically place them around the pantry counter so you can place small electrical appliances such as slow cookers, rice cookers, blenders and food processors in the pantry instead of on your main kitchen counters, freeing up the counters outside the pantry for food preparation and making the room look less cluttered.

Noise Reduction

• Using loud electrical appliances in the pantry cuts down on noise pollution in the kitchen that generally flows throughout the house. If space and plumbing configurations allow, place the dishwasher in the pantry along with smaller appliances known for producing irritating noises, such as coffee grinders, blenders and electric food choppers. Install a butcher block cutting board in the pantry on which to tenderize meat with a mallet without the banging noise disturbing the other people in the house.

Storage

• Most kitchen cookware and bakeware inventories include pieces that cooks find "essential" even if they are only used once or twice a year. Typical inclusions in this category are fondue pots, punch bowls, pizza stones and peels, waffle irons, soup kettles and serving trays, all of which can be stored on high pantry shelves for easy, infrequent access. Walk-in pantry floors underneath shelves are good spaces to store picnic baskets and coolers.

Hiding Space

• When unexpected guests stop by or you get behind in keeping up with dirty dishes while preparing a large meal, use the pantry to hide the unsightly items. If you have plumbing in the pantry for the dishwasher, install an extra sink to soak hidden pans out of sight.