If there's one thing many of us gained a newfound respect for during the pandemic, it is the value of stocking up. There's a big difference between hoarding and having backups, of course, but many people resolved after 2020 that they'd forevermore stock some extra food, cleaning supplies — and yes, toilet paper.
Pantries had already been gaining in popularity, but last year undoubtedly sealed the deal for many. If you're considering putting in a pantry, you've got plenty of options. You can DIY extra shelving, hire a contractor to build a walk-in space or settle on something in between.
Here are some ideas:
* Convert a closet into a pantry space. A nearby broom closet or coat closet can be perfect, or the space under a set of stairs that winds up being too awkward a shape for coats but could be great for storage.
* Use a freestanding wardrobe or armoire. You can install shelves in place of the hanging space and stand your new freestanding pantry along a wall near the kitchen or breakfast nook.
* Use the garage. This hearkens back to the method our grandparents and great-grandparents used. Remember all the home-canned sauces and jams that were stored in the basement and elsewhere? Grandma was a pro at pantries!
* Repurpose a bookshelf. You can do as little or as much as you want with this piece, which can provide an inexpensive solution.
* Build shallow cabinets between the studs.
* Put a skinny rollout cabinet between the fridge and nearby wall. Bonus: you won't have to attempt to clean crumbs out of that space anymore.
Rick Good spent ten years in the newspaper business, including with The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) and The Greenville News (Greenville, SC). He co-wrote, with Melinda Coleman, Rutledge to Riley: Governors of South Carolina, 1776–Present (Published by The Greenville News), and is the author of Mind Games Trivia #1 (Amazon). He has recently spent 15 years creating original trivia content through Sounds Good Mobile Entertainment and continues that with his new company, SGME Software. He edits The Smart Reader’s money, real estate, and business coverage.