A pantry is a great addition to any kitchen and a must-have in the modern home. However, if you are like many people, you might soon find that there is just not enough room for everything. Whether your pantry is large or small, smart pantry door storage ideas can help give you more space.

Moving some items off of the shelves in your pantry will leave more room for the things that need that precious kitchen real estate. So read on, and find some clever, easy, and smart pantry door storage ideas.

There is a lot of space inside your pantry door, so before you invest in any of these pantry door organizing ideas, think about what you really need. You will be amazed by how much extra space you can make simply by moving some items from the pantry shelves to the door.

Hanging Racks for Pantry Door Storage

Hanging racks that fit over the top of the pantry door are one of the simplest and quickest behind-the-door storage ideas. You can purchase these racks and hang them in seconds, so it is an instant option.

While they will give you some extra space, they only come in limited sizes. Depending on the design, they also might not be able to hold as many of the items you were hoping to move off of your pantry shelves.

Over the door hanging pantry door racks are available, however, in some variety of sizes and materials. There are wooden, metal, and plastic options, so you might be lucky enough to find the right solution with this pantry door storage idea.

Built-In Shelf Pantry Door Storage

If you want something more custom, built-in shelves on the inside of your pantry door are one of the best pantry door storage ideas.

This kind of shelves can be customized to your exact needs. They can be different sizes and have special areas to store items like shopping bags, cans, dry goods, or anything else you want to have quick and easy access to.

Custom, built-in shelves on the inside of pantry doors are great because they are built to your own specifications. This means you can choose the depth of the shelves, what kind of material you want, their exact sizes, and other useful features like hooks and more.

Pantry Door Storage Ideas – Must-Haves

Whether you opt for the ready-made, over-the-door pantry storage solution or a custom-built system, there are a few must-haves types of storage that you should consider. When you are designing pantry door storage, it is a good idea to have shelves and containers in a variety of shapes and sizes. These should be made for different purposes, and you have many options, such as:

• Tall storage caddies are great for storing frequently used items such as aluminium foil and plastic wrap rolls. You will need enough space above this type of pantry door storage to allow you to remove and place the rolls. Be sure you account for all ranges of motion while designing your pantry door storage.

• Towel holders are great for keeping either dish towels or roller towels. You never know when you are going to need to clean up a pantry spill!

• Lid holders are a great place to keep saucepan and pot lids. Tucked out of the way on the pantry door, your lids will not take up too much space in your pot storage cabinet. This will allow you to stack pots and pans to free up even more space.

• Small garbage for quickly disposing of wrappers and other items is essential.

• A recycling container is also a must-have, so you can sort your recyclables as you take them out of the pantry.

• A grocery bag storage container or dispenser is a lifesaver! Your pantry is a great place to store either reusable bags or bulky plastic bags that can quickly pile up without a designated location.

• Cutting board storage is essential. If you do not have anywhere else to keep your cutting boards, why not put them in a special caddy on your pantry door? They will always be easy to find and access!

• A strip of hooks is a versatile must-have. These can be used to store anything from aprons to pantry-specific tools.

Pantry Door Storage Design Tips

While you are designing your pantry door storage, whether you use these ideas or something else entirely, there are a few things you need to bear in mind.

First, you will need to know how deep your storage can be. If you have a walk-in pantry, this will not be as much of a problem, since the door will close regardless. However, if your pantry is a shallow closet style, you will need to make sure that there is no conflict between the shelves on the door and in the pantry itself.

You should also have a couple of inches of free space around the edge of the door, to make sure there are no conflicts when opening and closing the door.

Next, make sure you check that the hinges on the door can handle the weight of the shelves and their contents. If you have an ordinary hollow-core pantry door with standard hinges, your pantry storage will not be able to take too much weight. If you need to store heavier items, you might want to replace the door or the hinges.

If you do replace your pantry door with something that can handle more weight, make sure it matches the rest of your kitchen. If not, consider refacing or painting the door when upgrading your pantry.

Add Function and Value

If there is one thing we all struggle with, it is kitchen space. No matter what size your kitchen is, chances are you do not have enough room for everything. Using things like pantry door storage ideas to create a little more room really adds to the functionality of your kitchen and the value of your home.

So, while you are planning your storage solution, remember that it will not only make your life easier. It will also increase the value of your home.