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Freestanding pantry ideas: 8 ways to add food storage in a rental kitchen

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A freestanding pantry adds food storage without changing the kitchen: a tall cabinet, a slim rolling unit in the gap by the fridge, a bookcase with baskets or an over-door rack. Tall units must be anchored to the wall, because full shelves make them top-heavy. Keep food away from the oven, the fridge's warm back and direct sun.

  1. A tall white cupboard with both doors open and six storage levels (five shelves above the base) holding glass jars of pasta, grains and lentils, tins, woven baskets, a wire basket and stoneware crocks, with two straps at the top fixing it to the wall; a sage trolley on the right.

    A tall pantry cupboard with two doors

    Six storage levels behind two doors.

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    Why it works

    A tall cupboard with shelves behind two doors holds most of a small household's dry goods. The one in the picture has five shelves above its base, so six levels for jars, tins and baskets.

    Materials and furniture

    • Tall cabinet with adjustable shelves
    • Anchoring kit

    Check first

    • Anchor it to the wall. The straps in the picture are illustrations, not a tested fixing; use the maker's anchoring kit and wall plugs that suit your wall.
    • Heavy items low.
    • Not beside the oven.
  2. A slim white rolling pantry with four levels and front rails, pulled out from the gap beside a white fridge, holding jars of grains and pasta, tins and bottles of oil, on four visible castors; sage kitchen cupboards behind.

    A slim rolling pantry beside the fridge

    The gap by the fridge is a pantry.

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    Why it works

    A slim pull-out pantry on castors fits the narrow gap beside the fridge and rolls out to show its four levels. Whether its castors lock, the picture does not show.

    Materials and furniture

    • Slim rolling pantry unit

    Check first

    • Measure the gap, including room to pull it out.
    • Leave the fridge's ventilation clear, as its maker specifies.
    • Heavy items on the lower levels.
  3. A sage hutch with two glass doors above and two solid doors below, all closed; behind the glass, three storage levels (two shelves and the base) with bowls and plates, jars of grains and pasta, tins and small baskets, and two small tabs at the top against the wall.

    A hutch with glass doors

    Pantry and display in one, three levels behind glass.

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    Why it works

    A hutch with glass doors above and closed cupboards below shows jars and dishes on top and hides the rest. Behind the glass in the picture are two shelves above the base: three levels.

    Materials and furniture

    • Hutch or dresser
    • Anchoring kit

    Check first

    • Anchor the hutch. The straps in the picture are illustrations, not a tested fixing; use the maker's anchoring kit and wall plugs that suit your wall.
    • Keep glass doors closed to keep dust out.
    • Heavy items in the base.
  4. A white bookcase with four compartments, each holding two woven baskets with handle holes, eight baskets in all, two glass jars on top and two metal brackets at the back of the top compartment.

    A bookcase with baskets

    Baskets turn a bookcase into a pantry.

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    Why it works

    A simple bookcase with matching baskets in each compartment becomes a pantry where every basket has its own category. The baskets hide their contents, so label them.

    Materials and furniture

    • Bookcase
    • Matching baskets
    • Anchoring kit

    Check first

    • Anchor the bookcase. The straps in the picture are illustrations, not a tested fixing; use the maker's anchoring kit and wall plugs that suit your wall.
    • Baskets with handles for pulling out.
    • Label the baskets.
  5. A four-level chrome wire shelving unit in a corner, clear containers of pasta, rice and snacks, woven baskets and paper bags on the top three levels, and a cream stand mixer without its bowl on the bottom, its cable lying on the shelf; two brackets above the unit on the wall.

    Wire shelving with bins

    Adjustable levels, containers you can see into.

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    Why it works

    Freestanding wire shelving with clear containers holds bulk food, snacks and an appliance and can be adjusted as needs change.

    Materials and furniture

    • Wire shelving unit
    • Clear containers or bins
    • Anchoring kit

    Check first

    • Anchor tall units. The straps in the picture are illustrations, not a tested fixing; use the maker's anchoring kit and wall plugs that suit your wall.
    • Respect the maker's per-shelf load.
    • Bins keep small things from falling through; keep appliance cables off the floor.
  6. A wooden armoire with both doors open and four storage levels (three shelves above the base) holding unlabelled glass jars of rice, lentils and pasta, metal tins and stacks of folded cloths; two vertical metal tabs on the wall above it.

    An armoire pantry

    Four levels of jars behind doors that close.

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    Why it works

    An armoire fitted with shelves becomes a large pantry with doors that close on everything. The one in the picture has three shelves above its base.

    Materials and furniture

    • Armoire
    • Shelves
    • Anchoring kit

    Check first

    • Anchor it; armoires are top-heavy. The straps in the picture are illustrations, not a tested fixing; use the maker's anchoring kit and wall plugs that suit your wall.
    • Check the shelves for the load.
    • Air it if it smells musty.
  7. Four wire baskets on two straps over a partly open white door, holding spice jars, tins and paper packets, in front of a walk-in pantry with shelves of jars and baskets; a tall cupboard on the left.

    An over-door pantry rack

    Spices and tins on the back of a door.

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    Why it works

    A rack that hangs over a door holds spices, tins and small packets, using space that is otherwise empty. The door in the picture stands partly open; check yours still closes with the straps over it.

    Materials and furniture

    • Over-door rack

    Check first

    • The door must still close; the picture does not show it closed.
    • Do not overload the baskets or the door hinges.
    • Not on a fire door.
  8. An open wooden storage bench with its lid held up by two stays, two baskets inside holding potatoes and onions, a tall sage shelf of jars and tins behind it, and a table with a mug and a chair by the window, a radiator under the table.

    A bench pantry in the dining nook

    Sit on the bench, store under it.

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    Why it works

    A storage bench in a dining nook holds bulky items such as potatoes or onions in the dark space under the seat. How well produce keeps there depends on the room; a picture cannot show it.

    Materials and furniture

    • Storage bench with lid or drawers

    Check first

    • Lid with stays, as in the picture; lids pinch.
    • Keep fresh produce aired and check it often.
    • Away from radiators and direct sun.

Storage that moves with you

In a rental you usually cannot add cabinets, but you can add furniture. A freestanding pantry, from a tall cabinet to a slim rolling unit, adds food storage and goes with you when you move.

Anchor tall units

A tall pantry full of jars and tins is heavy at the top. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission advises anchoring furniture with drawers, doors and shelves to the wall to prevent tip-over injuries and deaths [1]. An anchoring kit needs only a couple of small holes; ask your landlord if your lease requires it.

Where food keeps

Keep dry goods away from the oven, the warm back of the fridge and direct sun. Closed containers help keep pests and moisture out; label them with the date you opened them.

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Sources

  1. Anchor It! , US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). checked

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Das Hauskonzept editorial team

Editorial team

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