Budget-Friendly Ways To Organize Your Kitchen If You Don't Have A Pantry

Kitchens see a lot of action, and it is so much easier to prep and cook food when the ingredients you need are organized and easily accessible. While keeping a pantry organized is one challenge that many face, others are left with the even more daunting reality of having no pantry in the first place. With this added challenge, finding space to store all of your canned and dry goods, while still ensuring your pots, pans, plates, bowls, and cups have room in your cabinets can seem near impossible.

Fortunately, there are solutions to help you get your kitchen organized — and many of them are much more affordable than you might think. Ahead, we'll examine a few of the possible options you can consider to help you make your cabinets work harder (and stay neater), maximize the space that you do have, make the most of drawers, and even explore some new storage solutions that you didn't even realize were a possibility.

When you don't have a separate pantry, every inch of cabinet real estate is all the more precious to ensure you have enough space to store not only your dishware and glasses, but also your food. You can free up some of that area by moving things like bottles of seasonings, boxes of tea bags, jars of honey, etc., out of the cabinet. These smaller items can take up a surprising amount of space and quickly get cluttered and disorganized. 

Instead of letting them crowd your uppers, store these kinds of food supplies on the side of the fridge with the help of a magnetic rack, such as this one from HuggieGems. Not only will these items be out of the cabinets, freeing up space for everything else that needs a home, but they'll be easy to see so you can quickly grab precisely what you need for each recipe. Alternatively, if you don't want to see the contents, and prefer closed storage solutions, you can look into installing a spice cabinet with doors (like the Excello Global Products Barndoor Spice Cabinet).

Your microwave needs a spot in your kitchen, so you might as well maximize the space it requires. Instead of placing the microwave on the corner of your counter or on a small table, consider a microwave cart that delivers some additional storage space, like the Hodedah Microwave Cart. For just over $85, you'll not only have space for the microwave itself, but you can stash pantry items in the lower cabinets or within the drawer.

Need even more storage space? Consider adding a few storage bins to the top panel covering the microwave. You can keep the pantry items you cook with most frequently here because they'll be so easily accessible. For extra convenience, consider grouping items that you commonly use together into each bin. For instance, if you do a lot of baking, storing all your baking supplies in one bin means you can easily grab the whole thing, and carry it over to the counter in one trip. 

If your kitchen doesn't have a pantry, you need to get creative and think outside of the box — or outside of the cabinets, as the case may be. You can make the most of your counter space and use it to store some pantry items and other essentials using shelf risers, like the Urhomey Expandable Cabinet Shelf Organizer. Using a riser allows you to go double story on countertop storage, and it's also a great way to corral items for a less cluttered feel. 

The narrow frame shouldn't cut into the usable space on your counters that you'll need for prepping meals, but with the integrated shelf, you'll have a surprising amount of storage space. Place shorter items, such as frequently used seasonings, snack boxes, or Ziploc bags, on the countertop beneath the shelf, and save the shelf surface for taller olive oil bottles, cereal boxes, etc. You can also use risers to create a designated tea and coffee station, instead of storing all your hot beverage makings inside your cabinets. 

Every kitchen has its flaws. But one that is common across many is those little pockets of wasted space. Whether it's a few inches between the end of the cabinets and the edge of the fridge — or a little extra space at the end of one section of countertop where the designer could have easily extended the storage by half a foot. All of those inches here and there can really add up, depriving you of space that could be used to fill in for the missing pantry in your kitchen.

Well, there actually is a creative storage solution that will help you fill these awkward gaps in the kitchen. Consider a slim rolling cart, like this one from Vasagle. With a width of just over 5 inches, you can squeeze it into the tight spaces in your kitchen, gaining lots of useful storage for bottles, canisters, snack boxes, and more.

Finding ways to maximize the vertical space in your kitchen can pay dividends when it comes to storing food boxes, cans, jars of dried goods, and other items that would typically go in a pantry. If you have any open walls, take advantage of all that precious space by installing a few floating shelves. You can hire a contractor for this task, but with a few basic tools, you could probably take on the DIY project yourself.

Many products, such as the Bestier Pipe Shelf, come with the accessories and directions that you'll need to assemble and mount them yourself. To really transform your space with open shelves, consider mounting a few sets of shelves next to or above one another. This can create a focal point that totally ups your food storage game. And if you don't like visual clutter, and want to create a streamlined look, you can always use narrow baskets (like these StorageWorks Wicker Baskets, placed sideways) to contain less decorative items like packets of crisps, sachets of pasta sauce, etc. Finally, if you're not afraid to make a few basic wood cuts and want to save some dollars, you can also consider these DIY shelving ideas that'll give your kitchen the extra storage space it needs.

You might not know it yet, but lazy Susans are a kitchen's best friend. This is especially true when you don't have a pantry and need a solution to store bottles of oil, sauces, dressings, and other similar items. With a lazy Susan, particularly one with integrated bins like the iDesign Lazy Susan, you never have to scratch for bottles at the back of cabinets ever again. Simply place the rotating turntable towards the front of one of your cabinets. Instead of constantly reaching around bottles in the front or knocking them over, simply turn it to easily access the one you want.

Using a lazy Susan is also one of those simple tricks that experts swear by to keep countertops clutter-free. You can store your most-used seasonings, oil bottles, and other essentials on your countertop without them taking over the space or making it look messy. Just like in a cabinet, having condiments and seasonings on a rotating turntable means effortless access to all the items, and less chance of bumping over bottles. And if you really want to double up on storage for sauces, oils, spices, etc., you can plump for a tiered turntable like the LAMU 2 Tier Lazy Susan.

Many people try to cram everything that they would store in a pantry into one or two of their kitchen cabinets. And, while the kitchen cabinets can house some of your supplies, you'd be remiss if you didn't take advantage of the space provided by the drawers in your kitchen as well. However, there's one pitfall when it comes to storing food (or just about anything) in drawers: They can quickly get cluttered and disorganized. By installing things like drawer dividers, organizers, and spice risers, you can maximize drawer space for pantry supplies and keep things neatly organized. 

If you have a lot of spices and seasonings, they can easily eat up more space than you have to give in a kitchen cabinet. But, with the right drawer organizers, such as the Suneerplay Spice Drawer Organizer, you can move these seasonings out of the cabinet. They'll still be easy to access — probably even more so than when they were crammed into a cabinet — thanks to the tiered design of the organizer that allows you to see everything with one quick glance. Drawer dividers (such as these adjustable Bamboo Drawer Organizers) are ideal if you want to store cans in kitchen cabinet drawers and need to prevent them from rolling around. Alternatively, you can DIY your own drawer dividers to keep food items organized. 

The lower cabinets in a kitchen can hold a lot of the dry goods that one would typically store in a pantry. The only problem is that it can be so difficult to see what you have and keep it organized. Well, adding a sliding shelf — like the Seinloes Expandable Pull-Out Cabinet Organizers — can make that a problem of the past.

Once installed, you'll be able to simply pull out the organizer to find the ingredients you need for a recipe or take stock of your inventory when preparing a shopping list. No more emptying the cabinets to get at that box or bag all the way in the back. Many pull-out shelf solutions come with adhesive attachment strips on the bottom, meaning no drilling or complicated installation process is required. However, if you are up for a project, you can also save some money and learn how to DIY pull-out shelves for your cabinets. 

When you don't have a large pantry where you can store all of your dry goods, you must be resourceful. Otherwise, the little bit of storage space in your kitchen is going to quickly become overrun, cluttered, and impossible to navigate. To avoid this problem, organization is key. To start, group similar items together (such as snacks, pasta, cookies, etc.) and place them in bins. To help yourself find what you're looking for — and to stick with the system that you create — add labels to each bin identifying what it holds. Consider a set like the Vitever Wire Storage Baskets, which feature integrated labels. Alternatively, you can repurpose any bins you already have at home and make your own chic labels without a label maker by using paper printouts and packing tape.

If you have tall compartments with lots of empty, wasted space at the top, you could also consider baskets or bins that slide out. The Simple Houseware 2 Tier Cabinet Wire Basket Drawers allow for stacked storage and have thousands of 5-star reviews on Amazon. Stackable clear drawer bins (like the Zero Zoo Kitchen Storage Drawers) are another practical pick that will allow you to take advantage of vertical space within your cabinets. 

While you can — and probably must — use your cabinets to store cans, seasonings, and other dried goods that would typically go in a pantry, it's often difficult to find the specific item you want. Cabinets are higher up than many shelves in a pantry. It can be near impossible to know what's behind the front row of boxes or cans.

That is, unless you add a tiered shelf to elevate the back rows of items which makes them easier to see. Riser shelves like the Copco 3-Tier Organizer feature a stepped design. The items in the back will be higher than those in the front, allowing you to quickly put your hands on what you need without pulling everything out from the cabinet. This particular riser only costs $7.99, so we'd recommend grabbing more than one to really maximize the utility of the shelves in your upper cabinets. 

People who have pantries typically store the majority of their canned goods in them. For those without a pantry, finding a way to store cans — without consuming the little bit of cabinet space that is available — can be a real challenge. Drawers can be a handy spot to stash cans, but maybe all your drawers are already taken for utensils?

Gravity can feeders — like the Deco Brothers Stackable Can Rack — offer an easy solution. Instead of stacking your cans in rows, where they take up tons of space and are difficult to keep organized, a gravity can feeder holds them on their side. When you pull one from the front of the organizer, the one behind it will slide down to the front. Consider grouping the same canned goods together. This way, when you pull one down for use, the next will slide right into place. You'll also easily be able to see when you're almost out of something so that you can add it to your shopping list.

In order to store all the food that your household needs without a pantry, it is likely that you'll have to keep at least a few things out on the countertops. However, these items don't have to be stored in a way that makes your kitchen look cluttered. To maximize storage space, while keeping smaller items hidden, consider a double-decker breadbox, such as this one from Lohasok store on Amazon.

With two separate compartments, you can use one to store bread, rolls, and baked goods, while reserving the other for any smaller items that you need to keep on the counters, such as seasonings, frequently accessed snacks, or fruit. The top compartment could also be an ideal place to stash spreads that can be kept at room temperature, such as peanut butter, honey, or Nutella. You'll also be able to keep a few additional items across the top of the breadbox to truly maximize the storage it creates.

Lost on where you could find any additional storage space in your pantry-free kitchen? Well, look up. If you have anywhere you can hang a tiered storage basket, like the Caxxa 3-Tier Basket Organizer, you may have just found the innovative solution you've been searching for. 

Simply drill the anchor hook into a beam, ceiling, or other fixture in your kitchen, then hang the tiered baskets from it. Fill them with lightweight items that you might otherwise keep in the pantry, such as boxes of tea, bags of chips or other snacks, bread, and more. If the weight restriction allows (of both the baskets and the attachment hardware you mounted them with), you can also use them to store fruit and produce that doesn't need refrigeration. Don't have the right place for a regular set of hanging baskets? Wall-mounted bins and baskets are another option to consider. For instance, the Honeydak Teardrop Baskets could be perfect for storing produce like onions and garlic within easy reach of your chopping station, and wire wall-mounted baskets could be a convenient place to put anything from ripening fruit to cereal. If you don't have any free wall space, check the back of nearby doors. With some luck, you might be able to mount something like the TeoKJ Over the Door Hanging Basket Organizer.