7 Ways to Transform a Hall Closet Into Pantry

Being creative in your home to maximize your space is the easiest and most cost-effective way to organize your home. I found this true when organizing my home before our kitchen remodel. To help you get inspired, I will share how we transformed half of our hall closet into a pantry. Here we go.

First, let me explain the layout of my home. My foyer and kitchen are next, and we have a large closet in the hall (5 feet by 4 feet). The entry to my kitchen is just to the left of the closet. So, since I needed a pantry and didn't want to walk from the basement all the time, I decided to transform the hall closet into a pantry.

A while ago, I installed shelving for gloves and other things, so instead of removing them, I decided to use them in my pantry and add bins to the wall next to them. The shelving wall unit goes from the bottom to above the top of the closet door, which gives me a boatload of space to store various narrow items.

Jump to:

• 7 essential things to transform a foyer closet into a pantry
• Tip 1: Use mason jars to unify the look of the pantry. 
• Tip 2: Use large bins for snacks and other things you buy in bulk.
• Tip 3: Have your emergency bin at the bottom of the pantry. 
• Tip 4: Store extra herbs, spices, and cans on their sides in a shallow drawer to quickly view and grab when needed. 
• Tip 5: Add an area for your most used cleaning items. 
• Tip 6: Keep baking goods in one place. 
• Tip 7: Make sure to label all the bins. 
• The Transformation

7 essential things to transform a foyer closet into a pantry

Tip 1: Use mason jars to unify the look of the pantry. 

Since the side wall shelving was narrow, I purchased mason jars (in bulk) to hold various items like dried beans, quinoa, nuts, and dried fruit. With large mason jar labels, it was straightforward to read quickly. Read more about how I labeled mason jars.

Tip 2: Use large bins for snacks and other things you buy in bulk.

We have snacks we buy in bulk, like nachos and pretzels. So, I purchased a large sealable bin to hold these items. We also buy rice in bulk, so we store that on top as well.

Tip 3: Have your emergency bin at the bottom of the pantry. 

If you have an emergency preparedness bin that holds food items you would need on the go, store it on the floor so you can easily access it quickly.  Visit our emergency food bin DIY project to help you set up yours! Store your 5-quart water bottles next to it to grab them too quickly.

Use the top of the emergency bin for storage. Make sure the bins are sturdy. If you feel that they are not, add a piece of wood that overlaps all edges of the tote to give a sturdy surface to hold excess items. And, if you want to transform your entire closet, you can add a few of these totes.

Tip 4: Store extra herbs, spices, and cans on their sides in a shallow drawer to quickly view and grab when needed. 

A shallow drawer was one of my favorite things in my pantry. I could easily view the herbs and spices by laying the closed herbs and spices on their side. I also found that if my drawer could handle it, I could lay the cans on the side too. Visit our other post on managing spices and herbs in two different areas.

Tip 5: Add an area for your most used cleaning items. 

Since the closet is also centrally located, I also stored cleaning supplies on the bottom few shelves on the wall unit. It helped keep everything in one place and allow for quick cleanup when needed.

Tip 6: Keep baking goods in one place. 

Keeping the baking supplies together gave me a glance at what I needed when I was urged to bake something. Sealed containers work nicely to store your bulk supplies for baking. Below are some I found on Amazon (affiliate).

Tip 7: Make sure to label all the bins. 

Using these different size containers may be confusing if you don't label them. I found that various sizes worked.  I also didn't care that they were all the same. They just needed to stick and stay on all the different types of bins.

The Transformation

Remember, we are trying to minimize the cost to do this makeshift pantry, so be creative and search around your home to find the right item before buying anything. And here is the result.

With minimal cost, while maximizing the space, the closet can now hold more food and supplies than ever! We were so happy with this pantry and used it for many years until recently, when we remodeled the kitchen. I hope this inspires you to transform a space in your home into a pantry that works for you.

Now it's your turn. Did you transform the hall closet into a pantry? How did you do it? Please leave a comment below.

Here is additional expert advice on transforming a coat closet into a pantry. Feel free to check them as well.

HOW I TRANSFORMED A COAT CLOSET INTO A PANTRY

How to Transform a Closet into a Pantry

8 Ways to Create a Pantry in even the smallest kitchen

Please note the link above are affiliate links through Amazon, and at no additional cost to you, I will receive affiliate fees if you click through and decide to make a purchase.