5 Ideas to Maximize Your High Pantry Shelves That Make Such Sense for Better Organization

The top shelves of a person's pantry might just be one of the most neglected spaces in your home, purely because they are higher up. With the added height comes a lowered factor of convenience and an increased likelihood of you losing sight of what's actually stored up there, so the highest shelves of a pantry tend to either remain empty or be crammed full of soon-to-be-forgotten utensils or food that has no other home.

However, there is so much potential in top pantry shelving. When space is more often than not at a premium in the home, high up pantry shelves that aren't in use are wasting plenty of it!

I talked to professional organizers to discover the ways you could be making better use of high up pantry shelving, maximizing the space that's currently being overlooked. Your kitchen may have felt cramped before but with a new shelf or two on your side, I'm sure navigating the whole area will be less strenuous. Here's what the experts suggested.

1. Store a step stool or ladder near the space

Your high up pantry shelving won't be so difficult to access if you always have a little stool or step ladder to hand. There are plenty of collapsible ones on the market, perfect for stashing into your pantry space due to their slender size. This step ladder is bound to come in handy elsewhere in the home as well, so it's not limited to only helping out with your pantry organization ideas.

Heather Aiello, CEO and founder of The Organized You, says that "keeping a foldable step stool handy near your pantry will easily grant access to those higher shelves. You can tuck it away when it's not in use, too."

The Home Vida 2-Step Steel Portable Folding Heavy Duty Step Ladder from Amazon is non-slip, sleek and versatile. It'll make reaching those high-up shelves a breeze and won't add too much visual clutter to your space in the process.

Though, if you're seeking something to keep on show and blend in with the aesthetic of your kitchen, Wayfair's Marlborough Step Ladder in a natural medium wood might be just what you're looking for.

2. Use the space to store your non-essentials

Since the higher shelves in your pantry are typically harder to access, it makes sense to limit the amount of times you are going to have to access them. One of the easiest ways to do this is to designate the area for items you need infrequently, such as holiday tableware, surplus appliances and bulk items such as extra bags of rice or pasta. Just be careful not to translate this into storing clutter, as that will not make your pantry look good or make the space any easier to work with.

Heather says, "Storing non-essential items on your higher pantry shelving, such as seasonal appliances, serving platter, or backup supplies, frees up lower, more accessible spaces for your daily-use items."

Placing your items in clear plastic containers, such as the Sterlilite 20 Qt. Clear Gasket Storage Box with Latches and a Lid from Walmart is a great way to keep everything free from dust and to provide boundaries for your pantry space. For instance, once your container for spare bulk items is filled, you know not to purchase any more until space is made. This helps to reduce clutter from accumulating in your pantry as well as makes sure everything on your higher shelving is easy to find. 

You can even label your storage containers to make their contents crystal clear using labels such as Walmart's Talented Kitchen 8 Piece Metal Basket Clip On Labels.

3. Use high shelves to keep items away from children

If you're a whizz in the kitchen and have many items that could be dangerous or at risk of breaking, it might be a good idea to place them in a dedicated storage container (with a lid) on the top shelf of your walk-in pantry. This way, they are far out of reach and you don't have to worry about any potential accidents.

Mary Jo Contello, professional organizer and founder of Organized by MJ, says that "if you have items you don't want your kids to be reaching, high pantry shelves are a great place to put them."

Using a container with a lid, such as the Sterilite 66qt ClearView Latch Box from Target, is the best option for bringing a sense of security as your items will be safely tucked away even if they somehow managed to fall. It can also operate as a space-saving kitchen ideas, as appliances such as electric whisks, blenders and other items with blades can be tucked away when not in use on the countertop.

4. Use vertical shelf risers

A vertical shelf riser will give the items on your pantry shelving added height, allowing you to clearly see what is there. These are handy for helping how to layout a pantry's high shelves where it can be a struggle to see to the top.

Heather says, "Vertical shelf risers are great for adding extra layers to high shelves, maximizing vertical space and allowing for more organized stacking of goods."

This simple set of Acrylic Risers from Amazon has mini shelves designed to display and rise items on any part of your pantry space. Though, if you would prefer something a bit more sturdy, Amazon's 2 Pack of Kitchen Cabinet Shelves is a good option, It's non-slip, wider and stackable.

5. Use it as a more general storage spot

If you're not lacking in terms of pantry space but could benefit from using the added shelving for other goods, there's no rule book saying you can't put non-food or kitchen items on a high pantry shelf. In fact, if your shelving will otherwise be under-utilized, it's a great extra space to safely store and organize holiday decor and so much more that you don't need day-to-day.

"Holiday cookie jars, decorative items that are breakable and other seasonal goods could be stored on your high pantry shelving," says Mary. Just be sure to wrap breakables up well before placing them into labeled storage containers so you know where to safely find them.

Seeing your pantry organized from top to bottom is bound to make your kitchen feel more breathable overall. So even if some of these tips may take a little longer to incorporate into your space, the results will definitely be worth it.