Maximize Small Pantry Space With This Paper Towel Storage Hack
Keeping a pantry neat is easier said than done. Even with the help of deep shelves or tricks to organize canned goods, it often ends up overstuffed and impossible to navigate. And sometimes, it's not even the food that takes up the most space — it's bulky household items like paper towels. Luckily, there's one hack that keeps paper towels out of the way and makes room for the meat-and-potatoes of your pantry, so to speak.
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All you'll need for this trick is two tension rods to create a vertical storage nook. Simply twist the rods to expand and secure them along the ceiling and top shelf of your pantry, about six inches apart and roughly the width of a paper towel away from the wall. Then, stack the rolls on top of each other until you reach the ceiling, turning otherwise wasted space into a tidy tower of paper towels. Not only does this free up your main shelves for the actual food, it also makes everything easier to find. And if you're worried about dust collecting, just use individually wrapped rolls and unwrap as needed.
Other ways to use hidden and vertical pantry space
The key to pantry organization is working smarter, not harder. The same way tension rods let you stash paper towels up high, you can use that forgotten airspace near the ceiling, walls, or even beneath shelves to your advantage. Shelf risers, for example, double the surface area on any shelf, so shorter items like canned goods or spice jars don't get lost in a tall stack. You can also install undershelf baskets that hook right onto existing shelves, creating an extra layer for snacks, bags of pasta, or anything that would otherwise pile up. If you want to push the tension rod hack further, use one as a divider to stand baking sheets, cutting boards, or trays instead of stacking them flat.
You can also take storage beyond the shelves themselves. Install floating shelves on the walls for small, light items like spices, or use the back of the pantry door for over-the-door racks or hooks for condiments or rolls of foil and plastic wrap. Lazy Susans are another way to say goodbye to kitchen clutter, especially for oil and vinegar bottles or spice jars.