Pantry shelf spacing and depth are important to a satisfying pantry. It can be complicated to plan for and get pantry shelf spacing right.  

One of the most important questions when planning a new pantry is the shelf spacing.  You need to plan for how deep each pantry shelf should be and how far apart each shelf should be from the next shelf. The very last thing you want, one of the most aggravating pantry frustrations imaginable, would be to design a pantry and then have a problem fitting your food in it. Cereal boxes that won’t fit on a shelf, potatoes that don’t fit into the right-sized bin result in wasted pantry shelf space that could be utilized to more efficiently store your pantry foods, tableware, and linens. Pantry shelves that are too deep and too far apart waste space.  Deep shelves lend themselves to clutter towards the back.  Pantry shelves that are too narrow and too close also waste space because you can’t fit what you need to store.

There are three methods for pantry shelf spacing.These three methods to planning pantry shelf spacing will help you in spacing pantry shelves for the most useful, efficient, and tidy pantry possible. Feel free to use a combination of methods to arrive at your perfect pantry.

So how deep should pantry shelves be built? How far apart should pantry shelves be?

For standard pantry shelf depth and height you need Method One: “Standard” pantry shelf spacing.

For a custom pantry, check out Methods Two and Three, because the answers to questions about spacing pantry shelves for those methods depends on what is in your pantry.

METHOD ONE: Time-tested “standard” pantry shelf spacing

Shelf depth: Shallower depths (ideally 6-8”) are recommended for canned and dry goods, usually at eye level or higher. This allows for one or two rows of items, within easy reach, and no hidden or forgotten items.

A good depth for deeper fixed shelves is 14 inches. This size will hold plates, platters, pots and pans, multiple rows of canned goods or preservers, and bins of produce such as potatoes. Pull-out bins or trays will make things more accessible at that depth for smaller items.

Fixed pantry shelves should have a maximum depth of 16″ for storing larger items.

Many pantries have graduated shelves with a deeper shelf or counter at waist height, and medium or shallow depth shelves above.

Shelf height: If your waist height shelf doubles as a counter space, you should plan for 18″ between it and the next shelf up. 18″ allows for a KitchenAid mixer or coffee maker no longer cluttering your kitchen counter (plug it in right in the pantry ideally).

Plan on 16″-18″ from floor to bottom of first shelf to provide bulk storage of things like potatoes and dog food in bins. Small appliances (stand mixer or coffee maker), rack of cutting boards, cookie sheets, baking pans, and muffin tins fall into this category. Remember, lightweight things like paper towels can go up high. Heavy things like dog food and mixing bowls (or awkward things like bake-ware) go on lower shelves or cabinets.

Figure 12″-14″ for general storage like cereals, flour and sugar, and paper towels, and linens. Olive oil and marinade bottles, salad dressing, and bulk condiments like ketchup fall into this category. Some marinade bottles are 8.5 and large ketchup bottles are 9.”

Plan on 6″-8″ for smaller bottles and standard cans. Spaghetti sauce jars are typically 6.5.”

Organizing pantry shelves for best use

It’s important to consider how you will organize your pantry. What items will you group together?  What foods do you use most often? Check out our organized pantry rules.  Then look at what you currently have at home. What works, and what would you like more or less of? Once you have an idea of what you are storing, you can more efficiently plan your new pantry shelf spacing, including shelf depth and shelf height.

For more on these traditional measurements for pantry shelf depth and height, see the section titled “For further reading” at the end of this page where we list sources and quote in more detail.  Or, continue reading for Methods Two and Three, below.

METHOD TWO: Containerize your food to desired depth and height for a custom pantry

You might want to measure the foods you plan to store but we prefer to turn that impulse completely around. Our favorite method of pantry shelf spacing is to plan shelf spacing based on containers that YOU select to store foods, instead of planning pantry shelf spacing based on commercially packaged food.

The depth and spacing of your shelves matters a lot less when you have your own containers.

Differing package sizes matter a lot less if you have your own containers. Plus, air-tight containers will actually keep food a lot fresher a lot longer than cardboard and wax paper, or loosely clipped bags.  There’s a bit of work and expense, in that you have to select containers to hold your pantry supplies, such as cereal, crackers, grains, pasta, and flour, coffee, and bins to keep smaller items together.  You have to write down container measurements and plan on shelf spacing based on the containers you select. However, places like the Container Store are good about specifying the exact dimensions of their food storage and pantry containers.

Obviously, you are going to still plan for shelf spacing of some commercially packaged foods and pantry items. Canned items and things like extra bottles of ketchup, or large bottles of olive oil, and supplies like Aunt Mae’s lobster platter aren’t going into new containers.

This method takes care of cereal boxes and pasta, grains, sugar, spices (group smaller “like with like” items like spices in bins or boxes you select). We actually suggest lining up spices in a shallow box, bin, or drawer to group them together and protect them from light.

METHOD THREE: Measure what you buy and own to determine shelf spacing for a custom pantry

The last method requires a lot of measuring of the height and depth of the foods you typically buy.  This method assumes you are going to store foods in the packages they come in and then space your shelves accordingly. If you have a lot of special glassware, or bake-ware, or a collection of vases or small appliances then measure these to be sure you’re planning adequately for storage.  Entertain and have large parties often?  Consider storing special glassware on trays so that you can carry multiple glasses at one time.

Do keep in mind your needs and commercially available standard packaging may change.  Sugar was recently in 5 lb. packages and shrunk to 4 lb standard packaging. Your grocery and pantry needs may change as you age or as family changes.  For example, family-size cereal boxes after you have more children? A product you don’t buy now but do need as you age? Allow for some flexibility in measuring what you buy. The only thing that’s constant is that things change!

Some food package, cookware, and tableware measurements:

• KitchenAid stand mixer is 17″ tall. Keurig coffee maker is 14″ tall.
• Most standard cereal boxes are 11 1/4 high.  Allow for 12″ family size can be up to 14″ tall.
• Oil bottles, vinegars, salad dressing, varies but less than 14″
• A half-sheet pan is usually 12×16.” If you have a commercial range then check your sheet pan dimensions because a full-size sheet pan typically won’t fit in a standard home range.
• Dinner Plates 10″
• 10 lb King Arthur Flour 11.5″ (these also come in 5 lb).
• Cheezit crackers 8.5″
• Kirkland Sea Salt is 8″
• 4lb Domino sugar 7″
• Highball glass 6 1/4″
• Cans – between 4.5″(peas) and 5.5 inches” (big baked beans) high.
• Spices range from 2″tiny squatty jars to 5 1/4 taller jars.  Morton’s Salt is 5.5″

Three more helpful hints for pantry shelf spacing:

Graduated shelf depths.  Many pantries have graduated shelf depths. Narrower shelves at eye-level.  A deeper shelf at waist level (doubles as counter space). Medium width shelves above eye level and below waist level.

Make sure you can reach the bottom of whatever is on the top shelf. Don’t rely on standard top shelf heights if you are taller or shorter than average! You may have to use a step-stool or give up space.  

Remember the rules of pantry organization for the best way to organize a pantry. Store like with like. Store heavier items lower and lighter items higher. Check them all out here.

Some further reading on spacing of pantry shelves, depth of pantry shelves, and how far apart pantry shelves should be

Finally, we found some quotes and excerpts for further reading about spacing pantry shelves. We hope these give you some more to consider as you plan your pantry. These are mainly from very long ago.  It’s fascinating to see different opinions and we really like reading different perspectives on pantry details. If you have pantry questions we haven’t answered, please let us know!  

Are narrow shelves are neater?

“The arrangement of shelving is perhaps the most important feature in the planning of storage space. For the best results, design shelves only wide enough to hold comfortably one row of supplies. An arrangement of narrow shelves spaced close together will prove to be more capacious, accessible, and easy to clean than wide shelves spaced far apart.

From every standpoint, deep shelves are a great mistake, because one must then arrange for two or three rows of materials in order to use the space. Unused odds and ends are allowed to accumulate at the back of the shelf, while the front row only is easy to see and reach; hence only about half of the shelf width is really effective. In other words, if the shelf were sawed lengthwise in two. and one piece placed above the other, the arrangement would be both more sensible and more encouraging to neat habits.”

“If one but takes the trouble to measure, it will be found that very few utensils, dishes, or supply packages are more than ten inches across, and that many articles require only six, seven, or eight inches of shelf space. A cupboard with doors for pans, china, or supplies is therefore ample if made from 10 to 15 inches deep; a series of open shelves, if made from 8 to 10 inches deep. Shelves as narrow as 6 inches are good for single rows of dry supplies.” From the 30th Annual Report of the New York State College of Agriculture at Cornell University and the Agricultural Experiment Station: Volume 2, 1917.

Determining distance between shelves for best pantry shelf spacing

From 7 to 10 inches between shelves is a safe average distance for spacing; but in order to make the most out of a given space, it is best to think out carefully the materials that are to be stored, and to space the shelves accordingly.” From the 30th Annual Report of the New York State College of Agriculture at Cornell University and the Agricultural Experiment Station: Volume 2, 1917.

Use narrow shelves:

“Narrow shelves sometimes economize space better than wide ones, for all the articles on them can be easily reached, whereas on the wide ones either part of the shelf room is wasted or the things in front must be moved to get at those behind. A shelf not more than 4 inches wide will conveniently hold spices, flavoring extracts, baking powder, and materials of this kind.”

Use shallow boxes or trays on deeper shelves:

Fitting deep shelves with shallow boxes or “trays” (light wooden boxes with sides about four inches high and with a knob or handle on the front end so they can be conveniently moved) is often worthwhile. These shallow boxes can be filled with bottles, cans, and other small articles neatly arranged. To take out the tray, select the article one wishes, and replace the tray is much more convenient than moving a large number of things about on the shelf until one finds something which may be at the back of it, and leaves the articles in much better order. Such a device as this (and it can be made at home) has been tested and proved its usefulness.” From  The Farm Kitchen by Anna Barrows in the USDA Farmer’s Bulletin, 1914.

Narrow and compact shelves for efficiency in pantry shelf spacing

“The arrangement of shelving is perhaps the most important feature in the planning of storage space. For the best results, shelves should be designed only wide enough to hold comfortably one row of supplies. An arrangement of narrow shelves spaced close together will be more capacious, accessible, and easy to clean.

From every standpoint, deep shelves are a great mistake, because one must then arrange for two or three rows of materials in order to use the space. It will be found that the area of comfortable reach is between one and six feet from the floor. For the sake of efficiency, this space should be as compactly shelved as is feasible.” From A Manual of Homemaking by Martha Van Rensselaer, Flora Rose, Helen Canon, Macmillan, 1919. 

Have pantry questions? Leave a comment below.