Shelving vs a pantry "system" addresses accessing the contents in your pantry. However, the storage containers used to hold your food may or may not maximise the best usage of the space in your pantry. This last aspect deserves careful consideration if you are designing a pantry space. I moved house a few months ago and am still tweaking my pantry, which consists of shelves (deeper on the bottom half and narrower at the top half). One of the best investments I've made over the years are Tupperware Modular Mates storage containers. The containers can be labelled, contents seen and are stackable. I can stack them to maximise the full height of shelves and sometimes have stacks in front of other stacks for items used less often. I also have many open plastic containers for food packets, bottled items, very large spice containers, etc. These containers prevent packages, which don't stack easily, from falling everywhere and can be easily pulled out to access the item of interest. I bought some tall containers at Howard's Storage World and some large Sistema containers at Target and Woolworths (during their 1/2 price sales). Sistema containers are stackable, too. Smaller spice containers (stackable Tupperware Modular Mates again) have been placed on a round wooden carousel in one corner of the pantry.

Hi, What kind of benchtop do you have where you'd like to change the cupboards to drawers? In my experience, this can complicate things (depending on how it is fixed). You may be able to simply remove it and slide in a new unit of the same width.

I enjoy the challenge of using space efficiently and owning what I need, not what I want. I've been clearing the excess items from my kitchen for a few years now and enjoying a more spacious feel without actually increasing the size. For the laundry I like the washer and dryer (Australian size) built-in under a long bench top so it looks neat and uncluttered. The bench provides plenty of area to fold washing and do other jobs. I love a large, deep tub for cleaning oven racks in and other big or awkward tasks. Plus a wall of storage cupboards and drawers. So a practical, well designed kitchen is a must but so is a laundry. For me they don't have to be big, just well thought out. I can't choose.

We [found[(https://www.houzz.com.au/magazine/2018-au-houzz-kitchen-trends-study-stsrsivw-vs~103140174) reducing clutter is one of the top motivators for upgrading your cabinets during a kitchen reno. Have you done any of these clutter reducing upgrades? I’ll be diving into kitchen trends & renovation insights on stage this Friday at the HIA Sydney Home Show at Darling Harbour! Free entry -register here!