Why are you stocking some items?

[animalfarm]

Its easy to mouse proof a pantry.

Line the walls, floor (if wood), ceiling, and door with hardware cloth. If you do this before the shelves go in its easier and all that is needed to install it is a staple gun and a pair of tin snips. Plastic buckets are then safe to use as is, and it is cheaper then metal trash cans while allowing the space to be used more efficiently.

 

[ORChick]

Its easy to mouse proof a pantry.

Line the walls, floor (if wood), ceiling, and door with hardware cloth. If you do this before the shelves go in its neater and all that is needed to install it is a staple gun and a pair of tin snips. Plastic buckets are then safe to use as is, and it is cheaper then metal trash cans while allowing the space to be used more efficiently.

This is an excellent idea ... assuming one has a proper pantry room . Me, I've got shelves under the stairs, within the garage, but partitioned off a little from it. Not very handy, and I have to get down on hands and knees to get to the back shelves - I call it my exercise program . It would be impossible for me to even close this space off totally, much less line it with hardware cloth. So everything is contained - mostly in glass jars or tins (large cookie tins, and a few popcorn tins, of the type that show up around Christmas, and occasionally show up in thrift stores after Christmas ). I have some things in plastic totes, which is not ideal, but is working at present. And I have some plastic buckets. I also have a cat door entering the garage, and several cats. I haven't seen evidence of mice in that area since I gave the cats access, but still don't leave anything out in its original plastic packaging.

 

[Britesea]

Its easy to mouse proof a pantry.

Line the walls, floor (if wood), ceiling, and door with hardware cloth. If you do this before the shelves go in its easier and all that is needed to install it is a staple gun and a pair of tin snips. Plastic buckets are then safe to use as is, and it is cheaper then metal trash cans while allowing the space to be used more efficiently.

It occurs to me, if one were using only part of a larger space, that a simple cage of hardware cloth and wood might be very effective. or even just wrapping a set of utility shelves with hardware cloth, with one side that can be opened for access to what is inside?

My husband's family used a defunct Greenbriar van as mouseproof grain and feed storage for years.