7 Tips for Smart Pantry Organization

There’s a reason a pantry is hidden behind a door. When we try to cram a lot of food in a tiny amount of space, a disorganized mess is what we get. Try these pantry organization tips to maximize the space in your pantry.

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1. Baskets

You can find baskets everywhere these days, often at great discounts. Grab a couple and put them in your pantry to use as an easy pantry organization solution. Use them to corral small objects that can easily spill out, such as little potato bags for your kids’ lunches and instant oatmeal packets.

 

2. Stackable Bins

Put a couple of stackable bins on top of each other at the bottom of your pantry. You can use them to hold potatoes and onions (separately, since onions can cause potatoes to go bad fast), recyclable items, or pet food.

 

3. Small Wire Baskets

Look at the sides of your pantry and you might find a lot of wasted space. Ashley of Domestic Imperfection came up with the brilliant idea of screwing in pencil organizers to the side walls of her pantry. She then filled them up with spices and other small condiments. What a great pantry organization idea!

 

4. Tiered Shelves

Instead of rummaging through stacks of cans every time you need a can of coconut milk for your dinner, invest in a couple of tiered shelves to help you easily see all the cans you have at once. These shelves can be used for spices as well.

 

5. Lazy Susans

A lazy Susan, or a turntable, is a great way to efficiently use corner space in your pantry. Corner shelves can be awkward to fill with food containers, but a lazy Susan will allow you to use the whole corner. Here is a great example of this clever pantry organization solution.

 

6. Storage Containers

Food containers can be brightly colored and harsh on the eyes, making it harder for you to find what you’re looking for in your pantry. Try dumping out your dry food into clear storage containers that have an airtight seal. Add pretty labels to them, like this, and your pantry will look much more organized. As a bonus, your dry food will last a lot longer thanks to the airtight seal.

 

7. The Zoning Strategy

Last but not least, the zoning strategy will help you navigate your pantry. Divide your pantry items into “zones” according to your lifestyle. For example, you could assign a basket to hold all of your baking items, from muffin cups to chocolate chips, if you bake cookies a lot. Put all of your kid-approved snacks in a plastic bin to make it accessible for your children. Another basket could be filled with noodles, bottled pasta sauce, and Italian seasoning for your family’s Spaghetti Nights.

 

With a little work and a bit of time, you can turn your pantry into a pretty little spot in your kitchen rather than a messy eyesore that you dread rummaging through. For some more organizing ideas, check out Organizing Your Kitchen and Tips for Organizing Kids Closets.

Featured image courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens.