Organizing Your Pantry in 6 Easy Steps

Having a kitchen pantry is like having a secret weapon in your home. It helps keep your cabinets and countertops clear of clutter and too much “stuff.” However, we tend to overbuy and let these types of spaces get out of hand at times. Going to the pantry to grab a snack or find what you need for that special dish should not be a stressor, but rather easy and convenient. All it takes is a little cleaning and organization, and your snack and meal times will be orderly and stress-free. Check out the six ideas below to help get your pantry on the right track. (And if you don’t have a pantry, no worries! Many of these tips can apply to kitchen cabinets and shelving as well).

1. Clean everything out…yes, everything.

The first part of this task is to remove everything from your pantry. The space should be completely empty when you’re finished with this stage. This will allow you to deep clean the space. To do so, start from the top and work your way down. Check for cobwebs near the ceiling, check the light bulb, etc. Then work your way to the shelves, cleaning them thoroughly. Finally, clean the flooring, whether that requires mopping or vacuuming, to give it that finished deep clean.

2. Do an inventory of what you have (and what you can get rid of).

Once the items are out of your pantry, this is a great time to do an inventory of what you have. Throughout this process, be sure to take note of what items are expired so that you can dispose of them. On another note, if you find that you have a shelf full of the same item (or similar ones), it might be time to decrease the number that you have and donate to a food bank.

Taking the inventory will be a huge asset when it’s time to go grocery shopping again. This will prevent you from overbuying and filling up the space again unnecessarily.

3. Organize and categorize.

This process requires multiple steps to make the most impact. First, try to sort items into similar categories. For example, put all snack items together, all baking products (flour, baking soda, sugar, etc.) together, all oils together, cereals, etc.

Once you are finished with that, now is the time to start the organization process. Consider purchasing containers, preferably clear, to put your items in. This will create a more cohesive, uniform look. Plus, it gets rid of bulky cereal boxes, chip bags, and cookie sleeves.

When you have the containers washed and filled, now you can label them. This can be as simple as using a marker, or you can use a label maker to accomplish this task.

4. Get creative with additional space.

Pantry shelves aren’t the only space to store items. Don’t forget about the back of the door and any wall space you may have. If you have a traditional pantry door, you can purchase an over-the-door organizer to help add storage space. With these little shelves, you can store anything fairly light – think spices, condiments, etc. Another nontraditional area to take advantage of is any wall space. Here, you can hang your apron, broom, bag dispensers, reusable shopping bags, etc.

5. Create a spot for the kids (and other snackers).

It’s a good idea to create a designated spot for your kids (and any other snackers in the family) to have that is easy for them to access. This will hopefully prevent your other shelves and pantry areas from getting messed up as well.

Consider buying some organization bins to hold various items so that they are quick to access, such as water bottles, juice boxes, snack items, etc. Make sure you make them visible, easy to reach, and labeled for everyone to see. This may just save you some steps to get that snack (and a mess) later on.

6. Maintain your organized space.

Doing a few simple things can help maintain your cleaned-out space. Be sure to put items back where they belong when you are finished with them. This may involve a conversation with the entire family to ensure they do the same. Every once in a while, do a quick clean-up of the space by making sure items are organized, making sure there are no expired goods, etc. Doing a little at a time is much less daunting than doing a major overhaul all at once.

If you are looking for other tips on how to up your kitchen’s appeal and functionality, check out our blog 6 Tips to Maximize your Kitchen Space. It shares some ideas to take a smaller kitchen space and create more room, getting you back to happy cooking in no time!