1. Do a Pantry Edit, and Do It Often
Pantry organization always starts with assessing the items you already have. “Edits are great for your entire home, but they’re especially great for your kitchen,” professional organizer Teresa Dinneen
2. Create Zones
Once you have all the pantry items you know you’re keeping, the next step is organizing them into groups. “Keep things in categories, like breakfast, snacks and baking,” professional organizer Marisa Smith
3. Have a Spot Specifically for Kids Snacks on a Lower Shelf
If you have kids, Dinneen says creating a shelf dedicated to kid-only snacks is incredibly helpful. “Kids can grab what they want to grab, and you can keep healthy snacks on the bottom,” Dinneen shares. There will be no question as to what snacks are available to them, and kids will always know exactly where to find them.
4. Get Rid of Packaging
“Bulky boxes take up so much space,” Smith shares. “If your items are individually wrapped, place them in containers instead of the boxes they come in. It will free up space and make it easier to grab and go as well.”
5. Mix Different Materials and Textures of Storage Items
Pretty bins and baskets are essentially pantry decor. They will not only help keep your zones contained within your pantry, but will also make the aesthetic of the pantry itself all the more pleasing. Just like in other parts of your home, switching up the style will create visual interest and will allow you to use a variety of container types to find the best ones for that specific item.
6. Use Turntables and Can Risers
It’s essential to have all of your pantry items visible and easily accessible, and turntables and can risers can do just that. Both are perfect for storing things like condiments and canned goods.
7. Utilize Depth
“Make sure anything you use like a bin or basket is deep enough to fill the entire shelf so you’re getting the most out of the space,” Dinneen suggests. You don’t want any shelf space to go to waste, and having a basket with full depth will also make it easy to pull it out to see what you have, just like a drawer.
8. Try Drawer Dividers
“Use drawer dividers for everything. Most people just use them for silverware or cooking utensils, but drawer dividers help with everything,” Dinneen says. Some homes with smaller pantries can utilize drawers for extra storage, and some larger pantries have them built in. Drawers and dividers are great for everything, including plastic food storage containers, cleaning supplies and small snacks. They create a natural separation between items, allowing you to see everything you have and making everything look tidier.
9. Have a Back-Stock Zone
Setting aside space for back-stock items will allow you to refill your pantry as needed without going to the grocery store. “We’ll find at client houses, they didn’t know they had five cases of mac and cheese because they were stored in all different places,” Smith shares. “Having a designated back-stock area where you’re keeping back-stock pantry items will keep you from overbuying since you know where everything is.”
10. Buy for the Space You Have
If there’s one piece of organizing advice Smith could share, it would be this one. “Don’t shop at Costco if you have a teeny little pantry. Buy for the space that you have,” she says. “If you don’t have a Costco storage closet in your house, don’t do the bulk shopping.”