Introduction
A well-organized pantry is a happy pantry! A cluttered, disorganized pantry can make it difficult to find the items you need when you need them. The good news is that organizing your pantry doesn’t have to be hard or expensive—there are plenty of affordable solutions out there that will help keep everything neat and tidy. Here are my favorite tips for getting started.
The first step is to empty out your pantry
First, remove all of your pantry items and give everything a good cleaning. If you’re like most people, that means taking everything out of your pantry and putting it on the counter. If you have the space, you can leave it there for a few days to help with the organization process.
This will make it easier to assess what you already have, and it will also give you an opportunity to weed out foods that are past their prime or no longer fit your dietary needs. Throw away any expired food and don’t forget to check the back of your pantry for forgotten items!
Wipe down shelves and clean the walls (if necessary)
Wipe down shelves and clean the walls (if necessary). This will help keep your pantry looking fresh and clean, so that you can stay motivated to keep it organized. Use a mild dishwashing liquid and a clean cloth or sponge to wipe down the shelves. If you have moldy walls, you may want to consider repainting them with some paint that has been diluted appropriately.
Group your food into categories
When you’re organizing your pantry, group all of your food by category. This makes it easier to find what you need and can help keep things organized. Don’t put items in the same category that don’t belong together.
Group together similar items by type, such as all canned vegetables and all baking ingredients together, etc. You can also store things based on how often they’re used or how much of an item you use at a time (for example: foods that are used frequently should be stored on the top shelf of your pantry).
Use Labels
Labels are a great way to keep your pantry organized. Labeling your items helps you to know what is in your pantry and where it belongs. It also helps you remember what items you have and what items you need when you go shopping.
Labeling is also a good idea if you share your pantry with others, because it will help avoid confusion about which items belong to whom.
Hang a cork board inside your pantry door to keep track of shopping lists and recipes
If you’re like most people, your pantry door is probably the most cluttered and chaotic spot in your home. There are so many things hanging on it—and more importantly, so many things that aren’t hanging on it that should be! A cork board may seem like an obvious solution to this problem because:
- To store recipes (or just plain old papers)
- To keep track of shopping lists
- To write down grocery lists
Use a lazy Susan for spices and other small items
Spices are small, but they can get lost. It’s important to keep them organized so that you don’t have to waste time searching for the right spice when you’re cooking. But even more important, spices are expensive! They’re used in many different recipes and it would be a shame if your expensive spices went bad because they weren’t organized properly.
If you have a lazy Susan (you can buy one at any home store or online), then all of your spices will stay organized and easy-to-find.
Use an over-the-door shoe organizer for extra storage
There’s no need to spend money on a fancy new system—instead, just use an over-the-door shoe organizer! This can be used to store snacks and beverages for kids’ lunches and after-school snacks. You can even use it as a drying rack for wet small kitchen items like sponges and dish towels that have been in the sink.
The advantage of using an over-the-door shoe organizer is that you can place it anywhere in the pantry, which means you don’t have to take up valuable shelf space with a large container or basket.
An over-the-door shoe organizer can be used as an easy way to store both breakfast foods, lunchtime favorites, and afternoon energy boosters. This storage solution keeps everything easily accessible, which is important when you have kids who are constantly on the move. This will cut down on the amount of time you spend looking for specific snack items, as well as make it easier for your kids to just grab and go!
Use magazine holders to organize packaged foods like rice, quinoa, and pasta
A magazine holder is a great way to organize and store packaged foods like rice, quinoa, pasta and more. The holders can be hung on the wall or placed on shelves in your pantry. You can also use magazine holders to store canned goods by putting them in plastic bags inside the magazine holder so they will not rust from being exposed to moisture from the cans.
Conclusion
We hope these tips will help you make your pantry more organized, and your life easier. It’s always a good idea to go through this process at least once per year, so you don’t find yourself overwhelmed with too much clutter. Good luck!
