Organize Your Pantry

What is it about a beautifully organized pantry that gives you that “aaaah” feeling? Whether on Instagram or in the wild, a lovely larder just makes you feel good. But how do you create (and maintain!) a pretty pantry at home? Believe it or not, it’s not as hard (or as expensive) as you might think. We love organizing pantries for our clients (it’s one of our most requested services). Here are our favorite tips and tricks to a pretty pantry.

Want to give it a shot? Let’s do it!

CLEAR:

The first step to prettifying your pantry is to take everything out. If that stops you in your tracks right there, just start with a shelf or section (like baking goods). Line up your pantry items on a counter or table.

CLEAN:

This is a great time to give your empty pantry a good scrub. We like using a mix of ½ water and ½ distilled vinegar to wipe down shelves.

EDIT:

Let’s edit your pantry items. Anything that’s expired can be composted, recycled or thrown away. The same goes for opened food or dry goods you know you won’t use. Consider donating unopened products you don’t want to a food shelter.

GROUP:

Categorize your pantry items into groups, putting like with like. Snacks can go in one group, cereals in another, and so on. Other dry good categories could include pastas, grains and baking (flours, sugars, etc). Packaging also helps define the group: put cans with cans and jars with jars.

LAYOUT:

Determine the layout of your pantry and decide where everything will go. Place items you use often (like oils and vinegars) within easy reach. Snacks for littles can go on a lower shelf. Backstock items like paper towels and sparkling water can go on high (or low) shelves.

PRO TIP: Zone your pantry based on frequency of use and ease of accessibility by all members of your household

CONTAINERIZE:

Storage containers can help keep your pantry organized. How many containers you use is completely up to you. (No need to go nuts on Amazon!) Here are some of our favorite products that will keep your pantry in tip top shape.

PRO TIP: Measure your space before purchasing products to make sure they will fit.

TURNTABLE

A turntable is perfect for the pantry. Put your spices or oils on a turntable and voilá, everything is contained and easy to find. Some of our favorites are The Home Edit Lazy Susan from The Container Store, and the Hold Everything Two-Tiered Lazy Susan and Metal Powder Coat Lazy Susan from Williams Sonoma.

BASKETS & BINS

We love baskets and bins for containing snack bags and other unruly pantry goods. These Everything Organizer clear plastic bins from The Container Store create a uniform, streamlined look. Rattan Pantry Baskets from Williams Sonoma add warmth to a pantry space. Yamazaki Home’s Tosca Baskets in powder coated steel and wood are both sleek and practical.

PRO TIP: Purchase bins and baskets in the same color and material for a cohesive look.

AIRTIGHT CLEAR CANISTERS

If you have a lot of dry goods like beans and pasta, you can decant them into clear canisters with an airtight seal – this helps minimize the visual clutter of different sized pasta boxes and prevents bags of beans from tumbling off your shelves. OXO Pop Containers from The Container Store are stackable and keep food fresh. If you want alternatives to plastic, the Anchor Hocking Canisters from The Container Store and the Hold Everything Stackable Glass Canisters from Williams Sonoma add an elegant touch to any pantry.

MAINTAIN:

So now your pantry is organized. How do you keep it that way? Giving everything a designated space will definitely help (yes, kids will put a bag of chips back in a basket!) but nobody – and no pantry – is always perfect. Consider giving your pantry a tidy before heading to the market. This will help you know what you have and what you need. You can also give your pantry a “zhuzh” as you put items away after shopping.

So those are our top tips and tricks to organizing a pantry. We hope you’ve found some inspiration. Remember you can start small. Focus on creating a pantry system that works for YOU. If you’d like help organizing your pantry, please feel free to reach out. Pantry makeovers are one of our favorite services and we are always happy to share our trade discounts with you. Happy organizing!

For added inspiration, check out my YouTube videos, where I guide you step-by-step through organizing a pantry and share some terrific before-and-after scenes:

• How to Organize a Pantry: Kitchen Organization
• DIY Spice Cabinet Organization in Your Kitchen Pantry
• Small Pantry Organization Before & After

And, if you have a clever organizing solution, I’d love to hear about it! Drop me a line on Instagram or Facebook.