Does your pantry tend to get a little crazy? Do you have a limited amount of time to whip up dinner for you and your family but spend 5 minutes rummaging through your pantry looking for what you need? Or maybe you just don’t like the cluttered look of your pantry? Well, you’re in luck because I’ve rounded up some great pantry organization tips and tricks for you!
Let’s jump in with ways to organize canned goods. Three-tiered organizers are great if you have ample space in your pantry. Since it’s staggered you can easily see the labels and access the canned good you need. I also suggest grouping like canned goods together (soup with soup, tomato sauce with diced tomatoes, etc.).
Tight on space? Make your own canned goods organizer using a magazine holder. Just add wire, string, or anything on hand to secure the top (as shown below). I’d recommend using something like this with like items so you don’t have to dig to find a lonely can of green beans – one magazine holder for green beans, one for corn, etc.
This is similar to the organizer above, only this one uses wire baskets from the Dollar Store. Decorative labels give an added organized touch.
Most pantries have doors so take advantage of that space. Just make sure the hinges will be able to support the added weight.
Spices are stored on the inside of this pantry door. This set up works our perfectly with the clearance between the door and other items when the door is closed.
If space allows, you can store larger items on the inside of your pantry door. Again, just make sure your door hinges can withstand the weight of everything.
Speaking of spices, what about spice packets? I store our spice packets in an inexpensive organizer. I like how I can easily flip through the spices to find what I need.
If you prefer a cleaner look, you can store your spice packets in a container with a lid.
Now, what to do with all of those boxed food items. I suggest organizing them in bins or baskets so when you need something you can simply grab the bin/basket and pick out what you need instead of having to search that box of macaroni and cheese buried behind five other boxes. Bins and baskets are also great for snacks and other random items in your pantry.
Perhaps you don’t like the cluttered look of boxes or you’re a visual person who wants to be able to see everything when you open your pantry door. In those cases, I’d suggest investing in clear containers. Empty the contents of boxes and bags into the clear containers so they’re easy to see and find. Labels are great, especially if you have items that look very similar (all-purpose flour and cake flour). Clear containers are also great for younger toddlers who aren’t able to identify foods by name or by the packaging. Giving them a choice between two snacks in clear containers may lessen some frustration when it comes to snack time.
Your meal planning and preparation should be a lot faster if you implement some of these organization systems in your pantry. That, and who doesn’t love a nice and neat pantry? Any pantry organization tips you’d like to share?
