You’ve seen the magazine-worthy pantry organization ideas on Pinterest and Instagram, but is it worth the trouble to overhaul your pantry?
Organizing your food storage can save you time, money, and valuable space in your kitchen.
When your pantry is organized, you avoid buying unnecessary items and wasting food. Not only will you be able to quickly find ingredients, but your family will be able to find what they need as well.
And guess what? It doesn’t have to be expensive to be effective.
Sure, the perfectly coordinated pantries are beautiful, and if that’s in your budget feel free to prance on down to The Container Store and go to town.
But don’t avoid creating a system because you can’t spend a fortune.
Shop your house, identify what you need, and only buy the storage products that fit your budget.
Here are 7 pantry organization ideas to help you get even the most chaotic pantry into shape.
1 | Use baskets or bins to corral loose items.
Pull individually packaged items like granola bars out of their boxes to save space.
Not only does it look nicer, but it saves space when you get rid of the bulky packaging. You can easily see how much is left too.
2 | Store bulk items in containers.
Store flour, sugar, cereal, and other bulk items in airtight containers.
They keep your pantry staples fresh and you can quickly see which items are running low.
Sturdy options like these food storage containers will also reduce the mess that results from open packages of dry goods.
3 | Use labels.
Labels make it easy to locate the item you need. No more confusion about what a container holds and no hunting for a specific spice.
You can find plenty of printable options on Pinterest. This set of spice jars comes with a ton of labels for almost all the spices you might have in stock!
4 | Clear containers keep items in plain sight.
Baskets and colorful bins work great for packaged items, but clear containers are ideal for dry goods. You can easily see when an item is running low so there’s no surprise the next time you need it.
5 | Reuse empty jars for a budget-friendly option.
Often pantry organization ideas involve a full set of matching containers. New organizational products can add up quickly.
But pantry organization doesn’t have to destroy your budget. Reuse empty jars for dry goods such as beans or pasta.
Here’s a trick for getting the smell out of jars: after you rinse the jar thoroughly, fill it to the brim with warm, soapy water and put the lid on. Flip the jar upside down and leave it sitting for 24 hours. Rinse the jar, remove any paper labels, and run it through the dishwasher. If it still has an odor, do the upside-down soaking trick again. This has worked on everything from pickle jars to spaghetti sauce.
6 | Tiers add even more storage space.
Use tiered storage options to make the most of your cabinet or pantry space. You can easily tier canned goods or spices to add extra storage.
Tiers let you see what you have more easily. Instead of a sea of canned goods, you can see what you have and what you need.
7 | Use the doors.
Take advantage of all the space in your pantry and utilize the inside of the doors for extra storage. You can find vertical storage systems at Target or The Container Store.
We spend so much time in the kitchen that organization needs to be a priority.
Not only does it save me time, but it prevents my family from turning the place upside down to find a snack.
These simple pantry organization ideas will help your kitchen stay clean and efficient.