The More You Know: Organizing Your Pantry

Your pantry sees a lot of activity. Daily, you and your family are in and out, grabbing food and snacks, putting things back, loading, stacking, shoving, digging, stuffing - it's no wonder it can start to look a little chaotic. Keep reading to learn how you can reset your pantry - or get it organized for the first time - and how to best keep it that way.

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Why Organize Your Pantry?

An organized pantry saves time, space, money, energy, frustration, and can improve your health. It saves time because you can find items faster and put them away more easily. It saves space because it uses the space you have in the most optimal manner. It saves money because you know what you have on hand, and you're less likely to buy duplicates or let something go bad. It saves energy and reduces frustration because of all of the above.

​And an organized pantry can actually improve your health. Stock your organized pantry with good food choices, and you're more likely to reach for them over the not-so-good ones. When your pantry is a mess, you're more likely to reach for the familiar, comforting, and easy and less likely to be creative or reach for something new. An organized pantry gives you quick access to healthy ingredients. and it makes cooking at home fun and easy.

How to Organize Your Pantry

#1: Take Everything Out & Clean

You read that correctly. Take everything out. Everything. This gives you the opportunity to fully clean your pantry. When was the last time it was empty, and you were able to clean the entire area? When you moved in?

​Now, while everything is out, line the shelves. We know: no one likes to line shelves. (Click here to read our top reasons you should line your kitchen cabinets. The rules apply in the pantry as well.) A good plastic, rubber, or wipeable liner will save you a lot of mess and grief down the line. Plus, it protects your shelving and can give the space a little color and personality. Here are a few of our favorites:

This liner for wire shelving is sold in thick sheets and helps to keep your pantry items from falling over or slipping through the gaps. 

This patterned liner has a rubber, non-slip surface, and although I've never tried it, it says it's machine washable! (I find a wet sponge works fine for most messes and spills.)

This liner is the same as the one above, but it's for those of us who prefer a solid color.

This liner is another patterned option from Con-Tact. It's non-adhesive, but it grips, keeping it from sliding around your pantry shelves. 

#2: Expired Items & Items You Won't Use

Yes, some food and ingredients are perfectly fine and safe to consume after their expiration date. But, we need a guideline here, and the fact is simple: expired food and pantry items, even if "safe", are cluttering your pantry and inviting pests. If you haven't used it before the expiration date, chances are you're not using it anytime soon. If the thought of trashing it gives you a case of the guilts, call around to local food banks and pantries. Some will take slightly expired food. If the date is long past, think about why you purchased this item. Was it a one-off for a recipe? Did you have some great plan that never came to fruition? Was it part of a gift basket? Answering questions like this can help prevent you from bringing in similar items in the future.

Expired food shouldn't be the only thing that leaves your pantry. Any food or other items you don't use and don't have plans for - or maybe don't even like - should also be removed and donated.

(For more information on expiration dates, check out these posts by Consumer Reports and WebMD. This handy free app from the USDA helps you determine how long certain foods will last with proper storage.)

#3: Group Together Like Items

As you're taking out each item (Step #1), you can check the expiration date (Step #2) and group like things together (Step #3). You'll probably make changes to the grouping later, but this will get you started, and the fewer times you touch each item, the faster this process will go.

As you take out each item, think of how you use it and what "category" it may belong. Is it a breakfast item? Something you use for baking? A canned vegetable? A snack for the kids? Grouping these like items together as you remove them from the pantry, will make the organization process go much more smoothly. 

During this step and the next, you'll realize there are different ways you can categorize the same items: by type or how used or grouped together by recipe, especially if you meal plan. Concentrate less on what "makes sense" and think more about how you would look for the item. Would you expect the cereal to be with the breakfast stuff or the late-night snacks?

#4: Put Everything Back & Organize Your Pantry

You've cleaned and lined the pantry shelves. You've trashed or set aside for donation all the expired or unwanted food. You've grouped together like items. Now it's time to put everything back. 

The first things to consider are (1) how many things you have in each category, and (2) how often you reach for things in each category. As always, organizational real estate is important: location, location, location. The items you use most often should be within easy reach: usually eye-level. If there are snacks or other items that kids can and should access, these items should be placed on a lower shelf. If there's something they should only access with permission, this may be placed on a higher shelf to reduce temptation. 

The size of the groups will also play a role. Things may not "fit" exactly as you would like. You'll need to move categories around until they fit in a way that makes sense to you and that uses the space in such a way that you can see and easily access what you need. 

This is another time for evaluation. The pantry you have is the pantry you have. Even if you love shopping at Costco, those bulky items - or multiples - may not fit, and unless you have another place to store the excess, bulk shopping may not be the best idea. 

That Other Stuff in Your Pantry

Pantries often contain things other than food: small appliances, infrequently-used dishes, dog food and pet supplies, cleaning supplies, seasonal items, etc. The importance of placing items according to the frequency of use still applies, but there are a few other things you can do to make it a more organized and pleasant experience.

• Use dollar store shower caps to protect infrequently used dishes and small appliances from dust and grime.
• Party items like napkins, table cloths, and plastic cups can be grouped together in a large, clear, plastic tub and placed either on the floor or on the top shelf.
• Pet food and supplies should be kept away from your family's food as much as possible. Keep everything in closed containers to help prevent contamination and discourage pests. If you must store it on the same shelf as your family's food, put it on the bottom.
• Same goes with cleaning supplies which should be stored away from pet food and your family's food. If you can, store them on the other side of the pantry. Consider any young children and pets when deciding how and where to store them. 

A plant stand under small appliances on the floor of your pantry will make it easier to move them out from under the lower shelves.

• Small appliances may be stored on the floor on rolling plant stands.
• Water bottles can be stored upright, in a bin, in magazine holders, in wine racks, or between bookends, depending on the space you have available. 

Tips, Tricks, & Things to Note

Food

• Canned goods. Have a system for your canned goods. Whether it's plastic bins that group like items or a tiered shelving system, canned goods can be frustrating and chaotic if left on their own.
• Boxes. You're not a supermarket. There's no need to face your boxed items. Turn them to the side, and save room. Just make sure to pick the side labeled with what's in the box.
• Fresh produce. I haven't tried this, but I think it's an interesting option. Use wire magazine holders to house fresh produce like onions. They're taller than they are wide, so they take up less space on your shelves.
• Bread. Bread and other baked goods must be protected lest they get smushed. Under-shelf baskets are a great option.

The Space

• Use all the extra space. You have space along the walls and on the doors - use it! Small ledges or baskets along the walls and special door organizers may just give you the extra space you need. 

• ​The deep-shelf struggle. Deep shelves may seem like a blessing because there's so much room, but they can mean a real struggle to see everything. Consider using bins as much as possible to develop a "modular" system. Each bin is a category that can be easily accessed and moved as needed. 
• Something that makes you smile. Adding at least one pretty or fun thing will make you smile and help motivate you to maintain the space. Try wallpapering the back wall or adding fun shelf liner or an interesting light fixture.
• Rolling cart. If your pantry layout allows, a rolling cart may give you that extra storage you need. Use it to contain an entire category - like baking items - and you can roll the entire cart out when you need it. 

• ​​Corners and lazy susans. A turntable can transform a frustrating corner into an easily accessible wonder.

• ​Shelf height. If you can adjust the height of your shelves, do it! The general rule is to have a 2" clearance above the tallest item. ​

• Shelf risers. If you can't adjust your shelves or need to accommodate multiple heights on the same shelf, shelf risers can double your space.

Containers

• Store packaging. Don't be a slave to store packaging, especially from large stores where you buy in bulk. Their goal is simply to keep the multiples attached in a way that entices you to buy. Your goal is to make them fit in the pantry in a way that's easy to access. Rarely does the packaging satisfy both.
• Clear containers. For a nice sense of uniformity, decant and use clear containers to hold pastas, cereals, grains, flowers, nuts and seeds. You can use matching containers, almost-matching containers (e.g., every containers is clear with a white lid), or a collection (e.g., vintage jars). Whichever you choose, make sure they have a seal that's appropriate for what you're storing and that they're easy to open. Also, label everything. Use a labels maker or get matching labels you can write or print on so you won't forget what's in your beautiful new containers.

Wide mouth mason jars of different sizes make great pantry containers. Replace the metal lids and bands with a plastic lid to make opening and closing the jar easier. Airtight glass jars with bamboo lids are another beautiful option.

• Dollar store bins. You don't need to spend a lot to get a beautifully organized pantry. Dollar stores have some great, inexpensive items that fit the bill (get it?!?) perfectly.
• Sheet pans & hotel pans. Both sheet pans and hotel pans help contain spills, group like items together, and give you an interesting industrial look.

Other

• Kids. As mentioned above, if you have young children, consider designating an area as a kid-friendly spot. A small bin or basket of snacks and goodies they are allowed to access freely gives them a sense of autonomy and saves you from having to fetch a snack every time your little one is hungry.

How to Keep Your Organized Pantry...Organized

Your pantry is an active space used by multiple people on a daily basis. Attention and time needs to be paid or it will quickly revert to the mess it was when you began. The good news is that it only takes a little maintenance to keep it organized and tidy.

1. Let everyone in the family know that you've spent time organizing the pantry to make everyone's lives easier, and you expect everyone to put things back where they found them. And make sure YOU do the same. You can't expect anyone else to make the effort when you're not willing.
2. Spend 5-10 minutes a day after dinner cleaning up spills, returning items to the pantry, and tidying up. This chore can easily be delegated to older children.
3. Before you go to the supermarket, shop your pantry first. Figure out what you can use that you already have instead of adding to the inventory.
4. When you return from the supermarket put everything away ASAP. Decant what you decant (or what you deCAN!), trash excess packaging, and fill your pantry properly. Taking a little time now will save you time and frustration down the line.
5. FIFO. In this way, you are a supermarket. Practice first in, first out by putting new items behind older ones so you'll use up the older things before they expire.
6. As your lives and needs change, revisit and rearrange.

Organizing your pantry is the weirdest game of tetris you'll every play, but the end result will save you time, energy, and space. If you get stuck and need inspiration, try Pinterest, but set a timer! Pinterest is an amazing resource, but if you're not careful, it's also an amazing time suck.

Let's see your before and after pantry pics! Join our Facebook group and share. We'd love to see them!

Happy Organizing!

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