• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Sabrinas Organizing
  • Home Organization
  • Healthy Recipes
  • DIY Home Projects
  • Browse Gift Ideas
  • Donate Stuff
  • Recycling Events 2023
  • Solution Consultations
  • Virtual Organizing
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home Organization
  • Healthy Recipes
  • DIY Home Projects
  • Browse Gift Ideas
  • Donate Stuff
  • Recycling Events 2023
  • Solution Consultations
  • Virtual Organizing
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home Organization
  • Healthy Recipes
  • DIY Home Projects
  • Browse Gift Ideas
  • Donate Stuff
  • Recycling Events 2023
  • Solution Consultations
  • Virtual Organizing
×

Home » Home Organization » Kitchen » Pantry » How To Keep Your Pantry Organized Forever

How To Keep Your Pantry Organized Forever

Last Modified: January 24, 2022 Sabrina Quairoli This blog uses cookies. It also has affiliate links. We earn sponsored content income.

****Visit our "Disclosure Policy and Cookies" for details.****
How to keep your pantry organized forever

Does this ever happen to you? You come home from the grocery store, place all the pantry items away. You look at your pantry and are so proud of how you organized it. You think to yourself, "This pantry looks great."  The next day, you go into your pantry and there it is, the perfectly organized space that you were so proud of, destroyed by other members of your household. Darn! If you are like so many others I know, this is a common issue. I know, first hand how unruly a pantry can get. Pantry organization is one of my favorite projects to work on with clients.

To keep the pantry from getting disorganized, here are DIY ways to keep the pantry organized:

Clear out the entire pantry. Then, sort your pantry items into groups. These groups will become your zones. Here's a list of items you can use in the pantry.

What to Keep in your pantry

To help you even further, answer these questions to determine your personal pantry needs:

  • What items do you use when baking?
  • What products do you use regularly?
  • Are there pantry items you use on certain days of the week?
  • Do I entertain often and at the last minute?
  • Can all my items fit into the pantry or do I need to store items in other areas?

Some examples of pantry zones are baking, weekly meals, herbs and spices, canned soups, canned vegetables and fruits, pasta, grains, condiments, legumes canned and dried, bulk items, and drinks.

Now that you have divided your items up into groups (zones), determine where you want to place the items. The left side of the image above shows what should be stored on which shelf.

***AD*** Boutique Rugs: Looking for rugs? Check out their wide variety of beautifully designed rugs.


Here are some additional tips to help you keep your pantry organized.

When possible, use 15-18 inches deep shelving. The more shallow the shelf the easier it is to keep organized and not losing anything in the back of the pantry.

Transitional Kitchen by South Pasadena Interior Designers & Decorators Charmean Neithart Interiors, LLC.

If you have deeper shelves, use baskets to store grouped items so you can slide them forward with ease. You can also install pull out drawers as well if the shelf is sturdy and mounted well.

If you have a door for your pantry, hand an over the door shelving unit to maximize your space. Below are some options from Amazon.com (affiliate).

Visit Sur La Table for Amazing Cookware! (affiliate)

Cover wire shelves with plastic liners so nothing can fall between the wires. Baskets work well to hold grouped items together. I have used wicker, plastic, and wire baskets. They all work well.

Spaces by Cincinnati Closet Designers and Professional Organizers Organized Living

If you decide to use baskets, be sure to label them so everyone can see where things belong. If you have family members who need to see where the items go, use clear plastic bins. Below are label options from Amazon (affiliate).

Join our Decluttering and Home Organizing Support Group

I like to have cans on can organizers. I have two of them myself similar to the ones in the picture above. They are very useful and keep cans always moving forward. Tier shelving for canned goods work but you have to be vigilant and push the older cans forward so you can see them.

Visit Sur La Table for Amazing Cookware! (affiliate)

Canisters are great for bulk products, like flour, nuts, sugar, etc... Make sure you get large enough containers for the size of the product you usually buy.

Above all else, make sure everyone knows where everything goes in the pantry. It doesn't matter how large or small your pantry is, if users do not know where to put things, it will never stay organized.

And to maintain the organized pantry, don't forget these routine steps!

  • Review and adjust your zones every month.
  • Make sure all the groups still fit in space you assigned for them.
  • Replace any labels that may have broken.
  • Create new labels for new group items and existing groups.
  • Initially, make sure you remind other users where the items go.

Well, there you have it, ways to help you keep your well-used pantry organized. Now it's your turn.

What tips do you have to keep your pantry organized? Do you love the layout of your pantry? What is your favorite part? Feel free to share below.

Please note these are affiliate links through Amazon, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn affiliate fees if you decide to make a purchase.

how to keep your pantry organized forever
(Visited 1,128 times, 1 visits today)
Do you live in South Eastern Pennsylvania? Don't know where to start organizing in your home? Need a plan? Check out our Sabrina's Organizing Solutions ConsultationsAre a DIYer and just need accountability to get through the mess in your home and life? Check out our Sabrina's Organizing Virtual Organizing Services

Connect with Me on Social Media!

Facebook - Instagram - Twitter - Linkedin - Pinterest

Need a fresh look at your home? Learn more and download our free ebook, 'How to Awaken From Clutter Blindness,’ to access the tools, tips, and strategies to help you find clarity and organization.

More Pantry Organization Tips

  • The Ultimate Guide to Organizing Herbs and Spices - Featured image - #organizingherbsandspices
    The Ultimate Guide To Organizing Herbs and Spices
  • 15 Things to Toss for a Stress Free Pantry
    15 Things to Toss for a Stress Free Pantry
  • Affordable pantry wire shelving accessories to maximize storage featured image
    Affordable Pantry Wire Shelving Accessories
  • 7 Ways to Transform a Hall Closet into a Pantry
    7 Ways to Transform a Hall Closet Into Pantry

About Sabrina Quairoli

I love sharing my passion for organizing life and home. I hope you get inspired when visiting my home organizing tips, quick weeknight recipes, party planning ideas, and DIY organizing projects. Visit the About Me page to read my story.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Julie Bestry

    April 20, 2020 at 7:35 pm

    Excellent points. It's heartbreaking when I work in a client's pantry and find that it's been designed with 2 feet or more of depth, and there's just nothing you can put that far back. Putting items in dishpans so that you can reach in and get a group of items helps, but shallower is definitely better. And that three-tier organizer is so useful!

  2. Nancy Haworth

    April 20, 2020 at 4:22 pm

    Thank you for these wonderful tips, Sabrina! I like the graphic that shows how light-weight items are best on the top shelves, and heavier items should go on the bottom shelves. So many people don't consider weight of items when organizing.

  3. Janet Schiesl

    April 20, 2020 at 11:35 am

    I love the labels you suggested. I'll look into those. I also like to decant any items that come in bags like dried fruit or nuts. I don't like how the bags never sit straight on the shelves. I also think it's prettier.

  4. Linda Samuels

    April 20, 2020 at 10:55 am

    I love using bins and risers to organize pantries. I especially love the clear open containers. They make for easy access and visibility. We have a tiny pantry, so it's pretty simple to keep it organized. Many of my clients have large pantries, and that's when it's beneficial to create zones, as you described. I have zones in my tiny pantry too, but in the big ones, it becomes even more essential so that you can see what you have and don't overbuy supplies.

  5. Diane Quintana

    April 20, 2020 at 9:23 am

    These are great tips, Sabrina. My pantry has pullout shelves which I love.

  6. Seana Turner

    April 20, 2020 at 9:18 am

    I love those over-the-door racks. They can hold a TON of stuff, and it is all shallow enough that you can see every item. Perfect for cans, which can be tricky! I love your idea of zones, because the actual items you have may vary from one week to the next. At times like these, we may be stocking up and then working our way through it all for a couple of weeks, so having a pantry system that can stretch is important. Of course, even having a pantry is a wonderful luxury that not everyone has. Why kitchen designers ever made kitchens without them is a mystery to me!

  7. Autumn

    March 17, 2016 at 1:47 pm

    Great post Sabrina! Keeping a pantry organized does involve monthly maintenance. My biggest tip is get all of the packaging out of the pantry. Using Snapware saves me so much room! I also take seldom used utensils and kitchen items and store them in the pantry. If they don't get used in six months I donate.

    • Sabrina

      March 17, 2016 at 2:27 pm

      Great tip, Autumn. Thanks for sharing.

  8. Janet Barclay

    March 15, 2016 at 10:27 am

    I love that 3-tier cabinet organizer. It's always hard to see what's hiding in the back!

  9. Sarah Soboleski

    March 12, 2016 at 4:19 pm

    Nice graphic! I love a neatly zoned pantry with bins and baskets. And with your pantry organized it makes it that much easier to make your grocery list as you can see what you're getting low on.

  10. Jamie Steele

    March 12, 2016 at 12:01 pm

    Great post, Sabrina! Maintenance is the key to pantry organization. My favorite product for the pantry is the Elfa overdoor organizer. I use them in every closet of my house.

  11. Liana George

    March 12, 2016 at 10:45 am

    I love your graphic on what to keep in your pantry! It's a great visual. Great tips and I think it is so important to not only know how to organize your pantry, but to keep it organized too! Wonderful post 🙂

  12. Jill Robson

    March 12, 2016 at 9:59 am

    Great blog post Sabrina, it seems we are on the same theme this week, kitchens are one of my favourite spaces to organize.

  13. Ellen Delap

    March 11, 2016 at 8:15 am

    Can organizers are a great way to maximize storage space.

    • Sabrina

      March 11, 2016 at 10:14 am

      I totally agree. =)

Primary Sidebar

Sabrina Quairoli Owner of Sabrinasorganizing

Hi, I'm Sabrina! Thanks for stopping by and checking out my blog, where you can find Home Organizing, Quick Weeknight Recipes, and DIY Craft Home Organizing Projects. Feel free and browse around to get motivated to improve your home life!

Read more about me →

Get your free copy of our 12 months of easy decluttering challenges ebook

Popular Home Life Posts

  • Places to Donate Jewelry You Do Not Want
    Places To Donate Jewelry You Do Not Want
  • Amazing Games to Help Kids Understand How to Organize-featured image
    7 Games to Help Kids Understand How to Organize
  • This Year's Recycling Locations and Shredder Events 2020
    This Year's Recycling Locations and Shredder Events
  • what to keep in your shed checklist
    What to Keep in Your Shed
  • What to Keep in your linen closet
    The Most Important Things to Keep in Your Linen Closet
  • Air fried pepperoni chips recipe - Featured image
    Air Fried Pepperoni Chips Recipe
Need a fresh look at your home? Learn more and download our free ebook, 'How to Awaken From Clutter Blindness,’ to access the tools, tips, and strategies to help you find clarity and organization.
Get your free copy of our Home Management binder ebook


MasonJars.com - Shop Original Products For The Home and Garden

Surlatable home products and cooking classes

Mom Agenda Planners

Taos Shoes

Dollar Tree Shop Now

Get our Holiday Season Planner to help you save money and time with free checklists and Printables to make this season amazing
Have a small business? NEED SMALL BUSINESS ADMIN SERVICES? Visit our blog and services by clicking below.
Sabrina's Admin Services

Amazon Disclosure


Sabrina's Organizing blog is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Sabrina’s Organizing Web Stories

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • About Me
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure Policy and Cookies
  • Google Analytics Privacy Statement and Opt-Out Option

Newsletter and Associations

  • Sign Up for emails and updates
  • 2023 NAPO Business Stamp of Approval

Contact

  • Contact
  • Solution Consultations
  • Virtual Organizing Consults
  • Write for Us
Creative Commons License

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2011-2023 Sabrina's Organizing Blog content by Sabrina Morresi-Quairoli is licensed. Based on work at Sabrina’s Organizing blog, social media content, and newsletters shared, permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available when contacting me.