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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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).
I like to have cans on can organizers
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.
Julie Bestry
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!
Nancy Haworth
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.
Janet Schiesl
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.
Linda Samuels
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.
Diane Quintana
These are great tips, Sabrina. My pantry has pullout shelves which I love.
Seana Turner
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!
Autumn
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
Great tip, Autumn. Thanks for sharing.
Janet Barclay
I love that 3-tier cabinet organizer. It's always hard to see what's hiding in the back!
Sarah Soboleski
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.
Jamie Steele
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.
Liana George
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 🙂
Jill Robson
Great blog post Sabrina, it seems we are on the same theme this week, kitchens are one of my favourite spaces to organize.
Ellen Delap
Can organizers are a great way to maximize storage space.
Sabrina
I totally agree. =)