Simplify Your Kitchen with an Organized Pantry

We can step into our closets and spend a few hours purging and organizing them. Then over the next few months, without much effort, they will stay fairly tidy. Pantries, however, tend to explode before our very eyes. From half empty boxes of pasta to open bags of chips, they are in a constant state of change. Plus, the pantry is a space that is accessed by everyone in the home daily. I’m a firm believer that every space in your home takes maintenance to stay tidy. And maintaining an organized pantry is at the very top of that list.

This is the 2nd post in a 4 part series all about simplifying, decluttering, and organizing your kitchen. The 4 part series, called Your Simply Organized Kitchen, will discuss how to maintain clutter-free countertops, the steps to maintaining a simple and organized pantry, how to simplify your kitchen cabinets, and how to setup an organized refrigerator and freezer.

Whether you have a large walk in closet for a pantry or just a cabinet or two to store all of your family’s food, you can maintain an organized space. Think about what causes your pantry space to become disorganized. Is it a lack of proper storage? Is it not having enough storage space? Or is it trying to store more than you have room for?

How to Maintain an Organized Pantry

Our pantry storage is fairly limited. We have an 18″ pantry cabinet and we also utilize a double cabinet above our dishwasher for food storage.

This is where about 90% of the non-perishable food in our home is stored. (We do have a snack cabinet in the island for the kids and spices and oils are stored next to the stove.) Since our storage is limited, it’s imperative that I keep this space organized.

I have a few strategies I follow to keep this space tidy on a weekly basis.

1. Simplify as much as possible.

Purging your pantry should be the first thing you do! Just like you can’t organize clutter in other parts of your home, you definitely can’t organize a cluttered pantry.

I recommend pulling everything out and wiping down your shelves. Then sort through everything. Pull out anything that is expired first. If you’ve purchased items for recipes that you no longer plan to make, donate them to your local food pantry or women’s center. Don’t let them go to waste in your pantry.

Think about those spices or seasonings from recipes you tried and your family just didn’t like. Let those items go. They aren’t going to be used so they don’t deserve to clutter up your space.

Remember that cooking is already a cumbersome task. Let’s not make it harder by adding more stuff to our cabinets than we actually need.

2. Decant as much as possible.

I used to think this was a waste of time and space. However, after starting to decant some of my grains I soon realized it was worth it for many items we purchase and use regularly. The clear containers make it super easy to see what you have or what you need to add to your grocery list for the week. They also keep things nice and fresh.

I bought our containers from Walmart. They are the Better Homes and Garden’s brand and have worked great. They are definitely more affordable than some of the other brands like the OXO containers, but I’ve found their quality to be pretty great.

Instead of purchasing them all at the same time, I bought 1 or 2 each week with my regular groceries. Since they are only $4-$8 each it didn’t make too much of a dent in my regular budget!

These containers also stack very nicely. They are great if you need to utilize vertical storage.

3. Use baskets for smaller items.

Smaller items can really drive me crazy in a pantry. They never seem to stay organized and fall over often. Instead of just placing them in your pantry, use baskets to contain like items.

I purchased our light aqua blue baskets from Target. They are also available in different colors!

We use these baskets to separate out things like vitamins, seasoning mixes, spreads, breakfast items (i.e. cereal bars or oatmeal packets), nuts, pasta, rice and coffee items. Again, I decant as much as possible into these baskets as long as they will stay fresh. This helps to save space and keep things tidy.

I also love that I can just pull down a basket and see what’s inside. They act as a drawer of sorts. This helps me to completely avoid the scenario of things being lost in the back of a cabinet only to expire before they can be used!

4. Use leveled storage to see everything at one glance.

I’ve been using this adjustable 3-tier organizer for the past 7 years in all 3 homes we’ve owned. It’s one of my favorite organizing tools. It makes it so easy to see what I have on hand and really stores a lot in a small space.

If you are struggling to organize several small, round items like canned goods, spreads, vitamins, spices, etc. I highly recommend trying a tiered organizer.

5. Label, label, label!

As you are setting up your organized pantry, labeling is one of the best things you can do to ensure it stays that way. Especially in your pantry because it’s used by the entire family!

We use stick on chalk board labels from Hobby Lobby similar to these. You could also use a label maker or make your own on your computer! However you label your items, just make sure you do so. This is a vital step to staying organized.

6. Only buy what you will actually use.

As you meal plan, try to plan meals that you will actually prepare. If it’s something that you don’t think you will have time to fix that week, don’t buy the ingredients for it.

On a similar note, shop your pantry before you grocery shop. Make sure you use up what you have before purchasing new items. This is a great way to keep your pantry clutter free and rotate through everything that’s inside.

I hope you’ve found these tips helpful. Now, what are you waiting for?! Grab your cleaning rags and get to purging your way to an organized pantry!

When was the last time you cleaned out your pantry?