Organize Your Kitchen Pantry

Get tips for creating a streamlined space for your foodstuffs


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    Streamline Your Shelves

    Create a Kid Zone

    In the Haskins house, the kids head straight to the kitchen after school. They used to ask Mom for a snack. Now they just grab cookies, granola bars, pretzels or Goldfish crackers from easy-to-reach jars. "I put all their snacks at midlevel for quick access," says Susan.

    Spruce Up the Space

    Susan's first step: She cleared out everything. Next, she cleaned and painted the shelves and pantry walls a vibrant color. "I wanted to make it look as attractive as possible, so I figured, why not start with a fresh coat of paint?" she says.

    Use What You Have

    Glass jars that had been stashed in the basement now hold dry ingredients like flour and sugar, as well as the kids' snacks. "The glass makes it easy to see when I'm running low." And baskets that were seldom used now hold packaged goods on lower shelves. "I just slide them out and get what I need."

    Opt for Erasable Labels

    Susan wanted labels, but she didn't go with the everyday kind. Instead, she bought inexpensive chalkboard wall decals at Target and punched out label shapes with her scrapbooking paper punch. "Now I can quickly erase and relabel the jars whenever I want to make a swap," she says.

    Ease the Morning Rush

    "Before school is the busiest time in our house," says Susan. "The kids need to be fed fast; lunches have to be made in a hurry." Having go-to breakfast items and lunchbox snacks (packaged oatmeal, breakfast bars, mini-bags of chips, pudding cups) in one place helps get everyone out the door on time. Even pet food gets its own spot, since Susan has to feed the family's two dogs each morning too.

    Lucas Allen
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