Pantry Organization Tips

Pantry Organization Ideas

A messy pantry adds up to a lot of waste in terms of food, money and time. If you can’t find what you need, you may end up making an unnecessary trip to the grocery to purchase something you actually already have.

Follow these Pantry oganization tips because food items that get shunted to the back of cluttered shelves end up spoiling.

Additionally, an incorrectly organized pantry can cause perishables to spoil more quickly. In this article, we will discuss Pantry oganization ideas to help you get your pantry organized. Read on to learn more.

Start With A Blank Slate

Although it may seem like a lot of trouble, the only way to truly organize your pantry is to empty it out. Take everything out, toss anything that’s gone bad and sort the rest into categories (more on that later). Wipe the shelves clean. Paint them if necessary and finish up by lining them to protect them and make cleaning easier the next time around.

Before you put your items back in your pantry, be sure to have them logically sorted into categories such as breakfast cereals, canned goods, baking goods, bottled juices, coffee, tea and so on. You should also organize items such as canned goods into sub-categories, such as soups, canned veggies, canned fruit, etc. This makes it easier to find what you need.

Make Your Pantry Accessible

When you replace your items on your shelves, group your categories by purpose. For example, it’s a good idea to put your baking goods and your spices close together.

Remember that dry goods should be stored on a fairly high shelf (about eye level) to prevent them from collecting moisture. Place canned and bottled goods on lower shelves.

When determining placement, you should also consider who will need which items. You can save yourself a lot of time and your kids a lot of trouble by placing snack foods on a lower shelf so that they will be easy to reach. Place items you use frequently in easy to reach locations. Place items you seldom use on higher shelves or in clearly marked storage containers so that you can find them easily when you need them.

Avoid Wasted Space

Make the most of your shelf space by using a Pantry organizer such as square
storage containers and bins
. For example, canned goods stored on their sides in a bin that can be slid in and out like a drawer are easier to access than stacked canned goods.

A bin of the right size can help you use all your vertical space on your shelves. You can label each bin as to the contents or use a color coding system (e.g. green for veggies, red for fruits, orange for pet food, etc. )

Baskets are also very helpful in making the most use of all the space you have. Keeping light, oddly shaped items like chips in a basket allows you to see what you have on hand and keeps random chip bags from cluttering up you pantry.

Large plastic totes with lids are also very helpful for keeping large, oddly shaped, heavy items organized. A covered tote is a great place to keep bags of rice, beans and pasta. They also come in very handy for storing “extra” items when you take advantage of sales. For example, there’s no reason to have a dozen cans of tomatoes taking up space on your shelves. Tuck them into a covered bin on the floor below your shelves until you need them.

A Pantry organizer such as a stackable can rack is one item many cannot live without. It puts the canned goods in one place and then all you have to do is place the newest items to the back of the line.

Invest in cupboard organizing tools to help you make the most of your space. Placing lazy-susans in corners is a great way to prevent stray items from drifting into the corner and staying there forever. Place small items like spices on lazy susans for efficient storage and easy locating.

Stock Your Pantry Wisely

Remember to keep your pantry stocked by keeping an ongoing list. You don’t always have to wait until you need a staple food item to purchase it. That attitude defeats the purpose of keeping a well organized pantry. The idea is to watch for good sales on non-perishables and stock up within reason. That way you will always have items you need on hand. This will save you money and time in the long run.

Think about the items you use regularly and strive to always have an extra. If you usually use one can of beans in a week, purchase two (or more) next time you go to the store. When you see that you have only one or two cans left, add that item to your list to stock up next time you go to the grocery.

Good Organization Helps You Live In Abundance

When you take the time to follow these Pantry oganization tips and keep it well stocked, you will soon find that it is very easy to prepare simple meals without having to rush around looking for misplaced items.

A properly managed pantry reduces your trips to the store, thus reducing your gas expenses and probably your stress level.

Purchasing non-perishable items in bulk or on sale can save you a great deal of money and then you will be able to find them on your shelves because of the Pantry oganization ideas. Basically, having everything you need at your fingertips is an excellent way to enjoy a more abundant life.