It doesn’t take long in our busy lives for a kitchen pantry to become a colossal disaster. Food gets left in there too long, shoved to the back of the pantry, and goes stale if not bad. Meanwhile, we keep adding to our food collection until we are suddenly overwhelmed with chaos.
Kitchen pantry organization is essential for efficient meal preparation, easy access to ingredients, and minimizing food waste. Consistently taking inventory of your pantry helps avoid overbuying, reduces waste, and saves money.
Here are some kitchen pantry organization ideas to help you maintain an efficient kitchen pantry.
1. Clear the Canvas
There is no way around it. If you want to do a proper job of cleaning your pantry, you will need to empty it of all items and start fresh. Wipe down the shelves, scrubbing up any spills. With all of the food out of your pantry, it is easier to take inventory and purchase the appropriate storage containers or consider adding more permanent organization solutions like ShelfGenie® pull-out shelving or drawers.
2. Declutter Ruthlessly
Check the expiration dates on food in your pantry and throw away anything past its prime or no longer in use. Donate unopened products that are still good but that you won't use. This will free up space in your pantry and help it stay organized longer.
3. Categorize and Group with Clarity
Take a step back and determine zones for your kitchen pantry. Sort the pantry items into categories, grouping similar items like canned goods, dry goods, snacks, cereals, spices, and baking supplies.
4. Protect your Shelves with Shelf Liners
Drips from honey and jelly, oils, and other liquids stick to your shelves and leave a sticky mess. Shelf liners make for easy wiping. They also prevent your kitchen shelves from getting scratched if you load and slide cans, heavy pots, and small appliances in and out of your pantry.
5. Choose the Right Containers
Transfer loose food items into clear containers to keep it organized and help food stay fresh. You may also need bins or baskets to store additional items that already come in a bag or smaller box.
6. Label Containers and Their Spot
Label your containers and shelves for efficient kitchen pantry organization. Use a label maker, chalkboard labels, or sticky notes. Labeling containers and the shelf or space where they belong also helps everyone in your home locate items and know where to put them back.
7. Designate a Kid-Friendly Spot
Foster independence by dedicating one of the lower pantry shelves to access snacks and drinks your kids may have when they get hungry or thirsty.
8. Utilize Door Space
Consider door pantry organizers to hold seasonings and other small items that easily get lost in the depths of the pantry.
9. Use Extra Wall Space For Vertical Storage
Utilize extra wall space for hanging larger items. Place hooks on the walls to hang brooms, aprons, grocery bags, and more.
10. Maintain a First-In, First-Out (FIFO) System
FIFO is an efficient system for storing and rotating food. The idea is to move new items to the back of your pantry, which should encourage you to reach for the food that has been in storage the longest. This helps food from going bad. And since you’re moving older items to the front of your pantry as you go, you’re more likely to keep it well organized.
Schedule a Free, Obligation At-Home Consultation
To learn more about how ShelfGenie® can transform your kitchen pantry space so it’s easier to organize, schedule a free, no-obligation design consultation with us today! use our simple 3-step process to get the well-organized pantry you’ve always wanted. And you know the job will get done right because all our work is backed by the Neighborly Done Right Promise™, which ensures your satisfaction.
Contact us today to see how we can create the ultimate pantry upgrade.
