What is the Best Way to Keep Your Pantry in Order?

Let’s talk pantry organization. No matter how hard you try to keep everything in the right place and easy to access, it still can end up getting messy every other week. This may be because of your kids running in to get snacks every few hours and subsequently destroying the flow of your pantry in the process. Regardless of the cause, here are a few helpful tips to keep your pantry looking how you wish. 

PANTRY HACK 1: Use clear canisters as much as you can.

We love these canisters. They are perfect for all your dried foods like cereal, pasta, beans, rice, and flour. Since they’re clear you can easily tell when it’s time to restock your items! They also store twice as much food as the original package. We also recommend using clear bins if you have space in your pantry to store vegetables like onions, potatoes, garlic, etc. You’ll never find another moldy potato hiding in the depths of your pantry again! Seriously, clear containers are a lifesaver! The perfect way to be functional, while also adding a cohesive look to your space. 

PANTRY HACK 2: Create a kid-friendly area.

To keep yourself from going insane every time your kid pulls out a chip bag and throws it back in the wrong spot, create a designated space and make your child aware that it is where their snacks go. Make this area on a low shelf in your pantry with open bins, and stock with all of their favorite snacks and drinks in a way they can easily visualize. It is important to label everything so they have no confusion when wandering into the pantry. Kids actually LOVE labels! 

PANTRY HACK 3: Take advantage of your space with lazy susans.

Lazy susans are the best way to group items together and allow you to easily visualize what you have. We like to do this for oils, condiments, or even spices. It is also great because you don’t have to pull out anything to get to that one ingredient you’re looking for, especially on a deep or corner shelf. 

PANTRY HACK 4: Double your shelf space with shelf risers.

If you have high shelves and feel like you don’t have enough space, this is for you. Using a shelf riser gives you double the storage without having to stack things on top of one another. 

PANTRY HACK 5: Label EVERYTHING!

This may be important for kids, but it is equally important for adults! Labeling gives you a visual break and gives you an idea of exactly what you have. You won’t have to squint at what is inside your container to tell what kind of beans you’re looking at anymore! We love using a label maker to do this, but it can also be done with dry-erase or chalk marker labels! Quick tip: general label categories can be grains, snacks, or goodies.

PANTRY HACK 6: Separate your pantry into zones. 

This is just like how we suggested for children’s snacks but for every space in your pantry. All your dried foods can go in one spot, snacks in another, condiments, chips, etc. This allows you to easily find your items, but it also cuts down time when putting groceries away!

Life gets messy, especially in a high-traffic area like the pantry. Having homes for everything can’t always stop that, but it will help you be able to put things away in their proper homes quicker than the time it took you to read this post!

Need help organizing or designing your pantry space? Contact HGO to set up a free consultation!

Were these tips helpful? Let us know if you have tried any of these hacks in the comments below!