Realistic Pantry Organization
- katherine diane
- Feb 16, 2021
- 3 min read
So we've all seen those beautifully color coded pantries with fancy containers and labels in beautiful handwritten calligraphy on Pinterest and online. And I'll admit that I too, am kind of in love with the way a perfectly color coded pristine pantry looks. But the question is, is it possible to upkeep a rainbow, color coded, labeled, pretty pantry day in and day out. The answer is: of course, to an extent... I know, not very helpful, but I promise I have some wonderful insight on this down below.
Table of Contents
my final thoughts
#1 Plan For Success
The first thing you need to think about when curating a clean and organized pantry is what purpose it serves. Is your pantry for the sole purpose of storing food or appliances, grocery bags, etc.. that also need a home? Do you have space to store bulk items somewhere else in your house? Do your cleaning appliances have a home? Function will determine what kind and how much storage you need.
Check these printable organization worksheets below!
#2 Zones
Once you've cleaned out the existing items in your pantry and made a list of your remaining items, try to divide your space into zones. I like to keep similar items together. For example, baking supplies, snacks, canned goods can all be arranged into their own sections. Check out our zone printable here.
HELPFUL TIPS
Place heavy/bulky items on the bottom shelves
Place common household items at eye-level
Place little used items or seasonal items on the top shelves
Have a step stool handy
Use wheeled bins on the floor to pull out from under shelves easily
#3 Containers
Taking your packaged foods and transferring them
into pleasing-to-the-eye containers elevates your
pantry and makes everything easier to find.
It's important to keep your stored items visible.
Often times if items aren't visible, you'll end up
buying more of the same thing and forgetting what
you already have.
It may seem like a lot of work, but this step will
streamline the entire process.
#4 Labels, Labels, Labels
Once you have all of your food items organized into their own containers, make sure to label everything.
For specific items I buy in bulk often, I label and contain them individually. For example, flour, sugar, almonds, cereal, etc..
For things I use less often or switch up, I label them more generally. For example, having a snack bin for all your rotational snacks. It's still labeled but more generally.
#5 Storage
Storage is important for a well-organized pantry. Be sure to store items vertically, on walls, behind doors, or stacking options!
Finding proper storage spaces and properly utilizing them is an important thing to remember while coordinating your pantry, especially in a small space.
#6 Keep it Realistic
This could possibly be the most important part, keep it real. Your life is not a perfectly staged Pinterest photo. If having your appliances on the counter works best for you, by all means, leave them on the counter. If your vacuum needs to stay in the pantry, let it. Keep it real.
FINAL THOUGHTS
A pantry is one of the most used spaces in your home. It's no fun to be digging around looking for something you bought for one specific meal, months ago. An organized pantry is an easy way to elevate your kitchen and re-organize your home.
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