Our house was built in the early 50s and when we moved in, there was NO PANTRY. Really, where did people put their food?! There was also no kitchen island and very dingy cabinets. Not to mention white tile countertops with white grout. ANYWAY … a lot has changed including our food storage situation.
We added this cabinet pantry where an old doorway used to be. On either side (behind the drywall) there’s brick. We recessed the pantry cabinet as far back into the wall as we could for additional storage.
Our pantry measures 20” deep x 28” wide and has six adjustable shelves. It’s no walk-in pantry, but it’s WAY better than what we had before…which was nothing!
Here are five tips for keeping a small pantry (or really any size pantry for that matter) organized:
1. Think through what you need to store / organize.
Take an inventory of what you have. What do you need to organize? Do you keep a lot of canned goods on hand? Or different kinds of flours that need canisters? Do you keep lots of snacks for little ones? What needs the most help? What items tend to end up just getting stuffed somewhere? Your goal is to find a workable, functional home for everything.
2. It can be pretty AND functional.
If the space is visually appealing, you’ll probably enjoy it more and will be more likely to keep it that way! Easiest way to make it pretty = baskets and bins that are the same or very similar. That way the eye moves across the space “evenly”.
You can certainly use what you have on hand, but if you are investing in similar storage containers, be sure to get extras. You can always return the ones you don’t use. I also like to use the storage bins that can be wiped down. *Don’t forget to measure your space before shopping for baskets/bins!
3. Group like with like.
Oils, baking items, grains, cereals, snacks, etc. Categorize and group strategically for how you and your family do things. Make it work for you!
For example, I have all my baking items in a bin/basket together. Brownie mixes that I keep on hand, vanilla extract, store-bought graham cracker piecrusts, etc. I don’t bake very often, so that bin is kept on a top shelf. Which brings me to the next tip…
4. Keep frequently used items within easy reach.
Items that are NOT frequently used can go on the top or “back” shelves. Items that are used often, such as cereals and snacks, should be easy to reach and preferably in clear canisters.. Also, something to keep in mind, if you want to keep things INACCESSIBLE (think little hands), you may want to store those things out of reach. 😉
5. Tidy up every now and then.
Having a system in place and a home for everything will help keep things tidy and in place, but just know that you will have to “re-calibrate” from time to time. Also, if something just isn’t working for you or your family, don’t hesitate to change it. Again, make it work for you!
Also, here’s a bonus tip that I learned fairly recently:
Did you know that you’re not supposed to store onions and potatoes together?! They make each other spoil more quickly. I used to do that. Now, I store potatoes in a wire basket in the pantry and onions in another drawer. You live, you learn!
Here are a few things that I use to keep my pantry organized:
- Better Homes & Gardens clear plastic containers – stackable
- Easy-to-wipe resin baskets – I picked mine up at Beall’s Outlet, but there are similar ones here and here.
- Shelf for canned goods
- Plastic tray for sodas
Hope these tips help you not only get your pantry organized, but help to keep it organized! Do you have any methods/tools that help keep your pantry organized? Please share in the comments below!
As always, thanks for being here!
Leave a Reply