6 Pantry Organization Tips to Maximize Your Pantry Space
June 16, 2020Including a pantry in your kitchen design is a great way to make sure you have enough storage. But, unless you keep things organized, a pantry can quickly become messy, cluttered, and out of control. Here are some pantry organization tips to maximize your pantry space and keep things in order:
1. Group Items by Type and Size
A pantry can hold a lot of items, which is helpful. But, it’s more helpful if you can find what you need as quickly and easily as possible. Grouping your stored items by type and also by size can help use the most of your space while also keeping things easy to find.
If you’ll be keeping a lot of small jars of spices in your pantry, small shelves on the back of the door or a small basket on a shelf can help keep these small items grouped together, contained in one space, and easily accessible when you need them.
Larger boxes of cereal, pancake mix, and other similar dry items are easy to stack together on a shelf. This is particularly useful if you have a shelf or two with a lot of vertical space. Unless you use an undershelf basket, a lot of the space on a big shelf will be wasted by putting small items there.
The exception to this would be small items, containers, or cans that can easily stack to use up the available space. Taking advantage of vertical storage and stacking things where you can are a few kitchen pantry organization ideas that can help you get organized.
2. Transfer Goods Into Clear Containers and Label Them
Another way to maximize available space and better organize kitchen cabinets and pantry shelves is to get rid of bulky boxes and bags and use easily stacked and stored clear containers instead. Most of the boxes, bags, etc. that goods come in have a lot of extra air and space. By transferring these items to a different container, you can dedicate the space you have by storing the actual goods and not the extra air or packaging they come in from the store.
Plus, you can get creative. Glass jars with chalkboard labels are a great way to bring a little rustic or farmhouse decor into your pantry. Whatever container you use, it’s generally a good idea to stick with something clear. In doing so, you can see what you have and how much you have left with a quick glance. And, you can always attach any cooking directions you need to the container.
The other advantage of airtight containers for your dry goods is pest control. Even the most well-kept and clean pantry can end up with pantry moths. These small moths are attracted to dry goods. Keeping your dry goods in tightly sealed and protected containers can help protect your food and prevent pantry moths. They can also help you avoid attracting ants or other pests.
3. Corral Your Cans
Similar can shapes and sizes can usually stack relatively well. But, multiple stacks can make things difficult to find what you need without knocking things over. If you normally have a lot of cans in your pantry, narrow can containers can be a big help in keeping them organized.
Not only are they usually clear so you can see what is in them and how many, but they are also usually stackable. These can be a great way to corral and organize your cans in a more manageable way that also saves space in your pantry.
4. Order Items by Expiration Date
Another one of the pantry organization tips is to order items by expiration date. On top of keeping things organized, doing this can also help reduce food waste. With closer expiration dates at the front, you’re more likely to grab them for your recipes and use them before their quality becomes questionable.
5. Put the Corners to Use
Depending on how your pantry is designed and what you’re storing in it, it might be difficult to store things in the corners without them getting lost or buried behind everything else. Instead of letting this space go to waste, put a lazy susan in place.
These spinning wheels come in a variety of styles and sizes, so you’ll be able to find the perfect fit for your pantry. Not only does this help you better use the corner space in your pantry, but it also allows you to store more there while still being able to access everything easily.
6. Consider Open Pull-Out Drawers
Open shelving gives you a lot of space to work with. But, getting to the things in the back can sometimes be a challenge. Open pull-out drawers can solve this problem.
Not only are they highly visible because they are not entirely enclosed, but they easily slide out to allow you to reach anything you may need in the back – no more reaching, digging around, or rearranging necessary.
These are just a few pantry organization tips to help you keep things organized and maximize your storage space. A pantry is a great way to add more storage to your kitchen design. The right type of pantry and setup plus these tips can go a long way in making sure it’s efficient and clutter-free.
Sometimes, no amount of remodeling, reorganizing, or rearranging can make a house feel like home if it’s no longer right for you. If you’re frustrated with your current home and are ready to get started on your dream custom home, give Custom Home Group a call at 717-284-4090!