There are certain areas of a home that get used on a daily basis— and a pantry is one of them. Whether it’s children grabbing after school snacks, dad reaching for his BBQ utensils, or mom searching for her favourite coffee thermos before she heads to work, pantries see a lot of traffic. And what does that mean?
You can’t ignore them when they’re messy!
Every time you open up your pantry door, there it is— the jumbled chaos of spices, canned foods, tupperware, cereals, pots, pans, and an endless collection of other kitchen items. That’s when the cycle begins.
You tell yourself you’ll get around to organizing it. You set an arbitrary date like “later this week” or “on the weekend”. Then you open it again. You sigh with frustration. You close the door. The week goes by in a hurried rush of responsibilities. You never get around to tidying. Your pantry remains neglected.
It’s a cycle we’ve all found ourselves in. But it doesn’t have to be one we stay trapped in!
Today I’ll be sharing my list of smart and simple pantry hacks to help you regain control of this clutter-magnet space in your home. Let’s get started!
1. Make Wall Hooks Your New Best Friend
Of all the steps you can take to organize your pantry, adding wall hooks is the most game-changing in terms of creating flexible storage options. Wall hooks can be used to hang cleaning supplies, like brooms and mops, or cooking attire like aprons and oven mitts. You can also hang pots from wall hooks, since the vast majority of pots have a hole in their handle.
Whatever you decide to use your wall hooks for, one thing is for certain— when you try it, it’ll quickly become one of your favourite pantry hacks (and you’ll wish you’d done it sooner).
2. Store Vegetables in Mesh Laundry Bags
Tired of onions flaking and making a mess in your pantry? Are you constantly bending down to reach into a bag of potatoes? You need laundry bags!
These handy mesh bags can be used for way more than just laundry. They’re ideal for holding onions, potatoes, garlic, beets, and more. Their breathable construction keeps vegetables fresh, plus they allow you to hang your vegetables on the back of your door or from a wall hook for easy access. Win win!
3. Use Pant Hangers to Store Chips
This might seem unorthodox at first, but it’s actually an awesome space-saving hack. The two clips on pant hangers are ideal for adhering to rolled up, opened bags of chips, and the hanger itself can be hung from wire shelves, wall hooks, or even a thumb tack. This frees up a significant amount of shelf space, prevents chips from spilling, and keeps your pantry looking its best. Definitely one of my favourite pantry storage ideas!
4. Add a Small Rolling Cart
Do you ever leave your pantry with your arms full of items you need to make a recipe? Have you ever wished there was an easier way to move multiple things from your pantry to another area of your kitchen? If you answered yes, keeping a small rolling cart in your pantry is one of the best pantry organization tips to address these problems.
If you’re an avid baker, for instance, you can store all of your baking essentials on your rolling cart. If you hate when small appliances crowd your countertops, you can keep mixers, blenders, waffle makers, and other gadgets on your rolling cart for easy access.
Most pantries are big enough to accommodate a small cart, and it’s an excellent way to improve the readiness of your need-to-reach items.
5. Get a Lazy Susan for Your Spices
Spices can quickly accumulate and take up valuable real estate in your pantry. Plus, they come in a variety of formats— packets, plastic jars, paper sacks— so it’s difficult to find a single storage solution for all your spice-storing needs. For those wondering how to organize a kitchen pantry, lazy-susans are an excellent option since they can accommodate products of many shapes and sizes. Plus, a lot of units come with railing to keep contents in place. Storing your spices on a lazy susan will make them easier to access and prevent you from digging through your entire pantry each time a recipe calls for something other than salt and pepper.
6. Place Your Most-Used Items at Eye Level
Of all the pantry organization hacks I know, this one is easily one of the most impactful in terms of day-to-day efficiency. The middle shelves in your pantry are easiest to see and access, so putting the items you use most frequently in this location reduces the amount of time you spend reaching and rummaging through your pantry.
To further optimize your pantry, I encourage adding labels to all storage containers and organizing systems so you know exactly what’s inside. This is important for all areas of your pantry, but especially for the items you store at eye level, since they’re the ones you’ll need most. You’d be surprised how much time you can save over the course of a month when you no longer have to move things around in your pantry to find what you’re looking for!
7. Invest in Stackable, Open-Faced Bins
It’s impossible to complete a list of pantry organization hacks without mentioning these ultra-convenient bins. They’re perfect for grouping small food packages or other items you want to be able to grab and go.
Snacks, condiment packets, soup mix— the options are endless. And the best part is you can place these bins on top of one another, allowing you to maximize the vertical space in your pantry without compromising accessibility.
With these pantry storage ideas, you can finally get out of the dreaded “I need to organize my pantry” cycle and start enjoying the convenience of a neat, tidy, systemized kitchen storage space that meets your needs.
Blog provided by Rose City Professional Organizing
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