How Pantry Organization Can Save You Time, Energy & Money Year-Round

Cooking is a necessity, but that doesn’t mean it has to feel like a chore. It can be a fun and pleasant experience. But finding joy in cooking is challenging when working in a disorganized kitchen. A chaotic pantry will lead to excessive time spent searching for ingredients and purchasing duplicates of items you already have. What could be more frustrating?

If you need help keeping a pantry well maintained, or if you're looking for new ideas, keep reading. I'm sharing four tips on transforming your pantry from cluttered chaos to clean and pristine.

Tip #1: Remove All Items & Review Expiration Dates Before Restocking

Start with a clean slate to make the most of your pantry deep clean. Check each item's expiration date and test for freshness before setting it aside. Once your pantry is empty, wipe it down well with your favorite all-purpose cleaner. If you want to add a shelf liner, now is the time before you begin restocking.

Tip #2: Create Categories & Commit to Keeping Like Items Together

Consistency within a home's organization makes it easier to maintain on a day-to-day basis. Regarding my pantry, I like to keep similar items together to easily locate an ingredient without needing a photographic memory. By keeping all of my oils and cooking vinegar on one particular shelf, I always remember where to look for the rarely used toasted sesame oil.

Tip #3: Select Storage Solutions & Start Saying No to Excess Packaging

Depending on your pantry's size, shape, and location, you may experience different challenges in staying organized. The best-utilized pantry maximizes the space while keeping as much visible and easily reachable as possible. If you are working with overly deep shelves, tiered pantry inserts will allow you to use the shelf's full depth while maintaining sight of the back.

Lazy Susans are another excellent option for deep shelves and can help keep groupings together. I also suggest organizing based on the frequency of use. Keep anything you rarely use in a clear-lidded bin in a place out of reach.

Tip #4: Make a Plan to Maintain the Space & Move Through it Monthly

Even the best-laid plan can go awry, so it's understandable if your pantry falls out of order over time. The key is being diligent in tidying more often to avoid getting out of control. I find the longer I go between re-organizing, the longer it takes to straighten out. Dedicating one cleaning session a month is a good rule of thumb for maintaining a well-organized pantry, but see what works best for your home.

For some, spending an afternoon deep cleaning and purging a pantry sounds like a day at the beach. Others would rather be getting their teeth pulled. If you are the latter, don't assume all hope is lost. Focus on keeping one shelf or cabinet organized. With time, the benefits of staying organized will encourage you to expand to other areas of your kitchen and home.

P.S. If you’re looking for more organization tips you can implement at home, be sure to sign up for our newsletter.

Until next time,

Donna