3 Ways to Maximize Your Kitchen Pantry

It’s interesting how everyone often congregates in the kitchen, isn’t it? The kitchen and pantry truly are the hub of the house, so it’s no wonder it’s a challenge to both organize them and keep them organized—especially if you have a large family and/or a busy lifestyle.

• Items can shift and move daily, so it’s not always a guarantee that an item you’re looking for is in the same place you left it.

• When grocery shopping, how many times have you picked up items you thought you didn’t have, but when you got home discovered you have multiples hiding in the back of your pantry?

• A poorly organized pantry can lead to overcrowding, falling items, and the inability to clearly locate items. This can make food prep and mealtime less efficient and more chaotic.

Are you ready to maximize your pantry? Great (I’ll assume you are, or you wouldn’t be here)! I’m going to share with you 3 tips that will help you maintain your pantry organization with less effort, so you can breathe easier each day.

TIP #1 | Group your foods by category.

This makes items easy to find and easy to put away. Below I’ve provided you with a list of category examples, but please feel free to adjust this list so it works for you and your family. The only suggestion I would make is that you don’t want your categories to be too specific. Keep them broad.

• grains (breads, pasta, flour)

• sweeteners (honey, sugar, stevia)

• baking (chocolate chips, marshmallows, dried fruit, small baking accessories)

• condiments (mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup, jam, peanut butter)

• cooking sauces (broths, spaghetti sauce, rue for us Cajuns 😉)

• drinks (chocolate milk, tea, coffee)

• breakfast (cereals, grits, oatmeal, breakfast bars)

• paper goods (paper plates, Solo cups, plasticware, napkins, paper towels)

• snacks (fruit snacks, chips, snack bars, beef jerky)

• canned goods (soup, vegetables, legumes)

TIP #2 | Use containers that make food easily accessible.

These make foods more accessible, and the right organizers are easy to use, easy to refill, and make pantry upkeep a cinch! Below is a list of organizers to look for that fit the bill.

• Lazy Susans

• stackable drawers

• open bins

• containers that only require 1 simple step to open

• containers that only require 1 hand to open

• cereal containers

• clear containers

TIP #3 | Label, label, label.

This ensures finding and grabbing an item is quick and easy, and putting an item away is quick and easy. It also helps everyone in your home (or at work) participate as a team to stay accountable to keeping things organized. Below is a variety labeling products you could use to organize your pantry.

• label maker

• chalkboard labels

• custom vinyl stickers

• masking tape

• mailing labels

I hope you enjoyed these tips! If you did, I’ve been working on something special you might enjoy even more. Hop on the mailing list to get the latest and receive my free guide on why spaces get disorganized (and how to fix it). You can also check out the 5-part series sharing my entire Quick Declutter Process, so you can take your next steps to a home with less overwhelm and more joy.