If you are fortunate enough to have a pantry, you know what a lifesaver it can be. If you're reading this, you've also realized how quickly it can be taken over by clutter and difficult to keep organized. With all that space, it's really tough to keep things nice and neat and easy to find. But, with a few simple tricks, you can find a place for everything and enjoy a neatly arranged complete pantry makeover.
When a pantry gets so cluttered that you have to move or remove things to see what you have, it can be a source of daily tension. We learn to either avoid the process entirely and just buy new things instead of hunt for them in the pantry, or we fumble through each day and end up hating our kitchen. But the kitchen isn't the problem! It's our own fault for making things so cluttered. Fortunately, there's a fairly simple solution.
Simple tips for organizing the pantry
1. Clean it out. First things first. Remove everything from the pantry and set it all in three piles. Don't worry, you'll only have to do this once.
Trash - If it's expired, it's trash. If you've had it over six months and haven't used it, it's trash. If you don't know what it is, it's trash.
Keep - This will likely be your biggest pile, but if you will truly use something, there's no need to throw it away.
Organize - Items that go in the "organize" pile should include things that can be grouped together. For example, group together "like" things such as baking spices, dry spice packets, coffee supplies, and so on.
2. Store tall items in back. Dinner kits, large cans, oversized coffee bags, and other tall or bulky items should be stored in the back of the pantry. This way they won't lock your view of smaller products.
3. Use stepped shelves. By stacking canned goods in a long line in the pantry, you really have no clue what you really have. Thus, you are constantly moving them and making things cluttered. But, by using stepped shelves you know exactly what your stockpile consists of, allowing you to make the most of your pantry makeover.
4. Group like items. Take one shelf in the pantry and use it for storing those like items in your "organize" pile. Things that are related should be stored together. Tea and coffee, powdered drink mixes, pastas, foil and plastic wrap, and so on, can be easily found when they're in one sensible location.
5. Keep it contained. Wicker baskets are the greatest inventions. They're available in a variety of lengths, depths, and sizes. They are absolutely wonderful vessels for organizing the pantry as they are lightweight, look nice, and fit perfectly on all shelves. Use wicker baskets to keep rice packets, pudding mixes, batteries, candles, paper plates and napkins, and many other things neatly organized.
6. Hang it up. Wall-mounted systems are available in all home improvement stores that attach right to the inside of the pantry door. These racks can be used to hold spices, hot pads, baking supplies, and much more. This will allow you to free up shelf space inside the pantry without giving up storage space.
7. Light it up. Your pantry makeover wouldn't be complete without a new lighting system. No, you don't have to spend a fortune having things wired and installed. After all, you won't need that much light! Instead, purchase a few battery-operated tap lights and place them inside the pantry doors. They cost just a few dollars each and provide just enough light to see what you're doing.
More from Jennifer Wagner:
Affordable Ways to Light a Closet
Organize Cords, Cables, and Wires Like a Pro
Preventing Mold in the Bathroom
Source:
Personal knowledge
