Best Small Pantry Organization Tips & Tricks
This post is about best small pantry organization.
One of my biggest pet peeves is a disorganized pantry. I cook pretty much all my meals at home, so I’m in my pantry constantly. If I can’t find what I’m looking for, it drives me nuts!
My pantry is also super small. I don’t have one of those giant Pinterest-perfect walk-in pantries that I see online. Since it’s small, keeping my pantry organized helps make sure I’m using all the space available. If you’re looking to do a small pantry makeover, or just looking for some simple pantry organization ideas, keep reading.
This post is all about best small pantry organization!
1. Take measurements
This first tip will save you time AND money. Before you do anything in your pantry, take measurements of your space! There is nothing worse than going out and buying a bunch of pantry organization containers, only to realize they don’t fit in your space. Before you head to the store, make sure to measure the height, width, and depth of your pantry.
2. Plan your layout & organize by frequency of use
Once you’ve taken your measurements, it’s worth taking a small amount of time to plan where everything will go. In a small pantry, there’s a limited amount of “prime real estate” (spots that are easily accessible). So, it’s important to use your most frequently used items in the areas that are easiest to grab. I don’t use cereals very often so they’re tucked at the back, whereas my canned goods (black beans, chickpeas, etc) and grains (rice, quinoa, etc) that get used almost every day are closer to the front!
3. Keep your categories general
I personally am a big fan of organizing pantry items by category with different storage baskets (more on my storage basket tips later). So, you’ll need to decide what categories you want for your baskets. The categories you have will depend on your size, but my general rule of thumb is to keep the categories general! For example, I find it way better to have a general “baking” basket rather than having a separate one for flours, sugars, etc.
If you’re doing a pantry makeover and not starting from scratch, you can group things based on what’s already in your pantry. Grouping pantry items by category helps create an easy system to remember where things are!
4. Use storage baskets (avoid clear ones)
If you’ve been following my blog for a while now, you’d know that I’m a huge fan of storage baskets for organization. Well…the pantry is no exception! In a pantry, baskets will help group things together for easy access, and also conceal the clutter.
This may be a personal preference for me, but I try to avoid clear baskets in my pantry. A pantry is naturally a place with tons of different items, so I find it creates a lot of visual clutter if you can see everything you’re storing.
5. Use clear canisters
Buy Square Glass Storage Canister
While I’m not a fan of clear storage baskets, I am a fan of clear storage canisters for your individual pantry items! I’ll admit, this is partly for aesthetic reasons (who doesn’t love the look of a uniform pantry??).
But, hear me out…there’s also practical reasons! It’s really easy to see that I’m running low on an item when it’s in clear storage canisters, compared to when it’s in packaging from the grocery store. I also use Bulk Barn’s reusable container program, which means I bring in my glass containers and fill up on items in bulk. This saves so much plastic!
Do you love the look of clear jars but don’t love the price tag? Tip: save your used jars (ex. salsa, pasta sauce), wash, and re-purpose them in your pantry!
6. Clearly label items
Labelling your pantry items will be helpful for you to keep everything in order. But, it will also help others keep up with your system (what I’m trying to say is…my boyfriend would put things in the wrong place if it wasn’t for labels!).
I’m linking some beautiful minimal labels you can buy, but another great option is to buy a label maker (almost the exact same price!!) and create your own.
7. Take advantage of height
Buy Stackable Cabinet Organizer (Bamboo)
This is one of the best small pantry organization hacks! A great way to create more space in a small pantry is to use vertical space. A stackable shelf will create another layer that you can use for storage.
8. Use Turntables
I mentioned the magic of turntables in my post on 8 Best Kitchen Organization Products You Should Know About, but I’m going to rave about them here too because they’re that amazing! Turntables allow you to have easy access to tons of items with just a quick spin, rather than having to dig to the back of the cabinet.
This post was all about best small pantry organization tips & tricks!
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