Do you swoon over images of organized spaces online? Do you want to organize your pantry but don’t know where to begin? Keep reading! I’m going to show you how you can have your own swoon-worthy pantry!
Organizing a pantry or cabinet isn’t just to look amazing (although, that makes it more fun, ha!) it needs to serve a purpose. Having an organizing system helps save you time and money. When items are easy to grab and go, you’re more likely to use them and not let them get old and go to waste. Think about cereal. If you (or someone in your household) forgets to fold that little plastic bag and tuck it back into the box, it will be stale the next time you go to make yourself a bowl of your favorite midnight snack. There’s nothing worse than having a craving for something just to find out it’s all gone or has gone bad.
So, how can you tidy up your pantry and save some moolah and time? Let me tell you!
Take the Time to Assess your Space
The first step is the hardest, but stick with me, it will be worth it. Take inventory of the categories of items you have in your pantry space. Make notes of how you want to organize things. For example Snacks, Pasta, Cereals, Baking Items, Spices, Chips…you get the idea. Make a list of how many bins or baskets you will need to sort your items. I love using baskets like these and clear or white bins like these or these to sort mine. Bins and baskets can be pricey, but Amazon, TJ Maxx, and Marshall’s are great places to bargain shop, so look around and find a few that work for your space and style.
Start with a Blank Slate
Next, pull everything off of the shelves; you want to start with a blank space. Once you have a clean shelf, arrange your bins how you will use them. I like to keep similar items close together. I have an area of multiple bins that all contain snacks, but I arrange the snacks into categories; fruit snacks, granola bars, chips, crackers, etc. Don’t be afraid to try things out and change them up as you figure out what works for you.
You can also use labels like these, or leave the bins/baskets blank if you think you’ll use them for different items in the future. The idea is to keep things looking simple, while also making them easy to grab and go.
Start Unboxing and Organizing
The initial process to organize your pantry takes some time, but maintaining your newly organized space is much easier once you have this system in place.
Start unboxing items that are individually wrapped, like fruit snacks, snack-size chip or cookie bags, granola bars, etc. Place the items in the bins and organize them however you will use them. There are endless ways to organize your pantry items, so pick a starting point and adjust as you figure out what works for your family. I like to keep my kids’ lunch items together and my breakfast bars and foods in another spot. This is so helpful for our family in the mornings when we’re rushing around trying to get out of the house on time. I can reach for one of each snack to add to my girls’ lunchboxes and grab my breakfast bar to eat on my way to work (yes, I’m aware that my breakfast routine is insanely unhealthy, ha!)
You can also use glass containers like these to put flour and sugar in, so they are both pretty and easily accessible. Try leaving a little scoop inside, like this one, to make it easy to add to measuring cups.
Stand Back and Enjoy your Efforts
Take a step back and look at your newly organized space (and don’t forget to give yourself a pat on the back!). The time and money you will save yourself will be sooooo worth the effort you put in. And now that you’ve tackled that space, you can use the same steps to organize another area, such as the dreaded under-the-sink chaos (cue the horror movie music!)
