Perfect Pantry Organizing Tips

Whether you’re dreaming of a picture perfect pantry or you’re just tired of not being able to find what you need, as professional organizers we here to share some secrets to a well organized pantry!

Why organize your pantry

Organizing your pantry will decrease waste! Having a well organized pantry prevents over buying because you will know what you have. No more buying duplicates! It was also help limit your food waste. When you can find what your looking for when you need it, food is less likely to expire before it is used. It will also help you save time. No more wasting time searching for something when you need it!

Sort & purge

Like any area of your home, the first steps to an organized pantry are sorting and purging. Pull everything out of your pantry, tossing any expired items as you go. Use your table or counters to sort your pantry items into categories. Some frequently used categories are:

SNACKS
BAKING
BREAKFAST
BEVERAGES
PASTA & RICE
OILS & CONDIMENTS
PAPER GOODS
SPICES

Planning

Now that you have an idea of what your categories are and how much space is needed for each, you can being planning your pantry layout. You want to zone your pantry in a logical way. Think about how often items are accessed, but also think about WHO accesses them. Consider what snack you want kids to be able to grab themselves and what you may want a bit higher on the shelves.

Think about things like functionality and ease of use. Plan for your family’s needs. A stay at home parent who loves to bake has different pantry needs than a family where both parents work full time. Parents with 3 kids under 6 will need to plan very diffferntly than empty nesters.

Utilize your space

When you’re planning, consider any forgotten spaces. Use an Elfa over the door organizer to maximize this overlooked space. You may also want to use vertical space by wall mounting items. When possible, clear the floor, but, if you must use floor space, contain any items on the floor into bins to create proper homes.

choose your organizing supplies

Many of our clients go into a pantry organizing project saying they want all clear bins- in fact, many articles offering pantry organanizg tips also recommend going all in on clear bins. Clear has the advantage of allowing you to see what is inside. However, after years of organizing panties, we can tell you, clear bins INCREASE visual clutter. Our professional opinion- pair a clear option with a solid. This will give you the benefit of being able to see some items while hiding messier items like chip bags.

Create a uniform look

I know, I just told you to mix clear and solid bins, but once you’ve selected once clear option and one solid option, stick to your choices. Don’t be tempted later when you spot a bin that’s new and cute or on sale.. Keep your look consistent and put like bins next to like bins.

to decant or not to decant

Of all the steps involved in organizing your pantry, here is where you need to be most honest with yourself. Cansiters look amazing! But, are you going to take the time to decant your items into them? If you are up for this task- fantastic! However, if you know your lifestyle will never allow you the time to refill cannisters after a shopping trip, don’t set your beautiful new pantry up for failure! Skip the decanted flour and sugar and opt instead of a basket labeled “baking supplies”.

label

Label every bin and basket. You can use broad labels like “Kids’ Snacks” or specifics like “Granola Bars”. Find what works for you, but labeling is a must! This will help ensure everyone in your household can unpack groceries and find what they need.

maintain

Take inventory and “shop” your pantry before heading to the store so you don’t stock up on items you already have. The New York Times Wirecutter experts recommend tiding your pantry frequently as you unpack new groceries.

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Hi, I’m Meghan,

Professional organizer, mom, former educator, wife, and auntie. I am dedicated to minimalism, greener living, and community service.

I believe organization can relieve stress and help all aspects of your life function more smoothly. I hope the information here can help you create a more peaceful home and lifestyle!

Five Organizing Products Professional Organizers Say NOT to Buy

The organizing industry is booming, and with that comes an endless stream of products promising to solve all your clutter problems. Some of these will be useful. Others create more issues than they solve and ultimately lead to more clutter. As professional organizers, we’ve seen it all—closets overflowing with unused bins, pantries cluttered with “organizing solutions” that don’t actually work, and garages stacked high with well intentioned purchases that only ended up adding to the chaos.

So before you fill your cart with yet another organizing gadget, here’s a list of a few products our team recommends you do NOT to buy.

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1. This toy storage solution

We have never seen this work well. Here’s why these end up in the donation pile.

• Kids don’t put things back. The number one goal of an organized playroom is that the kids can clean up after themselves. The way this shelf is set up, they end up just throwing toys in random bins and it becomes a catch all.

• It doesn’t maximize storage space: this design limits the type and size of toys that it can actually fit.

• It looks bad. I mean honestly. This multi colored look is only adding to the visual clutter. Plus, even after it’s “organized” it still looks messy because everything is on display.

Try this Instead

A cube shelving system. These are so versatile and hold a ton of items. You can use them for storing items for every age group from baby and toddler toys to video games to college text books. Bonus: they’re about the same cost as the plastic toy storage organizer.

2. Hanging Fabric Closet Organizers

These organizers hang from a closet rod and seem like a great idea, but they are not. Here’s why.

• You lose hanging space. Often these are added to already small and cramped closets to add storage space. The problem is now you are losing precious hanging space.

• They encourage stacking items. Stacking items is rarely a great way to organize things. Stacking makes it difficult to get to an item on the bottom and difficult to put items away neatly.

• They look bad. The shelves sag under weight and the items on the shelves are on display, causing visual clutter.

Try this instead

Add baskets to your closet to hold the same items. Try adding a smaller storage cube shelf to the floor, or using an over the door organizer.

3. Hanging Fabric Gift Wrap Organizers

Another well intentioned product that just doesn’t work. Here’s why:

• The pockets aren’t the right size. They rarely work for gift bags.

• They don’t hold enough. We often see these overflowing with bows and bags that don’t properly fit.

• They’re cheap and often the weight of the wrapping paper ends up tearing the pockets.

• They look bad. Again, all of the items are on display adding to the visual clutter.

Try this instead

Over the door Elfa Gift Wrap Solution - only if you have a minimal amount of gift wrap. If you have a collection, try storing in bins, separated by type (holiday, paper, bags, bows, etc).

4. Stackable Can Organizers

Pantries can be challenging to keep organized. These look like a dream solution…until you actually use one.

• They often don’t fit standard pantry shelves and hang off the edge, causing a safety issue.

• They only make sense if all the cans in each row are the same item.

• They are difficult to re-stock and therefore, not practical.

Try this instead

3 tiered shelf for larger amounts of cans or turntables for a more minimal amount of cans. Both of these options give you more visibility and accessibility to your inventory, making them a more functonal option.

5. Pre-Packaged or Varity Packs of Organizers

These might be a pack of nesting baskets, a variety pack of pantry canisters, or a variety pack of drawer organizers. In any case, steer clear of these.

• The sizes aren’t practical. We often purchase these because we need one or two of the items and we think, why not get a set? With a set, many of the items included are the wrong size. You rarely need itty bitty plastic canisters, for example.

• Varying sizes of organizers often look like visual clutter when actually in use.

Try this instead

Measure your space and get exactly what you need at a place like The Container Store, where you can purchase the exact size in the exact quantities for your particular project. The more your products match, the more appealing they will be to the eye.

Hi, I’m Naomi!

Founder of Charming Spaces, professional organizer, wife, mom of three and passionate advocate for women.

I hope this blog is everything you’re looking for, but feel free to shoot us a message and follow us on Instagram!