Do you dream of a spotless kitchen and an organized pantry straight out of Pinterest? Pantry organization can be a tough project. The endless food bags, boxes, mason jars and cans all mixed up together can be an overwhelming sight.
We get it, adulting is hard work and it’s hard to know where to get started, but there are so many reasons why you should start organizing your pantry today!
A messy pantry makes it hard to find the ingredients you have, hard to keep track of food expiration dates, and will often lead one to double up purchasing items that you already have hidden somewhere.
Kitchens are meant to be joyful places that bring people together and that is exactly what we want for you. From chaos to calm, step by step we will help you reduce the clutter and create beautiful spaces, giving you freedom to do the things you love to do with the people you love.
Up next, we are going to share the Savvy & Sorted® Method including our Top 10 Tips for Organizing your Pinterest Worthy Pantry. No need to spend thousands on a professional organizer. We promise after reading these tips nothing will stop you from creating the pantry of your dreams!
(Note: It is important to note, this project can take a few days to complete if you are starting from scratch. The time to complete can be shortened if you pre-purchase all your containers, labels, baskets, drawer inserts, basket tags, etc. Please measure your spaces in advance to ensure you purchase the correct sized storage products to prevent further delays.)
1. Know how you like to cook and how you move around your kitchen.
Everyone purchases and uses food ingredients so differently and what works for one family might not work for the other family. There is no cookie cutter solution to pantry organization. The best pantries are personalized, they are specific to the family dynamics in the household. It is important to take time to consider the food you love to cook, the ingredients you love to consume, the appliances and kitchen utensils you use and overall how you like to spend your time in your kitchen.
Here are some good questions to ask yourself before you get started:
- Do you need a large space for fresh ingredients and spices because you like to cook from scratch?
- Do you need ready made meals and handy snacks easily accessible for a household managing many children, sports, school and working schedules?
- Are you a baking fanatic and need a dedicated space for all of your baking supplies and cake decorating equipment?
- Does your family have specific dietary requirements such as Celiac, Keto, Paleo or Weight Watchers?
These questions will help frame the optimal mindset for organizing your personalized pantry to perfection.
2. Remove everything, taking note of what you have.
The next step in your pantry organization journey is to remove everything out of the drawers and pantry cabinets, taking note of what you have. Get ready, you may need a large empty space for this step. Make sure you check all of the expiration dates. Get rid of all the things you never use or that have already expired. This is the perfect time to declutter!
Next, separate everything into major categories. We suggest separating by food, appliances, kitchen supplies, tableware, etc.
Now we can narrow down each one of the main categories into food groups, frequency of use, accessibility, etc if it makes sense to do so. In other words, for the items you cook with or consume on a daily basis, you need to be conscious of making these items accessible. For example, when categorizing your food ingredients, try separating as below:
Type
Canned goods, Beans & Legumes, Soups, Rice, Pastas, Baking Ingredients, Fruit & Nuts, Cereals, After School Snacks, Lunchbox Food and so on.
Frequency & Accessibility
Everyday Cooking: Coffee, Pastas, Grains, Cereals, Snacks, etc
Moderate Use: Canned Goods, Tomato Sauce, Soups, etc
Occasional Use: Baking Supplies, Cake Decorating, Refills, etc
Remember, this will be personalized to your household. Reflect on your answers to the questions in Tip 1 to keep in mind your ideal way of utilizing your kitchen space.
3. Let’s clean up that pantry!
Now you have a perfect white canvas to start your pantry project! We recommend doing a deep clean before starting with your pantry organization. This can be accomplished by using eco-friendly disinfectant or homemade cleaning solutions (check out Savvy & Sorted’s favorite homemade kitchen spray recipes). Just make sure all of the pantry surfaces are super clean and dry before replacing any items back into the cupboards.
4. Assign a space for each category you created.
Visualize your space and assign a place for each category you created in Tip 2. Here is a handy tip. Take in consideration how frequently you use these products to define where you are going to place them. The items you use the most must be easy to reach for everyone in the house.
5. Measure your pantry space.
Once you have determined where you are going to place all of your categories, it’s time to measure the space to make adequate and efficient use of it. Make sure you have your note pad to keep track of all of this information.
Use a measuring tape to get the length, width and height of your cabinets and drawers. This will ensure you purchase the correct size storage containers, baskets, spice racks, etc for your space.
Another helpful tip is to consider the volume size of the storage container required for the pantry items. For example, if you are an avid baker, then you probably require large air-tight flour containers. These can be very tall, so it’s important you take this size into consideration at this stage of planning. We will cover more on this when you are ready to purchase these containers in Tip 7.
6. Define a style for your pantry.
Do you want a Hamptons or Farmhouse style kitchen, or what about a Modern Minimalist kitchen? There are so many beautiful styles of pantry organization products to create the kitchen of your dreams.
This can consume a lot of time, especially if styling does not come naturally to you. Here are some helpful suggestions to get you inspired. If you have a Hamptons, Vintage or Farmhouse style kitchen, we recommend bamboo containers, fabric baskets with beautifully labeled hanging white basket tags, and Savvy & Sorted® chalkboard labels.
If you are trying to create a Minimalist pantry cabinet, create this style with airtight acrylic containers or glass jars with black lids, black wire baskets with labelled black basket tags and our Minimalist Spice & Pantry Labels.
For a fresh modern vibe, we love the style of our bright White Sunshine Labels with white or clear acrylic baskets, clear basket label tags and add a touch of rose gold or natural bamboo elements.
7. Purchase containers and storage baskets that fit your pantry.
Now you have chosen the style and you know your pantry space and drawer requirements, it’s time to purchase all the containers, baskets, pre-printed labels, hanging basket label tags, spice racks, drawer inserts and more.
Ask yourself these questions:
Does your kitchen pantry have deep cabinets or do you have a butler pantry with narrow shelves?
Will you stack containers or categorize items in baskets with labelled tags?
Do you need airtight containers or open lids?
Do you use this ingredient frequently and require an extra large container?
Will your containers fit the volume of food you purchase?
(i.e. if you purchase a 5 lb. bag of flour, you will need approx 4.4 qt storage container. )
Go back to your food categories and list out the quantity of containers and the volume sizes required. Make sure you double check measurements for your shelves, drawers and overall pantry dimensions. If you require stacking storage containers, make sure you take these measurements into consideration.
When you need to save space, opt for category baskets to contain the items, or go for medium sized containers for the frequently used products and smaller sized containers for the rest. If you have deep drawers look for storage containers that help you occupy more height space. For instance, acrylic can organizers that allow you to stack cans of soda or canned goods upwards.
There are so many ways to make your pantry organized and efficient. Make it easy and make it work for you!
Shop our Savvy & Sorted® range of organizing labels, spice labels, chalkboard labels, basket tags, and so much more.
(Note: You can save time by purchasing all of these items in advance, but please make sure you measure everything prior to purchasing and order the correct quantity.)
8. Start assembling containers and baskets.
Before filling in all the pantry containers it is important to clean and dry everything completely to prevent your food from spoiling.
Make sure your pantry containers have an airtight seal, this way the food is protected from moisture and contamination, and add Expiration Labels to your containers for foods that can go off.
Use storage baskets with organizing hanging labels to contain food groups that don’t warrant individual containers or that are not visually pleasant like snacks bags, jars, cans, bottles, partially consumed items, etc. Remember to seal all open bags using bag clips or special vacuum seal bags.
Organize your refill baskets according to your categories, this makes it easy to find the food when it’s time to refill your containers.
9. Labeling... where chaos ends and bliss begins.
This is the most fun and satisfying step for us! It’s the final touch for a perfectly organized and neat pantry - adding labels to all your containers and basket tags!
Whether you like handwritten chalkboard labels or prefer neat pre-printed labels, Savvy & Sorted® has a solution for you.
Our Pre-Printed Minimalist Spice and Pantry Labels are a raging success, currently the Best New Release on Amazon. With a modern style, they are classy and elegant, and an absolute must-have in a modern decorated kitchen pantry. We know you will love them!
Our #1 Best Seller Chalkboard Labels are perfect for any pantry style. Using our Double Sided (Chisel or Bullet) Liquid Chalk Markers you can create beautiful farmhouse style labels or a modern straight-edge vibe. They are waterproof and dishwasher safe!
If you are more discrete but still want to easily identify your spices, our White Sunshine-All Caps Spice labels are perfect for you! Set on a clear background with a beautiful, fun and fresh font, these labels bring joy every time you open your spice drawer.
Find our range of Expiration Labels to remove the guess work in determining the freshness of your pantry items.
10. Reap the rewards of your efforts.
Give one last clean up before putting everything away in its perfect place ensuring labels are on display.
And Voilà! There you have it, your Pinterest Worthy Pantry! We guarantee sweet bursts of bliss every time you open a drawer or cabinet door. Spend the time getting it right and it will be so incredibly easy to maintain. What’s more fun, with all the labels, now no one will have an excuse for not putting things away where they belong.
Check out the Savvy & Sorted® range on Amazon.com or shop directly on our website for newly released styles and organization products that will keep you inspired and your home tidy!
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