Are you tired of playing a fierce game of Tetris every time you need something out of your pantry? If so, you’re not alone. A small pantry is a force to be reckoned with, for sure, but you can tame its wily ways with the right organizational touch. Ready to get started? Here are five quick pantry organization tips to help you out.
Take Inventory
Organizing a small pantry starts with knowing just what you have on hand. To do that, pull all of your items out of the kitchen pantry and put them on the counter. Then, write down each item you currently have plus whatever you’re likely to buy at the next trip to the grocery store. By doing that, you’ll be sure to have a designated spot for everything you want to store in your pantry.
Whittle It Down
Next, look over all the spices and other ingredients in your pantry to see what you can toss out. Check ‘best if used by’ dates and throw away the old items. If you’ve recently changed your diet, watch for things you do not eat anymore. You can then either give them away or toss them in the bin if you prefer.
Group Like Items
Now look over the remaining items and reflect on what categories of ingredients you have, like:
- Spices
- Sauces
- Noodles
- Beans
- Soups
- Baking ingredients
- Canned goods
- Snacks
Don’t forget any small kitchen appliances you may store in the pantry as well, including waffle irons, blenders, and deep fryers.
After that, simply group up the like items to see how much space you need for each category. Reflect on where you’d like to find each set of ingredients as you prepare your meals.
Set Up Your Space
Once you understand how much space each ingredient category will take up, it’s time to set up your kitchen pantry with:
Lazy Susan
Small pantry organization starts with a lazy Susan on at least one level. This turntable stores all your spices, sauces, and more while making them easy to find and grab. Look at your pantry shelves and the items you’d like to store to see if a single or dual level turntable will work best. Then, measure the shelf to find the ideal lazy Susan size for your needs.
Image Credit: Amazon
Clear Storage Containers
Clear storage containers work great for organizing all your noodles, beans, and other packaged ingredients. For the best results, use multiple small containers instead of a single big one for each shelf. Each container should hold the items without stacking, so you can see what’s there at a glance. Wherever you don’t have room for containers, use dividers to break up the space.
Image Credit: Amazon
Over-the-Door Organizers
Over-the-door organizers work wonderfully for snacks and other small packages, like:
- Gravy
- Drink mix
- Instant oatmeal
- Granola bars
- Soup packets
When placed in bins and baskets, these items tend to create a lot of clutter over time. So, separate them into their own pockets and you have grab-and-go goodness at your fingertips at all times.
Image Cedit: Amazon
Add Labels and Assign Each Item Its Own Spot
With your pantry organization out of the way, it’s time to add labels to each item and assign them their own spots. Don’t forget to leave space for the items you’re going to replenish on your next grocery store trip. Then, let everyone in the household know where each item lives, so they’ll return them to their rightful spots as well.
With these pantry organization ideas on your side, it’s easy to get your small kitchen pantry working for your needs. Just remember to repeat this task quarterly to remove outdated items and reorganize the space to your liking.
