Organize the kitchen pantry
The kitchen pantry is another space that feels incredibly overwhelming to organize! When we downsized, my kitchen storage space was cut in half. My new walk-in pantry would have to serve as a multifunctional closet storing everything from food to candles to party serving dishes. I could either choose to organize the kitchen pantry or let it become the black hole of clutter where I would spend entirely too much time looking for things.
The SIMPLE organization system
The more blogs I write about organizing, the more I realize regardless of what you’re organizing, the steps are the same. It’s a process called SIMPLE and it goes like this:
- S is for sort like with like
- I is for identify what to keep
- M is for make a home for it
- P is for put it in conatiners
- L is for label it
- E is for establish a routine
Step 1- take everything out
That’s right. Pull everything out and organize like with like on your kitchen counter, table or even the floor. Some examples of categories you put together could be breakfast food, pasta, canned goods, baking goods, Tupperware, or candles. Take stock of the huge controlled mess around you and decide what needs to go in the trash. Start with expired products. Then move onto things that have been open and unused for year. Do you have 20 cans of corn? Now is the time to donate those to a food bank. If you have two bottles of open olive oil, combine them. Those party plates from your 19 year old child’s 10th birthday party need to go.
Step 2- Prepare the pantry
Time to clean! Wipe down all those shelves and the floor. Now is the time to line the shelves with contact paper and if you’re feeling creative put up some peel and stick wallpaper. Another option is to paint. This is a closet you open everyday- it might as well make you smile!
Step 3- design your space
In any closet, the vertical space is very important! Are you going all the way to the ceiling with storage options? If not, this might be the time to add some additional shelves. Common spacing between shelves should be 12-14″. The next step is to assign zones to your space. I like doing this on a sheet of paper. Higher shelves need to be assigned things that aren’t accessed often. This is where I store seasonal items, a chafing dish that only comes out for parties, and oversized Tupperware. If you have kids you probably want to assign a lower shelf for their snacks.
Your main shelves will hold the things you access daily like pasta, chips, and breakfast food. The floor is great for oversized trays, bag storage, and the dog food bin. To optimize some of the floor space I have, I use a plastic 3 drawer organizer to store vitamins, medicine, and band aids. Since I lost so much space in cabinet storage I even have an overflow of water bottle and Yeti cups stored in the pantry . Make full use of all the corners. Some ideas are to use a lazy susan or store your paper towels there. In the end, the goal is to be able to see everything.
Step 4- Put it in containers
Once you have all your items together in like groups, and you have assigned zones to the shelves, it’s time to decide where everything goes in. Is it a basket, a bin, a drawer, or on a lazy susan? Measure your shelves depth and height. See what you have around your house that you can repurpose and then treat yourself to a couple of new things. Unlike the refrigerator, I prefer for these containers to not be see through. You will know what’s in them because they will be labeled but a pantry looks too busy when items are all in the open. Certain things like, flour, sugar, or even cereal can be fun in a clear bin, but otherwise I would stick to baskets.
Step 5- label, label, label
This is a very important step, especially if you want to keep this pantry organized for any length of time. You already have like grouped with like, so labeling should be fun and easy. Examples of labels:
- snacks
- baking
- breakfast
- pasta
- coffee/tea
- medicine
- recipes
- water bottles
You get the idea!
Step 6- add the final touches
Do you have room for a fun rug to soften the space and add color? Is there wall space or door space where you can hang a bulletin board or wipe off board? Remember you will probably be in this space numerous times a day, so it’s a great place to put reminders or coupons you don’t want to forget about.
Step 7- Establish a routine
Now that your pantry is organized, how do we keep it that way? Give the family a tour of the new space and make sure they understand where everything goes. Make adjustments as needed. Now when you are creating a grocery list, you can take a quick visual inventory of what you do and don’t need. There is no need to have multiples of the same thing. There will be times that clutter will creep back in (like when my college son was home for break) or when it’s a holiday. Don’t get discouraged! Editing should take no more than 15 minutes and the organization will be restored!
Here are some other blogs to help organize your kitchen and simplify your life. Check them out!
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