| Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... |
An organized pantry can make life a LOT easier for you and your family. Not only will you actually be able to find the food you pay for, but you will waste a lot less money buying duplicate items because you forgot you had something on hand (as your pantry was too cluttered for you to see it.) You’ll also benefit from the fact that an organized pantry just looks better (even on your Instagram feed if you are so inclined).
However, there is more to efficient, and yes, attractive, pantry organization than just stacking tins and boxes. Here’s a look at six things you may not have thought of—but absolutely should—when planning and executing a pantry organization project.
“Like with like” is just one way to organize your pantry.
Yes, it’s true that you should group similar items together—i.e., cooking oils together, nut and potato chips next to one another, spices in the same spot, pastas in one place. But don’t stop there. There are two more ways to subdivide your foods for maximum efficiency.
First, consider the frequency of use. For instance, place the spices you use most in an easily accessible spot. Second, think about your routines and designate discrete storage areas for them. Some examples: a coffee station, a breakfast food shelf, a school-lunch section, and an exercise fuel bin, stocked with energy bars and sports drinks.
You’ll need to institute a “first in, first out” system.
Ask anyone who has ever worked in a grocery store, and they’ll tell you about this one. When they come to restock the produce aisle, often they are told to push the older vegetables and fruits to the forefront and add newer produce to the back.
This practice encourages shoppers to reach for the older (though still relatively fresh) items first and creates, ultimately, less waste. You should follow the same method in your pantry. The items that you may have multiples of (think beverages, onions, cartons of chicken broth, and extra boxes of cereal) should be stored in such a way that the older stuff gets used first.
Some foods just aren’t good neighbors.
Some people like to stock up on onions and potatoes in their pantry. If you do the same, make sure they’re not mingling. Onion and garlic can be stored together, but neither should mingle with potatoes; doing so hastens spoilage.
Also, be sure to keep flours away from strong-smelling items (like cumin and curry powder) so that they don’t absorb any of the flavors. The same goes for bread; in fact, it’s best to keep breads in a bread box.
The real reason to decant has nothing to do with aesthetics.
I love pantries lined with shelf after shelf of matching glass storage jars. They’re just so satisfying to look at! So I totally get it when people rush to decant their dry goods into pantry jars for aesthetics. But the real reason to decant is way more compelling, as certain foodstuffs (flours, sugar, spices and more) left in their bags can attract beetles (or worse)
A well-ordered pantry can mean less work for parents.
A kid friendly pantry can, and should, be a ‘thing’. If you have small kids, be sure to store healthy snacks on a shelf that they can easily access. When they ask you for a snack, you can simply tell them to check the pantry themselves—a much better alternative than having to go to the pantry, report the contents, repeat it all, and retrieve a snack for them. Side note: keep the sweets and less nutritious snacks on a higher shelf. For even more help with this project, check out our detailed blog post here
You’ll never be done organizing your pantry.
Certainly, take a moment after you’ve organized your pantry to admire the results. You can bask in the afterglow for months, in fact. But it doesn’t last forever. The key to keeping an organized pantry is to check in a few times a year to assess its contents.
Old ingredients need to be tossed. Dust and little spills need to be taken care of. Systems need to be tweaked. These quarterly checkups will mean you may never have to completely make over your pantry again.
Need guidance and an extra pair of hands with that first attempt at organizing your cluttered pantry? We can help. The home organization gurus at Just Organized by Taya are especially fond of pantry organization and can help you get yours organized quickly and efficiently, and leave behind a solid plan for keeping things that way. Book an appointment here and let’s get started!
Working with Taya and her team is easy. You can book an appointment easily on her website, or contact her directly at 832-271-7608
- The Ultimate Guide to Organizing and Storing Pet Food (Without Sacrificing Your Home Style) - September 30, 2025
- 25+ Things You MUST Declutter When Selling Your Houston Home - September 25, 2025
- 7 Simple Steps to an Organized Underwear Drawer - September 23, 2025
