Do These 7 Things to Get an Organised Kitchen Pantry
Whether you have a small pantry cupboard or a large storeroom, these seven tips will keep your kitchen essentials sorted
Amanda Pollard
22 April 2019
Senior Editor at Houzz UK and Ireland. Journalist and editor specialising in interiors and architecture.
Senior Editor at Houzz UK and Ireland. Journalist and editor specialising in interiors... More
If your kitchen storage cupboard is more Messy Mayhem than Marie Kondo, a few simple changes should get it organised. Check out these tips to find out how to ensure your pantry is neat, tidy, fully stocked and easy to access.
1. Decant into clear jars
If your dry-storage cupboard is full of half-empty packets and boxes, it can be difficult to gauge exactly what you have in stock. For a more streamlined view when you open the door, decant your dry goods into jars or plastic tubs.
Choose clear storage canisters, rather than opaque ones, so you can see at a glance how much of each ingredient you have left. And label (and perhaps date) them, too, so you can put your hand on the required item immediately.
If your dry-storage cupboard is full of half-empty packets and boxes, it can be difficult to gauge exactly what you have in stock. For a more streamlined view when you open the door, decant your dry goods into jars or plastic tubs.
Choose clear storage canisters, rather than opaque ones, so you can see at a glance how much of each ingredient you have left. And label (and perhaps date) them, too, so you can put your hand on the required item immediately.
2. Make a list
It’s handy to have a surface to write on near your pantry, so it’s super-easy to note down the items and ingredients you’ve run out of. A blackboard on the door like this one is ideal, or you could hang a shopping list notepad inside your cupboard door.
Take a couple of minutes every week to check the contents of your pantry cupboard and quickly update your nearby shopping list.
Is your kitchen nearing the point of no return? Find a kitchen designer and renovator near you on Houzz for a new design
It’s handy to have a surface to write on near your pantry, so it’s super-easy to note down the items and ingredients you’ve run out of. A blackboard on the door like this one is ideal, or you could hang a shopping list notepad inside your cupboard door.
Take a couple of minutes every week to check the contents of your pantry cupboard and quickly update your nearby shopping list.
Is your kitchen nearing the point of no return? Find a kitchen designer and renovator near you on Houzz for a new design
3. Slot in an extra shelf
Utilise space more efficiently in your pantry with a nifty shelf insert like this one. The extra surfaces here hold glassware, but the idea is just as effective for food items.
If you have a large number of tins and jars stacked on top of each other, an extra shelf or two will help keep everything in order without items toppling over.
Utilise space more efficiently in your pantry with a nifty shelf insert like this one. The extra surfaces here hold glassware, but the idea is just as effective for food items.
If you have a large number of tins and jars stacked on top of each other, an extra shelf or two will help keep everything in order without items toppling over.
4. Store like with like
Small tubs and packets can be hard to store side-by-side, leading to a wobbly array of mismatched items. To keep everything tidy and easy to grasp, include small storage baskets in your pantry in order to group similar items together.
Here, the homeowners have used white plastic bins and labelled each one. It’s particularly effective for those items that can’t be decanted into jars, such as noodles, or baking implements, such as cookie cutters.
Small tubs and packets can be hard to store side-by-side, leading to a wobbly array of mismatched items. To keep everything tidy and easy to grasp, include small storage baskets in your pantry in order to group similar items together.
Here, the homeowners have used white plastic bins and labelled each one. It’s particularly effective for those items that can’t be decanted into jars, such as noodles, or baking implements, such as cookie cutters.
5. Dedicate the door
Don’t forget the cabinet door when it comes to making the most of every centimetre. You can buy shelf units that hang off the top of the door, or install a system like this with a track and some adjustable wire baskets.
It’s important to consider the internal shelves when incorporating door storage, however. If the shelves reach all the way to the front of the cupboard, you’ll need to position the racks so they sit in-between them. Alternatively, you could ask a local carpenter to shave a few centimetres off one or more of the shelves.
Walk-In vs Cabinet Pantries: What Will Work Best in Your Kitchen?
Don’t forget the cabinet door when it comes to making the most of every centimetre. You can buy shelf units that hang off the top of the door, or install a system like this with a track and some adjustable wire baskets.
It’s important to consider the internal shelves when incorporating door storage, however. If the shelves reach all the way to the front of the cupboard, you’ll need to position the racks so they sit in-between them. Alternatively, you could ask a local carpenter to shave a few centimetres off one or more of the shelves.
Walk-In vs Cabinet Pantries: What Will Work Best in Your Kitchen?
6. Turn around
Bottles and small jars can be tricky customers when it comes to storage, as it’s difficult to locate an item at the back of a shelf without knocking over the others. In this situation, a carousel is your friend.
These circular trays, like the ones pictured, can be spun all the way around, so you can position all your bottles and jars on top, and access each one easily.
Bottles and small jars can be tricky customers when it comes to storage, as it’s difficult to locate an item at the back of a shelf without knocking over the others. In this situation, a carousel is your friend.
These circular trays, like the ones pictured, can be spun all the way around, so you can position all your bottles and jars on top, and access each one easily.
7. Consider pull-out storage
If you’re lucky enough to have a pantry cupboard that goes from floor to ceiling, this idea will make life easier. Store all those heavy items, such as potatoes, in boxes on wheels at the bottom.
In this pantry, the homeowners keep bulky goods in crates on castors, which can easily be wheeled in and out.
A Kitchen Joiner Reveals: 3 Things I Wish My Clients Knew
If you’re lucky enough to have a pantry cupboard that goes from floor to ceiling, this idea will make life easier. Store all those heavy items, such as potatoes, in boxes on wheels at the bottom.
In this pantry, the homeowners keep bulky goods in crates on castors, which can easily be wheeled in and out.
A Kitchen Joiner Reveals: 3 Things I Wish My Clients Knew
Your turn
Do you have any good tips for keeping your pantry organised? Share your ideas in the Comments below, like this story, save the images and join the conversation.
More
Is your pantry and kitchen storage in need of professional intervention? Find a professional home storage designer or organiser near you who can custom-make storage solutions to suit your kitchen
Do you have any good tips for keeping your pantry organised? Share your ideas in the Comments below, like this story, save the images and join the conversation.
More
Is your pantry and kitchen storage in need of professional intervention? Find a professional home storage designer or organiser near you who can custom-make storage solutions to suit your kitchen
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Gréât tips. Thank you Afsoskhan
Great suggestions.
Happy New year
too much stuff.........