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The pantry could arguably be the toughest area to keep organized in your home, mostly because it's a "high traffic area" and contains such a wide variety of shapes and sizes of items. But fear not! After lots of experimenting, rearranging, and trial & error, I believe I've found the best hacks for keeping your pantry organized, no matter the size. Read on to learn more!
The Big Secret
Most problems in the pantry happen because things get shoved and lost in the back behind larger items, especially if you have deep shelves. For the most part, if you can't see the items, they will be forgotten and expire. So the trick is to make everything visible and accessible, and the best way I've found to do this is with clear storage. So with that in mind, read on for the best pantry hacks out there.
Hack #1: Turntables
AKA Lazy Susans for those who know, turntables are my #1 hack for a reason. They make it SUPER EASY to organize anything that comes in a bottle or small container, and the spinning factor makes it so that everything is easily accessible. I use turntables for my spices {and I have LOTS}, oils & vinegars, some canned goods, hot sauces, and other jars & bottles.
PRO TIP: Be sure to get a turntable with high enough sides for what you are looking to store. I store my medicines on a turntable without sides and the bottles always fall over and that drives me crazy.
If you can't see the items, they will be forgotten and expire, so the trick is to make everything visible and accessible.
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The two-tiered option is good if you have a smaller pantry. Typically, vertical space is wasted when you are storing smaller items, so this is a good way to utilize that space. Also, be sure to measure the space you have and get the largest turntable possible for the space.
Hack #2: Clear Containers
Another perpetual favorite of mine is clear containers, or bins as I call them. I have so many different sizes and they are also THE BEST in the pantry.
How you organize really depends on how you use your pantry and WHO frequents your pantry. If you have little kids, you are going to organize differently than if you live alone.
Quick Tips:
Empty all individually wrapped items (granola bars, fruit snacks, etc) from their box into a smaller container like these (also below). You can keep the small containers inside the larger ones if you like, or keep them separate. Just be sure they can't get lost among the larger stuff!
Try organizing in rainbow order if you are so inclined. I try to do this in my pantry mostly because I like the way it looks, but somehow I always end up with more blue packaging than all the other colors, so it doesn't always work out.
For the most part, I keep my cans, jars and bottles on turntables separate from the boxes and bags in rainbow order, unless I need them to complete a colored bin ;)
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Hack #3: Containers with Lids
I like this storage method best for nuts, seeds, oats, flour, sugars, etc. mostly because these containers are stackable, so you can make better use of your vertical space. I don't use the tall cereal/spaghetti containers because I think the boxes those two items come in work perfectly fine, but this is just a personal preference.
The main trick for these containers is finding the right size for what you need to store. I like the XOXO Pop Containers because of the sizes they offer, and you can get a set of different sizes, or just buy the ones you need.
Many of these containers come with labels which is a great idea if that's something you like to do, but I typically don't label my pantry items because then if I switch out the food that's in the container, I have to either peel off the label or place one on top of the other which I don't like.
MY AMAZON FAVORITES
A Few Other Random Hacks
The Bread Buddy. I just ordered this, can't wait! I hate it when the bread gets smashed.
Glass Jars with Cork Lids. I am obsessed with the way these look, although I haven't gotten them yet because I don't feel they use space efficiently. But I may have to find a place for them because they're just so cool!
The Best Bag Clips. Don't leave your bags open, or worse, don't use a rubber band! These are so cute and come in SO MANY colors!
Water Bottle Storage. This is a great solution if you keep your larger water bottles in the pantry like I do.
Small Packet Containers. Just ordered this too! I've been trying to find a better way to store my electrolyte packets, and I think this will work perfectly. Several sizes available.
Over the Door Organizer Rack. This was one of my favorite things in my last house because the pantry was super small, but this gave me so much more storage space. Just be sure to measure!
Subscribe to the blog for more tips, or reach out at stacy@stacywardhome.com
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