10 of The Best Kept Secrets for Organizing Your Kitchen Pantry

Employ a Multi-Tier Rack System

Pantry cabinets are often deep, however, that usually means various cans and boxes of food are pushed to the back and forgotten about. Additionally, when searching for a specific food item, it's very hard to see the items in the back when there are a ton of other things in front of them. Solve both of these problems by employing a multi-tier rack system.

This is best done with a 3-4 tier organizer where each tier is slightly higher than the one before it. Because of this height differential, it makes it just as easy to see the items on the highest tier in the back as it is to see the items in the very front. This tier system is best utilized for canned food and various food boxes, such as pasta noodles and crackers. 

Remove Food Items From Their Packaging

One often overlooked aspect of pantry organization is keeping food in its original packaging. Whether your pantry is filled with cereal boxes, cookie containers, or peanut canisters, the original packaging is not meant to preserve food once it's opened. This typically results in food going stale before its expiration date, or even worse, leads to an infestation of bugs looking for their next meal.

When organizing your pantry, always use BPA-free airtight containers to store your food once the packaging is opened. Whether the container is made of metal, plastic, or glass, the airtight feature will not only preserve the quality of your food but also help to keep bugs out of your pantry.

Plus, food boxes are notoriously awkward to keep organized, with the various shapes and sizes. Removing your food from the original packaging can help make organizing your pantry much easier. This is especially true if you opt for a set of similar-sized containers, or better yet, stackable containers.

Labels Are Your Best Friend

Alright, so you've removed your food from the original packaging. Now, it's time to label everything! Labels are vital for helping you determine which container keeps what food. While most containers are see-through, some food items, such as sugar and flour, can be easy to mix up.

Avoid accidentally using sugar to knead your bread dough by labeling the correct containers. Opt for labels that are easy to peel off so you can re-use the container once the item inside is gone.

Another option, besides buying a label maker, is to simply use masking or washi tape to serve as labels. These less expensive options get the job done and can be easily removed when the time comes.

Utilize Door Space with a Hanging Rack

The more space you have for storage, the more organized your pantry will become. Delish recommends making every space count by utilizing a hanging rack on the back of your pantry door. Door racks have multiple tiers for storage that can almost double the size of your pantry if properly utilized. Some even have hooks that you can use to hang measuring cups or utensils from.

Don't have a pantry door? Not a problem. You can also opt for a much smaller rack that can hang on the back of cabinet doors in the kitchen. While these don't offer as much room as a door rack, you can get multiple racks to hang on as many cabinets as you see fit.

Establish a "Grab-and-Go" Station

Have a family member that seems to always destroy your pantry in the hunt for a snack? Don't let the hard work of organizing your pantry go to waste. Establish a quick, "grab-and-go" station!

One centralized snack spot eliminates the need for rifling through the pantry. Additionally, it offers a quick "grab-and-go" feature for those busy days when you barely have time to eat. Just grab a snack on your way out. Another added benefit of such a station is that it makes it much easier to keep track of when you're running low on certain snacks.

Place Soon-to-Expire Items in The Front

Purging your pantry of expired food items is one of the first steps of effective kitchen organization. However, for those items that are on the verge of expiring, keeping them front and center makes for good practice. Don't let those items go to waste. If you employ a rack system for food, this tip could mean always placing new items in the back and shifting the older items to the front, which is exactly what The Organized Home advises.

Create a Custom DIY Chip-Clip Rack

Chances are, like any other house in America, your pantry is full of bags of chips. Whether opened or unopened, these poofy bags end up getting in the way and taking up valuable cabinet space. Fortunately, there is a solution!

Practical Whimsy Designs offers a step-by-step guide for creating your own custom DIY chip-clip rack that is made from a wood board and spring clamps. While you can design and paint the rack any way you like, the idea is the same. Such a rack offers space to clip your bags of chips to the outside of your cabinets.

Not only will a DIY chip-clip rack help clear up space in your pantry, but it also offers the added ability of preserving the freshness of the chips in opened bags. Additionally, the rack will make it easier to tell when you're running low on a certain type of chip.

Lazy Susans Can Come in Handy

A Lazy Susan is a nifty little invention that spins around in one spot. Incorporating such a device into your pantry is a great way to up your organization game. Store these bad boys in your pantry cabinets and keep items such as spices, condiments, tea sweeteners, and sugars on them. Since these devices spin around, it makes it much easier to find the items you are looking for. Easy peasy!

Install a Dry-Erase Board for Keeping Track of Groceries

How many times have you gone grocery shopping only to realize you forgot to get something? Gone are those days when you install a dry-erase or whiteboard in your kitchen. Keep this board next to your pantry and when you run out of an item, write it down as a reminder to pick up prior to your next grocery run. These boards can also help you keep track of ingredients on hand for meal planning.

While it may be tempting to completely max out the space in your pantry, it's best to leave room to grow. You never know when the next big snowstorm is coming, which means stocking up on extra supplies. Or, perhaps a holiday is on its way, or even a pandemic.

Whatever the situation, leaving extra space is a great tip for long-term organization. Designate an empty bin or shelf for those "rainy-day" supplies. Otherwise, your pantry will re-clutter during those situations, wasting all the effort you took with organizing it in the first place.

Conclusion

While most people know the basics of pantry organization, the best-kept secrets above offer a leg up in the organization game. Better organize your pantry by employing a multi-tier rack system, removing food from its original packaging, and keeping empty space for emergency situations.

Additionally, adding organizational accessories, such as a door rack, dry-erase board, Lazy Susan, and DIY chip-clip racks can help you stay organized. One of the most important parts of your household, an organized pantry means an organized home!

Sources

• https://www.delish.com/food/a52476/kitchen-pantry-organization-ideas/
• https://www.organized-home.com/posts/organizing-pantry-tips-secrets-mistakes/
• https://www.practicalwhimsydesigns.com/chip-storage-rack/