Is your pantry a dumping ground, can’t find what you want and many ingredients are out of date? Follow these 10 tips to change the pantry from a mess to a well organised storage area:
1.Store “like items” together – Set up your shelves just as they do at the supermarket where similar items are together. For example biscuits and snacks, breakfast cereals, canned and packet food, treats, desserts, drinks, cleaning products. Papergoods, toiletries, pasta, rice and other grains, baking, spices, nuts and seeds, condiments, sauces and oils
2. Declutter – In an attempt to keep less stuff ask yourself if you each gadget, appliance, utensil, container. Don’t forget the other “stuff” that is lurking at the back of each shelf. Also ask yourself “When was the last time that I used this” or “do I have another appliance that will do the same job?”
3. Create a permanent home for everything!
4. Consider storage options – Cardboard boxes or plastic tubs you already have at home will be fine for the job.
5. The perfect pantry look – If want to achieve the “perfect pantry look” with clearly labelled containers, matching baskets and containers (as pictured above) work out what items you need to store in each collection of “like items” and buy containers the right size. Buy packets of ingredients the right size to fit in the containers.
6. Frequently used items – Store your frequently used items on the shelves that are easy to reach (usually between knee and shoulder).
7. Less frequently used items – Store less frequently used (and heavier items) on the lower shelves.
8. Use dividers – Use dividers (some sort of container or box) as a great way to keep things from falling over. This helps ensure everything stays upright in its permanent home.
9. Create your own drawers – Dividers can be used like a drawer that slides out so you can reach items towards the back of the shelf. (There are some great ideas to use dividers in my blog here).
10. Return each item to its permanent home – Each time you return an item to the pantry, make a conscious decision to return it to its permanent home in a neat, ordered position.
Once you have followed these 10 tips you will find that having less ingredients, gadgets and appliances mean less to keep clean. It will also mean less to keep organised, less to store and easier for other family members to replicate.
*in this article, pantry refers to a cupboard, shelf, drawer or any other area dedicated to storing food, gadgets and kitchen appliances,
Need more help?
If you need a thorough guide to declutter your pantry read my previous blog How to: declutter and organiser your pantry.
If you need hands-on help to declutter and organiser your pantry check out my services here.
If you are outside Melbourne we can do a virtual consultation where you show me the space on Skype or Facetime and we come up with some ideas on how to get it organised so it works for you.