How-to: 5 Tips for Organizing Your Pantry

Sophie Duvall

The pantry is like the closet of your kitchen. It doesn’t have to be color-coded, but if it isn’t organized it can make the experience of putting a meal together a lot more chaotic than is necessary.

So, to make your culinary conquests enjoyable ones, we’ve put together a list of five tips for organizing your pantry. From bulk foods to limited storage, it's a recipe for success.

1.) Clear as Day

If you’re like us, you don’t have much self-control when it comes to the bulk foods section of the grocery store. Almond flour, crunchy granola, dried plantains, oh my!

But those bags of delicious goodies can be difficult to store once they’ve arrived home so ditch them for clear containers. Available in a wide-range of shapes and sizes, it will be easy to find ones that fit your pantry’s layout. You can even add cute labels to customize the containers to fit your kitchen’s style. Just don’t forget to include expiration dates on the bottom.

2.) Within Reach

Have unexplainably deep shelving? Don’t let another can of black beans disappear from reach. Install pull-out drawers so you can easily access anything in the back.

3.) Stow Away

For those flimsy packets of protein powder and the like, store them in small storage bins. It will help declutter your pantry space plus, save you time rummaging through every shelf post-workout. Install the bins to an inside wall of your pantry to make even more room.

4.) Make Reservations

For the items you buy most frequently, make a designated spot for them in your pantry that is clearly visible and easily accessible. Whether you’re a master chef or the next great baker, you don’t want your culinary genius to be stifled because you can’t find your go-to ingredients.

5.) When to Say Goodbye

In the spirit of Marie Kondo, the world-renowned organizing consultant, a tidy space can transform your life and “spark joy.” Now, we’re not asking you to take every pantry item into your hands and see if it brings you joy, but you should consider how often you use the things that are currently in your pantry, and you absolutely should check to see if they’re expired. That can of coconut milk you bought three months ago for a curry you never made? Well, make it or donate it. That paprika you occasionally add to a meal for an added kick that expired a year ago? Throw it out and buy a new one.