An Organized Food Pantry…. Where Do I Start?

No beans about it, the food pantry in your kitchen is an important part of maintaining an organized kitchen.  It may feel overwhelming, but getting creating a functional space can be a piece of cake if you follow these few tips:

Begin by taking everything off of the shelves and creating categories of like items:

• Baby food
• Baking
• Breakfast
• Canned fruits and veggies
• Canned meats
• Drinks
• Meal helpers
• Oil & Vinegar
• Rice/Pasta
• Snacks
• Soups
• Spices/Sauces

Throw out all outdated items and give away items you know you’ll never use that have just been creating clutter.  If you find spoiled or infested foods, throw out it out immediately!

Now you are ready to clean the shelves.  Using a solution of vinegar and water will clear any dust and grease quickly. Line the shelves with easy-to-wipe shelf paper for clean storage.

Now you are ready to organize!!

A pantry should be a place where things are visible and accessible. Where categories of food live should be determined on what you use the most often. It is the principle of prime real estate. For instance if your family loves breakfast, then store these items on a shelf that everyone can easily access. If you have sweet snacks that you prefer to not have available to small hands, then store those on a shelf that only you can reach.

Once you have where things will live figured out, it is time to think about what products you might need to make maintaining organization easier. Here are some great items that can help:

• Canned drink dispenser
• Turntable
• Stepped organizers
• Food pantry organizer bins

Finally, label. You may think this is a step that can be skipped, think again. Labelling ensures that everyone in the family knows where things belong. This will help for putting things away after shopping. Won’t that be nice… division of labor – you shop and watch everyone else put away!

For advice on maintaining your wonderfully organized food pantry check out “Five Tips for Maintaining and Organized Food Pantry”.

If you follow these simple instructions in a few hours (let’s be real taking everything out and then putting it back takes time) you will have the most scrumptious pantry! Treat yourself by trying that recipe you found on Pinterest or going out – whichever is the bigger reward!

Looking for some inspiration – check out our kitchen makeover here!

photo credit: yvestown via photopin cc

Nationally recognized certified organizer, speaker and author, Kathy Jenkins is dedicated to helping her clients simplify their lives by reducing clutter, organizing their homes and offices, and managing their time. She is the President of Come To Order, a professional residential organizing company based in Richmond, Virginia. For more tips, click here to follow Kathy on Facebook.