Between all of the bean tins, tuna cans, spices, and chip packets, your pantry or store cupboard can fast become a disaster area. The problem is that when you’re busy, organising this space is just not a top priority. During the national lockdown, you’ve most likely had a host of other things demanding your attention, too. However, by putting one day of the weekend aside you can organise your pantry so that it’s easy to maintain in the future. Check out these nine really satisfying and easy ways to declutter your food storage.
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1. Get Clear Storage Containers
One of the fastest ways to give your pantry an instant makeover is to transfer your food into clear glass containers. This makes your cupboard look a lot neater immediately because all your items are in matching (or very similar) containers. It also makes it a lot quicker and easier to find what you’re looking for. Things like flour, pasta, seeds, nuts, small snacks, and dried fruit, look great when displayed in clear jars so you can open your pantry door with confidence the next time friends come over.
Is this pantry porn, or what?
2. Install Door Storage
The inside of your food cupboard or pantry is the ideal space for storing things you use often, such as spices, rolls of aluminium foil, cling wrap, freezer bags, school snacks, and cooking tools. However, try and stick to light items that aren’t too bulky so you don’t weigh down your doors or make them hard to open. A hanging, over-the-door storage solution works well here, and you don’t even need tools to install it.
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3. Be Storage-Smart
Once you’ve decanted your food items into clear containers, think about how you’ll pack them in your pantry. With a little thought, you can make it a lot easier to store and access your food. Square containers will allow you to fit more on a shelf, while shelf dividers and corner racks will also give you extra space. Wall racks are a great way to store herbs, spices, and small jars. Baskets are useful for storing chip packets or snacks on the floor of your pantry as they double-up on space and visibility.
4. Label It
Labels are not only a great way to satisfy your inner OCD nerd, but they also ensure that the pantry stays organised long after you have done the initial purge. Create a label for each container or basket that describes what the product is and its expiration date, if applicable. This avoids any confusion or doubling up, plus, it makes it easier for the rest of the family to keep the pantry organised. Always keep the labels facing the front for quick viewing.
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5. Organise Items By Type
Does it usually take you a long time to find ingredients in your pantry when you decide to bake something? Do you tend to have three bags of flour open at one time because you keep misplacing it? One way to get around this problem is to organise your pantry items by type. Place grains together, flours together, jarred sauces together, etc. This way, when you can’t find a particular item, you know to write it on the shopping list.
6. Group Products By Date
Now that your food is stored in clear containers, with labels, and organised by food type, it’s time to organise each group by its expiration date. Place the freshest items at the back and the older ones at the front so they can be used first. This also makes it a lot easier to write your shopping list as you can see at a glance what you need and how soon you’ll need it.
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7. Get In The Zone
One sure way to reduce meal preparation time is to look at your lifestyle and identify the cooking categories that apply to you. Do you enjoy baking? Do you prefer quick and healthy dinners you can whip up in a flash? Designate an area of your pantry to that kind of cooking with the items you use most often within easy reach. For example, if you only keep tinned food for emergencies, you can banish the beans and tuna to the back. Just don’t forget about them entirely!
8. Install Open Shelving
If you only have a small space for a pantry and limited cupboard space, consider installing some open shelving in your kitchen. It helps if your walls and shelves are neutral in colour as this will make the space appear bigger and more organised. Also, opt for matching storage containers as this will look more uniform and much neater than a haphazard collection of jars and tins.
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9. Run A Pantry Audit
With the tips above, your pantry is well on its way to becoming an organised masterpiece. However, it’s also great practice to clean your pantry every three to six months or so. This gives you an opportunity to dust and clear out any unused or expired items.
Begin by removing the items and spray the shelves with an all-purpose cleaner. Wipe, and once the shelves are completely dry, replace the containers neatly and with their labels facing the front. If any jars or containers have leaked, give them a wipe before you put them back.
Follow these tips and you’ll soon know what it’s like to display your organised pantry with pride.
Compiled by Food and Decor Editor, Claire Badenhorst
