7 things you can do today to get your small pantry organized and functional.
Nothing says Happy New Year like a fresh and organized pantry. I’m sharing with you my top tips for small pantry organization.
When we moved to our new home a few years ago, I left behind a really great pantry space for a home that had no pantry at all. While I do have tons of extra storage in our kitchen cabinets an actual pantry was non-existent.
I was able to take our entryway closet and convert it into a pantry that is not only super functional but also holds a ton of product. I hand painted a faux wallpaper for free using leftover paint and built in DIY Floating Shelves to maximize the space.
No matter what type of space you’re working with you can apply the following small pantry organization tips.
***Big thanks to Walmart for sponsoring this post! I have been monetarily compensated for my work, but all thoughts and opinions are my own. We only share what we love here, and as always, thank you for your support!***
Empty and Clean
The first thing you want to do is remove everything from your space. And I mean everything. You need to be able to see what you’re working with from a clean slate. Wipe down any existing shelving, bins and or baskets that need cleaning and the floor.
Dispose of anything that is expired or beyond use (hello stale chips and cereal that my kids didn’t close back up!). If you have non-perishable items that are still in date, but you know you’ll never use consider donating to a local food pantry or shelter.
Group Like Items
Now you can start to categorize like items together. Grouping things together by category makes it easier to find, put away, and keep inventory of what you have on hand. Here are some category suggestions to use as a guide. You likely won’t use all of these, but it may help you to arrange your space in a way that works for your family.
Remove Store Packaging
Remove store bought packaging, as much as possible. This helps streamline the look of your pantry, reduces bulk, and makes things look more cohesive and accessible.
Contain
Baskets, bins and storage containers will be your BEST friend when tackling small pantry organization. I personally prefer to use clear containers for my smaller items, and larger baskets and bins for the larger more unsightly things like bags of chips and bread.
Storage containers can be a huge investment. I have slowly built up my collection over time. If you’re just starting out get creative. Cardboard boxes wrapped in a nice contact paper will serve you well. Mason jars can be bought in bulk for a reasonable price, and think twice before throwing out your used spaghetti jars or protein powder containers.
Label
Once you have everything categorized and contain you’ll need to create easy to change labels. My favorite thing to do is to use paint markers to write on the surfaces of glass or plastic.
When I need to change them up, they can easily be removed with some rubbing alcohol, and then I can rewrite the new contents on the front. This also works great for writing cooking instructions or expiration date on the back.
Flex Space
Leave room for flexibility. You don’t want to jam pack any of your containers or shelves. Your stock and inventory will likely always be fluctuating, and if your space is packed to the gills from day one your organization efforts will be in vain.
You Do You
My last tip, and probably the most important is to do what works for you! My pantry is not Pinterest worthy all the time, but it is functional and stores a ton of product in a small space because I’ve intentionally optimized it for that purpose. We do what works for us. So do what works best for you and your family. If you want to implement these small pantry organization tips be sure to save it to Pinterest for later!
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