What Makes the Perfect Pantry?

If you’re looking to create the perfect pantry for your house, we’ve got a few tips to get you closer to that goal. While your pantry may not look like the one on the right (not many pantries do), it doesn’t mean you can’t have a very nice and organized pantry for a fraction of the space required.

1. First, think of what a pantry should have in it. A well-stocked pantry makes everything easier for the people living in your house. Food, snacks, spices are just the beginning. To figure out what goes into your pantry, you have to consider what your lifestyle dictates. For example, if you have kids and they love heating up a can of soup after school, have a section for those cans within easy reach. The point of organizing a pantry is to have everything placed for easy access, and perhaps the most frequently grabbed things placed right up front.

2. Label. This is important. Shelves should be labeled so everyone in the household knows where to put things, and where to find things. Items that don’t get used up quickly can be labeled too, so instead of a big can of ambiguous baking soda, you have a big can of ambiguous baking soda labeled “BAKING SODA”. Labeling shelves also give you more control, because you know if you don’t, everyone in the family will be putting things everywhere. What would be the point of reading this article then?

3. Group similar items together. Spices with salt, cooking supplies, seasoning. Flour with rice, beans, lentil. Canned fruits with canned corn.

4. Use a lazy susan or mobile stands / serving carts to store supplies that you can quickly bring out. This works best for salt, soy sauce, olive oil, and just about anything that might be used almost nightly, or for cooking.

5. Purchase some creative organizing containers that could help space items out, and give you the flexibility to change the pantry based on the growing needs of your housemates.

With these simple ideas, you will be well on your way to organizing the perfect pantry.