Any pantry, big or small, can be a huge asset to a kitchen if it is organized properly. And any pantry, small or big, can be a waste of space if left to its own devices. Seriously- a dark closet with a door that shuts is just asking for odds and ends to be thrown in there, and before you know it your pantry has become a catch-all.

Even if you stick to the usual and necessary things, it is easy to let it go since it isn’t in plain sight. And how many times have you found something at the back of the pantry that has long since expired (tell me it wasn’t a potato!), or come home from grocery shopping only to discover that you didn’t need tomato sauce after all?

It’s time to reign that chaos in! Your pantry is your friend- say it with me- your pantry is your friend…

Pick an Organizational System

If you will find things more quickly by alphabetizing, start with the Applesauce and get going! Other methods of organization might be by food or product type, by use (sweet things, savory things, baking, sides, prepared foods, etc) or by frequency of use. Think about how you would grab for an item and set up the whole pantry to reflect that.

Put Groceries Away Efficiently

No amount of organization can help you if you just put groceries away haphazardly. Put your new items (in their pre-determined spot) in the back and move the older items to the front. This gives you a nice rotation so that, even if you buy in bulk, everything gets eaten before it goes bad.

Plan Meals With the Pantry in Mind

Or, “Plan for the Pantry and Pantry to the Plan.”

If your pantry is your friend, your meal plan is your favorite place to hang out. Your meal plan should reflect what is in your pantry already to use it up efficiently before it goes bad. Conversely, your pantry should be organized keeping in mind what you use most frequently when you meal plan. As you organize your pantry, keep in mind that everything should be visible to make planning thorough and accurate. Consider some roll out drawers to make this possible, even in tight spaces.

Post Your Inventory

I recommend a chalk board or dry erase board in every kitchen, or at least inside the door of your pantry. Start with tally marks of the most used/important items, then erase a line every time you grab one of those items. This makes it a simple glance to see that you are just about out of raisin boxes but have plenty of dried cranberries.

How is your pantry looking these days?

Photo Credit to mullica