A well-organized kitchen pantry is really a fine thing. This extra storage space is always welcomed. But if we don’t take care of it, it can soon turn into a nightmare every time we want to find something. So, kitchen pantry organization has to be on top of our priorities if we want to get maximum use out of it. Here are some tips on how to do that without paying much for it.

How to Organize your Kitchen Pantry for Less

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How to Organize your Kitchen Pantry for Less

Containers, Boxes and Trays

Containers, trays and boxes are just must-haves for kitchen pantry organization. Wire racks are also great and versatile. If they aren’t clear, labels are the best way to go, so you always know what’s in them.

Clear containers have the advantage that you can keep an eye on when they need to be refilled. Clear jars and bottles are also very helpful and a great way to make your pantry look amazing at the same time. You can re-use glass jars and bottles which you’ve bought from a store by just removing the labels. Most of them come off easily if soaked in warm soapy water for a couple of hours. Also, try brushing a mix of one part olive oil and two part baking soda on the labels, to make peeling them off easier.

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Storage from Top to Bottom

A great way to achieve kitchen pantry organization is to try and make use of every single space available so you have a place for every item. Put things you don’t use often on the highest part of your pantry and bottles and heavy stuff on the floor, but keep a stool or ladder handy so you can reach the items stored high.

Also, make use of corners and space behind doors. With a few handyman skills you can even use space you would never think that you could use. To do this, you can screw on some spice racks on the inside of the cabinet doors to hold your spices. Also, screw – or glue with strong adhesive – glass jar lids under a shelf or cabinet and you will instantly have cheap additional storage for small things.

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Keep on Top of Clutter and Contents

The most important thing to do to have an organized pantry is to keep control over the clutter and its contents. And it comes for free, too. To do this, regular cleaning is of outmost importance. This way you also ensure hygiene and getting rid of spoiled goods.

To minimize stuff lying freely around you can use some cheap solutions, other than boxes or trays. For instance, use Velcro to fasten together granola bars or candy bags. Also, some plain plastic over-the-door shoe holders are a clever and cheap solution to keep your small supplies organized.

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Kitchen pantry organization has not to be something costly, nor does it need complicated gear or expensive hardware. Just try to keep in control of your pantry and make use of the tips described here and you will have much more fun in the kitchen.

For more kitchen & bath ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Last weekend I sat down to sort out my ever increasing grocery bills when I realized that I was buying way more than what was being consumed in my household. This is when I shook up and dragged myself to achieving good pantry organization. I was amazed at the clutter I had collected. I had twos and in some cases threes of stuff that I did not even use.

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The whole incident made me realize the importance of maintaining a clutter free pantry. Here are simple steps to help you get the pantry in order:

1. Pantry organization – Start with a clean slate

Set aside a day in your calendar for organizing the pantry. Pull out everything from the shelves and place them together in one place. Give your shelves a good clean with soapy water and air them out for some time while you sort. Replace the old shelf liners with new ones.

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2. Sorting and prepping

Start by sorting out any expired food items and place them in a large garbage bag to avoid mixing them up again. Next group your food products according to their categories. So place all the cereals together, spices together and so on. Once again sort out anything that can be donated and bag these separately.

If you use glass canisters or plastic jars, label them clearly.

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3. Space planning your pantry

The secret to a well laid out and functional pantry is proper space planning. Once you have categorized the food items in your pantry, think of items that you use every day, items that you use occasionally and items that are very rarely used.

Place the heaviest and the bulkiest items that are difficult to lift in the bottom – most shelf. This includes bulk purchases that you make from Costco.

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Next place the most frequently used food products in the middle shelves. You can further segregate these according to their use, for example, keep the baking supplies together and club the specialty foods like organic or gluten-free together. Also, keep a separate tray of soon to expire food stuff on the middle shelves so you  remember to use these quickly. These should be at eye level and easily accessible.

Finally place the food products that you rarely use on the top shelves. You can also place food stuff that you would rather stay away from like a bag of potato chips or ice cream topping on the top.

Once your pantry organization has been achieved with the food items you already have, make a list of what you need buy in order to restock. A well-organized pantry will help you save hundreds of dollars per year in grocery bills.

For more organization ideas on Stagetecture, click here.