April of 2020, is a year we’d all like to forget, hard to believe it’s been over two years since Covid and when this post was first published. We’ve done a handful of pantries since then. Updating this post to give you ideas for the pantry organization.

The pantry has become a hot comedy these days, food is flying off the shelves.   Snacks have morphed into an all-day affair.  Opening the pantry has become the most exciting part of the day.  Here are some ideas for pantry organization to get you excited.

Original post-April 2020 (right when Covid hit). Updated September 2022.

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Reach-In Pantry

Boxes take up unnecessary space, empty them out to maximize space.

Changing out the boxes to clear containers in this pantry was a game-changer. It gave a visual of what was left, giving them a better idea of what needed to be replenished.

Utilize turntables for hard-to-reach items.  Turntables compact space and make it easy to access what you need quickly with a simple spin. Adding turntables to this pantry made items easily accessible in the hard to reach places such as the corner.

Expandable shelves give you flexibility and create more space.  Displaying canned items on a tiered shelf gives you a better visual of what you have allowing you to function with ease.

Expandable shelves work on either wire or solid shelves, it’s a win-win regardless of what kind of shelves you have.

Keep solid bins toward the bottom so you can “peak” in there.  Use clear bins for individually wrapped items such as granola packs and fruit snacks.

Shallow Reach-In Pantry

Limited depth can make it challenging to get a pantry organized however there are a variety of bins available to keep it organized.

These water hyacinth bins are typically vertical for access to the handle. However, turning the bin horizontally allowed these bins to sit flush with the shelving. Otherwise, they would’ve stuck out, which wouldn’t have looked as good and also had the chance of falling off the shelf.

Use horizontal bins for individual items such as K-cups and cereal bars.  When displaying bins have space between each bin to minimize a cluttered look.

While this pantry is a walk-in pantry, the shelves are not very deep at all. Taking these multi-purpose bins and placing them horizontally allowed the space to be utilized properly. More space was also created because of the height of the bins.

Keep clear bins at the top so it’s easy to see what’s in there.  Having a pattern of bins is aesthetically appealing which motivates one to keep it organized.  Start from the top and work your way down, assign a bin for each row.

Deep Drawer Pantry

These storage bins are a game-changer for deep pantry shelves. They act as a pullout drawer making it instantly easier to get what you need.

The bins are available in three sizes: small, medium, and large.  Mix and match based on your needs.

This middle row of deep drawer bins consisted of three small and one medium bin. Individually wrapped snacks are small, using a small bin keeps the snacks contained and upright.  The medium-sized bins kept the items that were stored in their original packaging.

It’s important to place items in a similar size bin, it makes it easier to manage.

Deep drawer bins with drawers work great for items that you want to keep in the packaging such as nuts, rice, and lentils.

Add turntables for items that our round and hard to reach.  There are a variety of sizes for turntables: 9″, 10″, 11″, 16″, 18″, etc.  Get the size that works for your pantry, in some cases, multiple turntables can be added to one shelf.

Keep categories broad when organizing, and have a misc. bin for the items where there are multiple categories that don’t have many items.

Custom Pantry

Shelves create more space in any area of one’s home.  Some spaces are unique requiring a customized solution to fit one’s needs.  The Container Store has an exclusive system, Elfa that can transform any space.

This pantry had an angled wall which made things a little challenging to maximize space. With the help of The Container Store, we were able to use the wall and utilize the depth of the pantry.

The angled wall in this pantry made it hard to organize it.  Even with the unique dimensions, we were able to come up with a customized solution to make great use of this space.



This easy-to-install system will make you feel like Chip Gaines, you’ll be ready to take on any project in your home.

There are three colors available: white, platinum, and graphite (which is new!) Chose the color you enjoy looking at most because you’ll be looking at it daily.

Labeling

While these are all ideas for pantry organization. We can’t forget the last and most important step, labeling.

There are a handful of ways to label and choosing the right font matters because you’ll be looking at them often.

The three most common types of labels are:

1. Label Maker – Printing labels with a label maker gives you a cohesive look and feel. This is also the fastest, most efficient way to make a label. If time and budget are of the essence, a label maker is the way to go.

2. Cricut – This type of label allows you to bring out your inner Picasso and create something you love. This one has a bit of a learning curve to it but creates gorgeous labels.

3. Handwritten – If you have beautiful handwriting, use it! No one will ever write like you, take your penmanship and put it to use. This one along with the Cricut takes more time to create.

Conclusion

Pantries come in all different shapes and sizes, these ideas for pantry organization show what can be done regardless of the size. Adding bins and turntables will make it function better.  Establishing a good system allows you to find what you need with ease.