If you pantry requires you to shuffle through items and you praying nothing falls down on you, it’s officially time for a pantry makeover. A well-organized pantry can save you time, reduce stress, make meal planning a breeze, and take you from frustrated to functional.
By implementing the right storage solutions and decluttering your pantry, you can create a space that is not only visually appealing but also highly efficient. Imagine having all your spices neatly arranged, your canned goods easily accessible, and your dry ingredients neatly labeled – everything would just be easier.
We’re going to walk you through some pantry makeovers we’ve completed and how you can incorporate these exact solutions into your pantry.
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WHY PANTRY ORGANIZATION IS IMPORTANT
Before we dive into these pantry makeovers. We need to talk about why it matters first. Getting your pantry organized is more than just peace of mind. It’s saving time, money, and making healthier choices.
Wouldn’t it be nice to come home from the grocery store and not find a duplicate of something you just bought because you couldn’t find it? Or being able to plan out meals for the week because you can see what you have?
All of this is possible when your pantry is organized. Multiple grocery store runs become a thing of the past and before you know it you are buying less processed food.
Getting your pantry organized is just the start of something great.
PANTRY MAKEOVER: BEFORE & AFTERS
Pantry Makeover #1
This pantry had items scattered across the shelves they already had these wicker bins on the bottom, and we wanted to incorporate them into the pantry.
We added black metal bins with turntables to blend with the wicker baskets and moved the glass items to the top, giving them a nice focal point.
Pantry Makeover #2
This pantry had items scattered throughout the shelves as well, including some kitchen, items, bowls, and organizers. They wanted to be able to see everything in the pantry.
We added all clear bins and turntables on the top shelf for round items to make it easier to see and access. We also added an expandable tiered shelf for cans and made that the focal point of this pantry.
Pantry Makeover #3
We added glass jars for baking items, acacia bins, and black metal ones to blend and provide a warm, inviting, and organized space.
STEPS TO A PERFECT PANTRY MAKEOVER
1. Take everything out of the pantry
Empty the pantry. This will give you a clearer vision of how you want it to look. If there is quite a bit of space between the shelves, try stacking bins to create more space. Once everything is out of the pantry, clean it. Do this before you do anything else. You want to start with a clean slate.
2. Group your current items into categories
Keep all of the breakfast food together, snacks together, etc. Keep the categories broad, getting too detailed will bring you more problems and leave you frustrated about where to put things. Once you have the foods organized by category, take a picture of them. This will help you when you begin your search for baskets and bins.
3. Measure your pantry
You need to know the dimensions because this will affect which storage bins and containers are chosen. Get the length x width x height and write it down. Measure each shelf as some of the dimensions vary from each shelf.
Figure where you can go vertical (stackable storage bins, food containers, etc. ) as much as possible because it will create more space.
4. Shop your home
See what empty baskets you have around the house that aren’t being used first. Make sure you have enough of the same bin if you plan to use it on a shelf. Consistency is key when organizing your pantry.
5. Plan your shopping trip
Having a plan in place for organizers will prevent overwhelm and overspending. Here are our top recommendations:
6. Label
It’s important to consider your labels when you are out shopping too so you don’t have to make more than one trip. Some baskets and bins come with labels while others don’t.
Labeling the bins is an important, critical step when getting organized. It can be an easy oversight because you can see the food however it does you down because you don’t go automatically to the bin you need to.
When labeling, keep your categories broad this will eliminate the need to re-label bins.
If you don’t have the time to completely transform your pantry, you can easily makeover your pantry by just using labels.
7. Execute your plan.
Once you’ve purchased or found the bins you need, put the food items in the basket, label it, and put it back in the pantry. Before you know it, you’ll have a pantry that you love looking at.
PANTRY MAKEOVER PRODUCT RECOMMENDATIONS
- Wicker Basket: These hold mismatched items well such as bread, trail mix, and baby food. They are sturdy, durable, and look great in the pantry.
- InterDesign Linus Pantry Binz: These are some of my favorite bins. I love them for the pantry because they are clear which is perfect for storing multiple food items (like cereal bars).
- Metal Stacking Bins: These are great for fruits and vegetables. Plus they stack which allows you to create more space if you have the room to go higher.
- Expandable Tiered Shelf – This expandable shelf works great for canned goods. The shelf allows you to adjust it to the necessary width and allows you to display cans for easy accessibility.
- Turntable – Turntables work great for bottled items. It optimizes spaces and prevents items from getting lost.
- Food Storage Containers – Decanting (taking items out of packaging) like flour, cereal, and chips gives you a better visual of what you have. It’s instant inventory. These containers also stack which optimizes space and eliminates bulky packaging.
- Deep Storage Bin – If you have a pantry with deep shelves, fear not, these bins are a game-changer. They act as pull-out drawers making items accessible without having to take out every single thing to see what is there.
- Bin Clip Label: Hallelujah for these label clips. For such a long time it was tough labeling wicker baskets and bins because no label would stay on them.
- Clear Open Front Bin: This clear front bin makes items visible and accessible.
- Label Maker: You almost can never go wrong with a label maker. They give you a consistent and uniform look which always looks nice.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Pantry bins and labels offer a simple yet effective method for giving your pantry a makeover. Investing in bins that are visually appealing, uniform, and complementary to each other can significantly enhance the organization of your pantry. Additionally, incorporating baskets can elevate the functionality and aesthetic appeal of your pantry, ultimately making the experience of accessing it more enjoyable.
For this pantry, they wanted something visually appealing and easy to maintain.