This is a space in my house I have been wanting to conquer for a while. I was sort of organized, but everything I had came from our little one-bedroom apartment pantry and definitely did not fit our growing family… As the new year rolled around I vowed to make this space a little prettier, and a little more organized. Our pantry has a sliding door essentially right off our kitchen and in our living room- so anyone and everyone can see inside when they are visiting. For that reason alone, I knew I had to make this space a little tidier! I broke down my pantry organization into four parts: bins & baskets, lazy susan’s and spice racks, decorative platters & trays, and small kitchen appliances.
Bins & Baskets:
First, I started by measuring from home and picking out the bins and baskets that would fit our space perfectly.?If not, you get to the store and buy what you think will fit or work for your space, and chances are- it won’t! When selecting which bins to use, I would highly recommend picking a suite of bins that comes in multiple different sizes. That way you can utilize a few sizes to get the best use of your space, while still making sure that everything matches. I used three different sizes of the same wire baskets!? I chose this wire suite of baskets because I could see everything inside, and I feel like they will hold up nicely. From there, I counted the number of bins that would fit our space and began designating them with labels that fit the needs of our family. We decided on snacks (granola bars), treats (candy), grains (bread, quinoa, rice), pasta, chips, storage (ziploc, foil), toilet paper, paper towels, cocktails, and even one for Holland.
I purchased a package of blank gift tags for $2.50, and began labeling each bin accordingly. I typed a font on my computer and traced it onto the tags, but you can also use a label maker or print directly on to your tag- whichever you prefer! I put the bins on the lower shelves of our pantry, as it is easier to see into them.
Lazy Susan’s and Spice Racks:
Not everything in our pantry was intended or designated for a bin, and we found a need for lazy susans and an expandable spice rack for some of our items. We used the lazy susan for our sauces, spices, and cooking oils. We used the tiered spice race for our baby pouches and canned goods. I again measured from home and picked out the perfect items for our space knowing that they would fit when we got home! I put the Lazy Susan’s and Spice Racks on the top shelf because of the tiered shelves and the ability to spin the items around- it was the best for visibility of all of our items.
Decorative Platters & Trays:?
Decorative platters and trays are items that we do not use very often, but they are pretty and we somehow have so many of them. When I was registering for my wedding, I thought I would be hosting parties every weekend apparently- haha! I took this opportunity to put them on display and line the top of our pantry with them. I felt that this was the best use of the space since we rarely use the platters, and we rarely use the top shelf of our pantry!
Small Kitchen Appliances:
This is the first time that we the ability to have small kitchen appliances in our pantry because space allowed. I love it! Logan has been talking about dropping a power outlet into the pantry too which would be my ultimate dream. I love that each of those bulky items has space, and can look neat and organized without being shoved in a tiny corner.
That’s basically it! To summarize, my main takeaways would be, measure at home and select your organizational items such as bins and lazy susans that fit your space perfectly, pick a suite of baskets and bins that have multiple sizes, use blank gift tags for a cheap labeling option, and if space allows give your decorative platters & small kitchen appliances spot in your pantry!
SHOP THE POST: