10 tips to keep your pantry organized

The kitchen pantry is clutch for keeping your counters at least somewhat clutter-free, and no matter how big yours is, it's safe to say you could use a little more space. Here are some pantry organization ideas that will truly save your day. 

1. Use straw bins. Straw bins and baskets are a favorite in playrooms, offices, and closets everywhere, but they have a place in your pantry, too. Stack canned foods by category without lifting a lid to retrieve them.
   
   
2. Consider frequency of use. Yes, it’s true that you should group similar items together, for example, cooking oils together, nut butters next to one another, spices in the same spot, pastas in one place. But there is one more way to subdivide your foods for maximum efficiency, place the spices you use most in an easily accessible spot.
   
   
3. Push the older items to the forefront and add newer produce to the back. The items that you may have multiples of (think beverages, onions, cartons of chicken broth, and extra boxes of cereal) should be stored in such a way that the older stuff gets used first.
   
   
4. Not all items work good together. Onion and garlic can be stored together, but neither should mingle with potatoes; doing so hastens spoiling. Also, be sure to keep flours away from strong-smelling items (like cumin and curry powder) so that they don’t absorb any of the flavors. Same goes for bread; in fact, it’s best to keep breads in a bread box.
   
   
5. Remember to decant your pantry frequently. We sure do love pantries lined with shelf after shelf of matching glass storage jars. So we totally get it when people rush to decant their dry goods into pantry jars for the aesthetics. But the real reason is to avoid infestation of flour beetles or other bugs.
   
   
6. Make sure you have the right containers. Depending on the item you’re storing you might have to think of whether you are going to pour the ingredient out or you want to scoop it out with a measuring cup or spoon. If it’s the latter, make sure you source containers with wide mouths.
   
   
7. The best way to label your pantry jars. We’ve all read the virtues of labeling pantry jars. But more important than marking a jar’s contents is marking the bought or expiration date, so you know what items are about to expire.
   
   
8. Pantry is not only for food. There's a new trend, you can use your pantry  as a counter for small appliances. It’s a great way to keep those items, like rice cookers, blenders, mixers, etc.
   
   
9. If you are a parent, here’s a tip for you. If you have small kids, be sure to store healthy snacks on a shelf that they can easily access. When they ask you for a snack, you can simply tell them to check the pantry themselves. Also, keep the sweets and less nutritious snacks on a higher shelf.
   
   
10. Use a hangboard to help organize. Instead of stacking heavy pots and pans on top of each other just install a pegboard on a free wall. Suddenly your heavy-duty items are on display and easy to grab.