Your house is probably somewhat like mine. We have closets and pantries, but they’re a total mess. Stuff is just jam-packed in there, and sometimes we decide to clean them out. We usually get about halfway done, and decide it’s too much work. Don’t underestimate the importance of an attractive, well-organized pantry.
True enough – The pantry is an area of your home that most guests will never see. As such, it may be a low priority on your home organization list. But there is some merit to investing in pantry organization. When you have a well put-together pantry area, it’s going to make the kitchen experience—cooking, food prep, eating—that much more pleasant. You’ll be more interested in sharing meals with your family. A well-organized pantry can even help you achieve a healthier lifestyle, as you’ll find it easier to reach for those good ingredients you need instead of ordering a pizza or running out for fast food.
But how can a well-organized pantry space be achieved? It all boils down to your pantry shelving solutions. There are a number of good options to choose from, so consider this list and land on the pantry shelving solution that makes the most sense for your home.
Walk-in pantry space.
Obviously, you either have this in your house or you don’t; it’s a big project to add a walk-in pantry retroactively. If you do have one, though, that’s really ideal. The trick is to invest in good food storage containers. One good tip is to have some open baskets where you can keep things like onions, garlic, potatoes—items that benefit from air circulation, which will prevent them from molding prematurely.
An origami-style pantry system.
If you’re working with a smaller pantry space—something more like a tiny closet—then you may want to invest in a pantry system that will fold into itself, then unfold to give you ample space for storing your non-perishable food items. These pantry systems are really the best way to make good use of a limited space.
A showroom-style pantry.
Showroom-style pantries are a little less complicated, but they do offer some good space-utilizing options and also a really killer presentation! Open your pantry to immediately see a clearly laid-out arrangement of all your food items, including spice racks on the inside doors.
Open shelving.
In some homes—including small apartments—you may not have a pantry per se—but you still need a place to keep your food items. That’s where open shelving comes in handy. Open shelving units are great because they allow you to clearly see things, rather than forcing you to go sorting around for what you need. Investing in some transparent bottles, to store things like oils, spices, nuts, seeds, and the like can add further ease.
There are plenty of ways to organize a pantry. Hopefully, this quick list will provide you with a bit of inspiration.
