30 Perfectly Organized Pantries To Inspire A Tidy Kitchen
One of the unexpected places Americans have started asking for square footage may be surprising — the pantry! The Columbus Dispatch reported that walk-ins, or butler's pantries, were becoming the new norm for many homebuyers. A few phenomena can explain this, but the most popular is an increasing interest in minimalism and response to the pandemic, says Supermarket News. Many of us Marie Kondo'd our homes, seeking to reduce clutter and purge our closets, only to be urged to stockpile groceries in bulk in March of 2020. The need to have our homes free of visual chaos and have enough groceries to last through emergencies makes the pantry a must-have because it can conceal all of our bulk buys and provide additional storage.
But if your pantry's stockpile has turned into smaller junk piles, it's time to bring out the garbage bags, donate to the food pantry, and potentially snag a few organizers and food containers. To inspire you, look through our collection of stunning pantries where there's a place for everything, and everything is in its place.
1. I dream of butler's pantries
Pantries can also include storage for your dinner plates and serving dishes — this is a great solution if you have less-than-pretty pantry organizers you'd prefer to hide behind cabinet doors or have easier access to.
2. Get clever with shelving options
If your pantry area is less of a pantry and more of an empty closet off the kitchen, try stacking wooden crates to create instant storage. Just reinforce them with nails or wood glue for additional stability.
3. Keep the appliances hidden
We love the variety of organizing methods, from the coffee pod holder to the bamboo-topped food containers. They've also used the pantry to store their countertop appliances in a way that is still super functional.
4. Consider a new approach to your spice rack
These spice jars are fantastic because they have labels on their bottle and top, making it easy to grab the spice you need instead of lifting each bottle to examine the contents.
5. Lead with the labels
It can be enormously helpful to have the contents of each container visible, especially if you have little ones who need to be able to grab a snack for themselves. Push the package labels toward the front of the storage container for easy identification.
6. Nothing in your pantry is permanent
Using chalk labels is a great way to avoid repurchasing disposable tags, especially if your kids tend to go in and out of phases when it comes to their favorite snacks.
7. Even the pantry can be made modern
These black labels with white font look more modern and sleek than your typical pantry organizing options. We also love the woven bins to hold those bulk-bought soup and vegetable cans.
8. No pantry, no worries
If you're rocking the open shelf trend, you need to invest in some more visually pleasing storage containers, like the bamboo lid and glass set seen here.
9. Spin that pantry right around
Lazy Susan trays are a great way to make snacks accessible and organized without creating additional stacked rows of products.
10. Don't overstock
Again, keeping plenty of space makes it easier to find what you need and adapt your organization system more easily over time.
11. Use what you have
Don't be afraid to mix and match organizing containers. Whatever you have will work fine, and you can repurpose baskets and boxes from around the house to bring order to your pantry.
12. Store infrequently used objects in the pantry
In addition to food storage, you can use your pantry to store large serving dishes or countertop appliances you don't use often.
13. Give the soup the special treatment
Canned veggies and soups are pantry staples and are often stacked so completely that they expire before you can use them. Try a soup can organizer, like this model from Amazon, to avoid this.
14. Don't overanalyze just to over organize
We love the very realistic "overflow" basket in this pantry. Not everything will fit neatly under a specific label — try to sort objects in a way that makes sense for your lifestyle.
15. Keep the rows to a minimum
For narrow shelves, put the tallest objects in the back row, but don't create more than two rows of items– this leads to extra clutter and chaos.
16. Go handwritten on the labels
If you don't have a label maker or don't have the time to order some pre-printed labels, use a marker pen to write directly on your jars and storage containers.
17. Add a little life to the pantry
While most plants won't thrive in a windowless pantry, adding some fake plants and greenery can liven up the space, making it a pleasure to look at.
18. Clear jars, easy organizing
We just love being able to see everything in our pantry. Look for flat-lidded jar tops to efficiently stack your pantry — better for narrow, vertical spaces.
19. Mix and match is just fine
Even mismatched jars can be used for an elegant pantry setup. Don't be afraid to pick up incomplete sets at the thrift store or when you see a good deal.
20. Show off the colors of the rainbow
One of the best parts of using transparent food organizers is that they can show off the stunning colors and shapes of your everyday grocery items.
21. Assign genres to the pantry
You don't need a bunch of flashy organizers to make the pantry look orderly. Just arrange groceries by their category – condiments, syrup, soup, cereal, et cetera, for easy locating and grocery unloading.
22. Ruthlessly downsize your stockpile
Sometimes the best way to get a clean, organized pantry is by downsizing your stock. Consider what really gets used and what is just collecting dust, and try donating shelf-stable products at your local food pantry.
23. Stock up with caution
Got plenty of room in your pantry? Use it, and don't feel like cramming every shelf to the brim. And be sure not to stack any pantry goods into loads of rows, as this can make it hard to see what is in your inventory.
24. Tiny pantry, tiny solutions
While narrow pantries can feel highly limiting, a few smart organization tips can help you to maximize the space, like this gorgeous drawer unit.
25. Dry out in a glass jar
Jars have been used for canning and pickling for ages, but they are also great at keeping dried goods fresh. Consider buying a flat of jars to help get your pantry goods sorted and preserved.
26. Don't go boring on the labels
These darling labels are a delightful break from the traditional san-serif fonts we often see. Check out these similar ones from Amazon to give your pantry a little dash of whimsy.
27. Keep the store packaging
If you aren't trying to drop your whole paycheck at The Container Store, keeping your goods in their original boxes is perfectly acceptable. Just try to keep your pantry from being cluttered with more cardboard than actual food.
28. Turn your goods on their sides
Store objects on their side to help save room if you're short on vertical space. If that makes it difficult to see the labels, just snag a permanent marker and write it on the bottom.
29. Bin it up
Sometimes, there are some things you'd rather not have to look at, like garbage bags and disposable plates. Put items like these in woven baskets to keep them easy to find but concealed.
30. Go old school
Don't let your summer bounty go to waste — use the pantry as a canning and pickling station for delicious vegetables year-round. It's just a bonus that this produce looks beautiful, too.