The Adorable Labeling Method For A More Organized Pantry

Creating a kitchen organization system in your pantry can be tricky. You want to establish some order so that every item has a proper place and is easy to find. However, you also don't want to be super rigid with a labeling and organizational method so stringent it's scary (and impossible to commit to!) That's why we think an adorable idea by Lorna Aragon, former home editor of Martha Stewart Living, strikes a perfect middle ground. Aragon suggested using bookplates to the website as a means of designating "zones" in kitchen cabinets. This may be more efficient than slapping sticker labels on every single item in your cupboards. "They keep everything organized and add vintage charm," Aragon said of bookplates.

If you're unfamiliar with bookplates, they're quaint, old-timey tools that started being used around the 15th century — people would put them inside the covers of their books to claim ownership. Bookplates weren't simply labels with a name scribbled on them, however. They were beautiful little pieces of art, customized with the book owner's name. They were often decorated with intricate details, and then copied and placed onto books the person owned. Bookplates were eventually made of paper, but many were originally crafted from metal — which is probably why you can find many metal label holders for sale today characterized as "bookplates."

Whether you opt for metal bookplates, paper or sticker bookplate labels, or some combination of the two, we love this cute, retro labeling method for establishing areas in your kitchen cabinet. Simply create your labels, attach them to your pantry shelves, and stock accordingly. All you need to do is find your favorite bookplates, and determine how you'd like to organize your kitchen cabinets with the labels.

First, you'll need to find your favorite bookplate. Amazon has many metal bookplate label holders in a variety of styles that allow you to slip in a piece of paper with a label you write or print off yourself, and you can swap out the label whenever you want. These bookplates usually have holes for nails, so you can attach them to your shelves easily. You can also find cute, customizable bookplate labels in sticker or stamp form on online marketplaces, like Etsy. You can stick these directly on the edge of your shelf, or insert them in a metal bookplate label. Kitchen shelves come in different dimensions, so whichever bookplate option you go with, don't forget to measure the edge of your kitchen cabinet shelves first. This will make sure you're selecting bookplates that will fit.

Once you've found the right bookplate, it's time to start organizing. Everyone's kitchen cabinet is stocked with different items — maybe you love baking and have lots of baking tools; perhaps you're a snack addict and have a hefty collection of chips and crackers to arrange; or suppose you're a collector of old-school kitchen items. Assess what shelf items you're working with and choose "zone" categories that make sense for your own unique needs. Some examples of zones might include a "spices" zone, a "cereals" zone, or a "canned goods" zone, but go with whatever makes more sense for you. Then, affix your labels to the edge of each shelf, leaving some space in between each label, and organize your pantry items accordingly.