The Scoop On All Things Organizing

These days we are spending a lot of time and effort keeping our pantries stocked. Whether it is just you at home or you have a full household, the pantry is the ‘go to’ place for our cooking essentials, comfort foods, snacks, drinks and more. Keeping this space organized makes it easy for you and the whole family to find what you need quickly. It can also help you keep tabs on what things you are out of, or running low on, so that you can add them to your grocery list for the next shopping venture. See that?! There are always additional benefits to being organized! Organizing this space can be achieved simply and effectively and we promise it will help eliminate your stress and bring you peace of mind. Just as important, with a few added design elements (or a lot 😊) – containers, canisters, or baskets, it will look sorted and beautiful! This is always our goal when we help our clients get organized.

Our Simple Steps:

Step 1 Remove all the items in your pantry and begin to sort things into categories. For example, canned goods, cereal, grains, chips, snacks, potatoes, onions, etc. If you have several items in these categories, you will want to create sub-categories for each. For instance, if you have lots of canned goods, you will want to group together all your canned soups, meats, vegetables, fruits and any other type of canned items.

Step 2 Assess your pantry space and determine where you want to place your items. Our process always entails an understanding of what our clients use most, and what they use least. Figuring this out will help with placing your items back in the pantry. Plan to keep all the items in your categories together, regardless of where you place them. We recommend putting items you use least up high or in the back of your shelving space. Things that you use a lot of or access often, should be placed on shelves that are easily viewable and reachable. This almost always tends to be the shelves that are at eye or waist level. We recommend saving the bottom shelving of your pantry for heavier items such as, bottled water or fresh potatoes, onions and any other bulky items.

Step 3 Begin placing your items back in the pantry, using step #2 as a guideline. As you start putting things back on the shelves and seeing your placement plan for items come to life, you may want to shift things around as you get a sense of what works for you. This is perfectly fine and happens often! Be sure to create space, if you can, between the categories of items you have organized in the pantry.

Step 4 Now that you have returned all your pantry items back to the shelves and have them organized by category, and maybe even sub-categories, it is time to figure out what types of containers or other organizing systems you want to add. These items will not only store your goods, but will help to keep them organized. You can start with just a few containers, jars or baskets, or add an organizing system for each of the categories you have! If you are working with a small budget, start with a few containers and build as your budget permits. Adding just a basket or clear jars will add an element design and transform the look of your pantry. We like to use clear jars or canisters for things like grains, cereal, flour and sugar. We use baskets and crate style units for bulkier items, such as potatoes and onions. There are many great options, so choose things that are both functional and reflect your décor or aesthetic taste. You can’t go wrong with this step!

Step 5 Add labels to the containers you have selected. This makes it easy to find what you are looking for and also helps keep things in their place. Labels come in many different shapes and sizes, so choose something that adds your own personal style. You can purchase pre-made labels, or make them yourself and add your own signature to the project.

Your pantry is now organized!

Mission Accomplished. House Organized.

You can shop organizing systems and labels at any home goods store, but our favorite places are The Container Store, Target, and Bed Bath & Beyond.