7 Tips for Organizing the Pantry in Your California Home

Is there anything more aesthetically pleasing than a perfectly organized pantry? No matter how big or small your pantry is, you’ll always ponder the idea of needing more space. But we’re here to tell you that you don’t need more space. What you actually need is good tips for organizing your pantry. With a few pantry shelving solutions and smart organization tricks, you’ll have the Pinterest pantry of your dreams.

Tackle the pesky duty of pantry organization as a part of your spring cleaning routine this year. Our tips for organizing your pantry will save you time, money, and effort. You'll want to whip a healthy dinner every time you open your cabinet doors.

The best pantry organization tips

1. Sweep through your spices and seasonings

There’s a difference between cleaning and organizing. If you start with the latter, you’ll have less cleaning to do when the time comes—win-win. Once you empty out your kitchen pantry storage and get a clear view of everything you have, you’ll realize just how much stuff you don’t need. 

Expired jars? Duplicate spices with the seals still on? The awful tasting tea blend you’re keeping around for its health benefits? Face it, you’re never going to use these items. Not only is this tip for organizing your pantry extremely time-efficient, but freeing up your pantry storage is very satisfying. Talk about a form of therapy you didn’t know you’d enjoy.

2. Coordinate your Containers

Sometimes the pantry looks cluttered even if you don’t have too much stuff. This is probably because of the way you organized it. Containers of all shapes, sizes, and colors stacked on top of each other look messy—they also make finding things excruciatingly annoying. Invest in matching storage containers for the pantry for a clean and coherent look.

Go for pantry organization containers which are minimal, stackable, and not too design-heavy. The goal is to achieve a clean look and find what you need without having to constantly remove lids. If the containers have designs all over them, you may feel overwhelmed or won’t remember where each ingredient is.

Pantry storage solutions

3. Consider custom cabinetry

This tip for organizing your pantry may require you to spend a little more money than you intended, but it’s well worth it in the long run. If you’re dealing with small pantry organization, customizing your cabinets and shelves will help you make the most of your space.

Make use of every single corner in your pantry. Think about integrating baskets, lazy Susans, open shelving, clip racks, and more nifty pantry storage solutions. Use both sides of your door, hang a pegboard, and think about how to efficiently transform the space. This small pantry organization idea will literally give you the storage of your dreams.

4. Plan for pull-out pantry shelves

Create more space in your pantry by investing in pull-out shelves. No more emptying out the front of your cabinet to reach for the one thing you need found at the very back. Cans, jars, and more short containers can be stored deep in the cabinet and found in no time thanks to pull-out pantry shelves. 

Drawers that pull out allow you to stack away without having to worry about losing your small jar of pasta sauce hidden in the far back corner. Not to mention, having everything in your view helps to keep track of what you have—this also puts an end to your double-buying problem. Now that’s a foolproof pantry storage solution we can go along with.

Pantry organization ideas

5. Think Clearly and label everything

Clear jars and containers are the simple pantry organization solution you’d wish you thought of sooner. Grains, nuts, and everything else in between come in packages of different shapes and sizes. Storing them as they are is not only impractical, but makes the pantry look unnecessarily cluttered. Clear containers make stacking easier, look more appealing, and help you find everything you need in a matter of seconds. 

Once you have clear containers, label everything in clear and bold writing. Another way to go about this pantry organization idea is to buy pre-labeled containers. This definitely cuts on time and effort spent, but it can be tough to find containers labeled for everything you need. 

If you don’t want to write directly on the container, a smart organizing tip is to use tape. Apply a small piece of washi tape on your clear jar and write over it with a marker—it’s an easy, clean, and great way to recycle pantry organization containers.

6. Make do with an unused corner

Not dedicated to kitchen pantry storage? No problem. There are plenty of spaces in your home that you can transform into a custom pantry storage using only a few items. Make a DIY project out of building a make-do pantry; it’s a great storage solution. The garage, the dead-end of a nearby hallway, or the unused corner in the kitchen are all extra spaces that can work to your advantage. 

Invest in modular racks, hang a few open shelves, and whip out your handy baskets. Even if you do already have a pantry storage, use this tip for organizing your pantry to create more space. Have extra income to spare? Change up the wall covering in a corner and add a small rug to make the area look more polished.

7. Make the kitchen pantry storage your own

Last but not least, you want your kitchen pantry storage to actually make you want to cook and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Transforming the space to make it your own will do just that and more. Beautify your pantry storage by adding a personal flair into the mix of functionality.

Add whimsical wallpaper behind your shelves. Apply chalkboard paint to your cabinet door. Or even install a glitzy light fixture in the middle of your pantry. Have fun with the pantry decor by adding a few cheerful accessories here and there. This will make you feel less dread and more joy when it’s time for pantry organization again.