*This is a collaborative post

Nothing is more elevating in life than being able to open your pantry doors and see mountains of food all perfectly presented, just waiting for you to add them to your recipes. But, of course, most of us don’t have pantries that come close to what we’d like. 

That’s where this guide can help. We look at some of the techniques and tips you can use to organise your pantry like a pro. You’ll be a gastro queen before you know it!

Declutter The Space

The first step is to declutter the space. You’ll want to remove anything that should be there that’s just taking up space. Think old tins of custard and bags of open crisps you’re never going to eat because they’re stale. 

Don’t keep anything that’s out of date. Just get rid of it, or recycle the containers. Don’t keep anything that doesn’t have a home. 

Start Categorising

Once you’ve done that, the next step is to start categorising everything. Grouping similar items together will give you some ideas for how you need to arrange the space for maximum efficiency. 

For example, keeping dry goods, like rice and pasta, in one location makes sense, while adding tins of fruits to another also makes sense. Cereals should have their separate containers, as should anything you want to keep in a vinegar-filled jar.

It’s also a good idea to have a section for condiments, one of the most difficult food categories to arrange. Try grouping items according to what you might eat them with. For example, you could keep all your pickles in one place, chutneys in another, and ketchup and brown sauce somewhere. Picaili would obviously go with anything else you might add to a sandwich to make it taste better, like the mayo or mustard. 

Label Everything

The next step is to bring together all the containers you’re going to use and start labelling them. Don’t just use basic plastic tubs. They’re not usually good enough. Instead, find glass containers with airtight rubber stoppers for things like lentils, brown rice, quinoa, dried beans, oats, and other cereals.

If you have a lot of items, start label printing. Putting stickers on jars and tubs can help you find the items you need faster. It can also make the whole setup look more professional, which is just what you want if you’re trying to create the ultimate pantry. 

Use More Vertical Space

If you’re short on room in your pantry, make more use of the vertical space. Stacking everything up to the ceiling can make everything more accessible and prevent items from being stuck one behind the other. 

Don’t forget to make use of the back of the pantry door. It’s also a large area you can use for things like herbs and spices. 

Use Rotation Principles

Lastly, ensure you rotate the items in your pantry to bring those with the nearest use-by dates to the front. Getting into the habit of doing this prevents you from wasting items while also keeping ample stock for your household supplies.