Organize Food Cabinets / Pantry
Take all the food out of the cabinets/pantry. You’ll need an empty table/counter to work on. As you go through your food supplies, get rid of outdated items.
CLICK HERE to download free chart of WEEK 2 CHALLENGE!
• Dry goods:
Glass jars and canisters for staples such as flour, pasta, rice, beans, grains, cereal. Keep in mind that food should not be exposed to light so clear glass canisters are best used in pantries and cabinets with closed doors. These are from Amazon. https://amzn.to/48qVmCn
Use pre-made labels or good old masking tape and Sharpies (from the dollar store!) to be able to identify the contents. Add the date. These chalkboard labels are from Amazon: https://amzn.to/48l40SJ
• Boxed items including crackers and mixes.
• Canned goods and jars:
Did you know you can use a drawer for your cans? Just write (with a Sharpie!) the can contents on the top of the can so you can see at a glance the canned food you seek. You can also cover soda can boxes with contact paper and use them for food storage. You can purchase plastic can storage boxes, too. Think outside the box: I’ve seen magazine holders used for can storage.
It’s been a couple years since I’ve organized my food storage area. At that time, I had one closet for all the food because all my kitchen cabinets were being used for plates, cups, pans, plastic storage containers, etc. In the last couple months I’ve moved things out of the big closet and now use that for food storage, too. It’s awesome to have the space so food isn’t crammed and I don’t have to move food to get to the items in the back. Here are my two closets.
We use the original pantry for items that are more like snack foods (chips) or stuff used regularly (bread, peanut butter, for example).
The printer is near this pantry closet and so the printer paper is stored underneath the bottom pantry shelf.
• Organize types of foods together whenever possible, such as baking supplies; pasta; beans, etc.
• Spices: In a rack or in a drawer. I prefer using a drawer for my organized spices. See my post about organizing your spices using my method and you’ll be a winner! https://livingwithdana.com/2024/01/spices-organized-this-way-stay-organized/
• Beverages. Invest in a Brita water pitcher for purified water. I had not idea that. Pampered Chef pitcher with mixing plunger was so expensive. My sister gave me one as a gift at least 10 years ago and I still use it all the time for making Sassy Water! On Amazon the Pampered Chef pitchers were $70 and $90 each. Yikes! I like this one for $22: it has a lid with the mixing plunger attached.
• Root vegetables:
Potatoes and onions. I bought this potato basket on Amazon.
• Pet food and treats.
• Snacks.
Placement depends on if you want your children to be able to reach the snacks or not.
Did you know you can buy a potato chip rack? The racks are great with the small, individual size bags, if you buy the bags in quantity.
We close our family-size chip bags with clips meant to be used in the office for bundles of papers. You can attach hooks/nails in your pantry and slip the clip handle onto the hook. You can also purchase chip bag clips on Amazon. https://amzn.to/3vxT2uE
Just for fun, I use a meowing cat chip clip! Everyone in the house can hear it meow when you try to sneak some chips! It’s from Amazon.
• Baskets from dollar store. Also use plastic shoe boxes or similarly sized plastic storage containers.
• Egg cartons.
Cut off the top. The egg crate side of the carton should fit in a refrigerator shelf. Put your mustard, ketchup, relish and other bottles in the egg crate upside down. Now if the mustard leaks, it will stay in the carton! Genius.
• Keep coffee and tea in a cupboard near your coffee maker. Read my post about setting up a coffee station in your kitchen.
If you want to read the overall plan for the 52-week clean, organize, declutter challenge, visit this blog post: https://livingwithdana.com/2018/12/52-week-cleaning-and-organizing-challenge/
And the first week’s challenge was posted here: https://livingwithdana.com/2024/01/cleaning-organizing-tasks-for-your-first-week/
I hope you follow along on this challenge. Sign up for my free weekly newsletter for challenge reminders!
