10 Easy Steps to Transform your Pantry

A well-organized pantry is the key to a smooth running kitchen and a mama at ease! Whether you’re preparing meals, baking, or simply grabbing a snack, an organized pantry saves time and reduces stress. Follow these 10 easy steps to transform your pantry into a tidy, functional space that works for you and your family! Transforming your pantry can be a smooth and straightforward process with just a little effort. By following these simple steps, you’ll find the whole experience effortless and completely manageable. My goals is to leave you with: pantry organization tips, how to declutter your pantry, and ways to maximize pantry space.

Ready to take your pantry from chaotic to calming?

As a mama, I understand how tempting it is to “just throw it in there and shut the door.” However, this often leads to stress, clutter, and headaches later on. Let me help you organize your pantry so that each time you open it, you’re greeted with a sense of calm rather than a jumble of colors and labels. Together, we can create a space that brings peace and order to your kitchen, just follow these simple, easy steps below!

1. Empty the Pantry: Start Fresh!

Start by pulling everything out of your pantry yes, everything! Have a space where you can take everything down and look at what you have. This step is like hitting the reset button. With a clear space, you’ll have a better view of what you own, what you need, and what’s been hiding in the back for too long, that may be expired anyways:). Plus, there’s something always satisfying about starting with a blank slate.

2. Clean the Shelves: Wipe Away the Stress

Now that your pantry is empty, it’s time to give those shelves some love. It seems like a very easy step, and it is, but its very important. You don’t want to start off with anything but clean and fresh! Go ahead and take the extra time to COMPLETELY clean the shelves. Wipe them down with a gentle cleaner or a mix of water and vinegar, or use my favorite cleaner, Mrs. Meyers! Pay attention to corners and any sticky spots, even the bottoms of shelves can get dusty and fall onto containers later! A clean pantry is the foundation for an organized space, and it sets the tone for the fresh start you’re about to create.

3. Sort and Group Items: Create Your Categories

This is where the magic begins. Sort your items into categories like cans, pasta, baked goods, back stock, baking, chips and snacks. Grouping similar items together helps you see what you have and makes it easier to find things later. Plus, it’s a chance to get creative! Arrange your categories in a way that makes sense for your cooking style. It doesn’t have to be the categories mentioned above, make it whatever works for you! I suggest creating at least 4 broad categories. These will be baskets that you place with a label to hide things in packages that you may not want to individually store in airtight containers. Things like, vanilla extract, extra sugar, extra pastas, bags of chips, snacks, etc.

4. Declutter and Discard: Let Go of the Old

It’s time to be ruthless. Check expiration dates, and if it’s past its prime, toss it. Have you been holding onto that weird ingredient you bought but never used? Bye! Decluttering feels liberating—it’s like shedding weight you didn’t know you were carrying. You’ll be amazed at how much space you reclaim! If just throwing things away hurts deep within, like it does me, consider reaching out to friends or family members to see if they would use it!

5. Plan Your Space: Map Out Your Vision

With your pantry empty, clean, and categorized, it’s time to strategize. Think about how you use your pantry daily. Store less used items on higher or lower shelves. The goal is to make your pantry work perfectly for you. Planning your space ensures everything has a place and makes meal prep a breeze. Grab a piece of paper and map it all out! Know what you have to work with! If you have small baskets, make sure they will all fit what you need. If you have 4 large baskets like me, use these on the four corners of your pantry and then use clear containers to fill in the empty space you still have. I put things like baking and back stock higher because I don’t tend to use those on an everyday basis. I have 4 baskets that are labels, backstock, baking, snacks, and chips.

6. Use Clear Containers: See the Beauty

Say goodbye to mismatched boxes, half-opened bags, labels jumping out at you and colors as bright as the rainbow. Transfer dry goods like flour, sugar, and pasta into clear, airtight containers. Not only do they keep food fresh, but they also create a beautiful, unifying look that’s easy to track down what you have. When you can see what’s inside, you’ll know exactly when it’s time to restock. Now that you have mapped out your space, put most items in your 4 large baskets, other items in smaller acrylic containers (like cans and pastas) and start labeling small airtight containers with cereal, pancake mixes, and other items you have.

Create a Unified Look and Simplify Restocking:

I usually use bigger clear bins and label them for pasta and cans using a Cricut or a label maker and finish categorizing and putting groceries away. Along with the bigger bins, I use small airtight containers for cereal, protein powder, pancake mix, crackers and trail mix. These are things that we use in our house, you categorize however you feel would work best. If you ever need help on how to organize or what might work best, please feel free to send me an email! The last bins I have are smaller bins for breakfast items and extra snacks!

Now that you have all of the big stuff out of the way, you are probably thinking, what about my baking powder, sugar, flour, brown sugar and all of the other ingredients? What about my spices? I am glad you asked! Andrew and I actually prefer to have these in a separate place in my kitchen that is closer to the oven/ stove. We have acacia containers, large, medium and small with labels that hold pastas, rice, powdered sugar, and so on.

For your spices, I use this spice rack to help maximize the space in my pantry. I would buy two of them depending on how many spices you have! I also have beautiful spice containers with labels! It’s easy to tell how much you have left with these clear containers!

I know this seems to be a lot out of your pocket, but hear me out… This is a one time purchase, IF you do it right. Don’t go to TJ Maxx and buy the cheapest containers, because your groceries will get stale! Investing in quality containers is to ensure that one, the lid doesn’t pop off as you are trying to pour a bowl of cereal and end up with a mountain of Cherrios on the ground, and two, it will allow you to enjoy your clean pantry for YEARS to come!

7. Label Everything: Name It and Claim It

Labels are the secret to long-lasting organization. Once your containers are filled, add labels that clearly identify what’s inside. This step is especially helpful for family members who may not know where everything goes. Whether you use a label maker, metal bin labels, or DIY labels, this step adds the finishing touch to your organized pantry. Now, everything has a home.

8. Maximize Vertical Space: Reach for the Sky

Take your pantry to new heights—literally! Use self risers to double the space on your shelves (I use the spice rack, but you can also add more for additional room), or stackable bins to make the most of your vertical space (you can choose these or the smaller acrylic bins for snacks). An over-the-door organizer is perfect for holding smaller items like packets, paper towels, oils, or sprays. By thinking vertically, you’ll unlock hidden potential and create more room than you ever thought possible.

9. Create Zones: Design Your Dream Pantry

Zoning your pantry is like creating a mini grocery store in your home. Designate specific zones for different categories. A baking zone might include flour, sugar, and vanilla extract, while a snack zone keeps granola bars and chips within easy reach. Zones make it easy to find what you need, and they add a touch of order that makes your pantry a joy to use. Make sure that EVERYONE in your house keeps to this rule! My husband knows how important a clean pantry and home means to me, and he makes sure that it always goes back where it belongs. Now, let’s move on to the last, yet wonderfully easy step in this process!

10. Maintain Regularly: Keep the Momentum

Congratulations! Your pantry is now beautifully and perfectly organized—it’s practically dancing with joy , but the key to keeping it that way is regular maintenance. Set a reminder to tidy up every few months. Check expiration dates, reorganize as needed, and make sure everything is still in its designated zone. With a little upkeep, your pantry will stay organized, and you’ll enjoy the benefits for months or even years to come.

Final Thoughts

Organizing your pantry isn’t just about creating a neat space, it’s about transforming the way you interact with your kitchen. With these 10 steps, you’ll not only have a pantry that’s functional and beautiful but also a space that inspires creativity and makes meal prep a joy. So roll up your sleeves, put on your favorite playlist, and get ready to love your pantry like never before! It might take some time, but anything truly worthwhile never comes easy. Like I mentioned before, if you need help with anything, please reach out via email on my contact page! I can walk you through what needs to go where and how to use your space so it can function better for you and your family!

Colossians 3:23

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.”