The New Rules of Pantry Organization
If finding ingredients in your pantry requires an extensive search, it's time to reorganize. We asked the experts how to organize a pantry for everyday cooking and extended use. They walked us through the pantry organization process step-by-step. Start by taking stock of what you have stashed, then follow these tips to sort, decant, and stack your way to a tidier pantry. Finding snacks, dinner supplies, and baking essentials just got easier.
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Pour into clear containers.
The experts we spoke to agree that decanting boxes and bags of food into see-through vessels is a must for a well-organized pantry. It saves space, of course—particularly when a package contains almost as much air as food. But you can also quickly see how much you have, making meal planning and grocery list writing easier. As a bonus, it reduces the visual clutter in your pantry. And if you go with airtight containers, decanting will keep your staples fresh longer.
Shop for the space you have.
When trying to figure out how many staples to keep on hand, it's easy to get worked up about preparedness these days. Some people say you need a week's supply; others say a year's. The short answer: Stock what your storage space allows.
To utilize every inch of space, invest in a slide-out drawer that makes even the back corners of the pantry more accessible.