How to organize a walk in pantry when it’s full of stuff?
Keeping your pantry organized can be extremely hard and annoying. You use it every day, and everyone in your house gets into it; they look for things and mess it up.
Once it’s messed up it takes you longer to find anything. You can even lose things you know for sure are there, you just can’t find them!
Small pantries and food cupboards are easily disorganized but can be tidied up pretty quickly.
Whereas when you are looking at how to organize a pantry and it’s a walk in one, the disorganization can be a little overwhelming.
Luckily organizing a walk in pantry follows similar rules that you would use for a single food cupboard and any other food storage areas you have.
Let me help you create a system that works for you. One that you can keep going with the minimum of effort.
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7 Quick tips on how to organize a walk-in pantry
1. take it all out
If your pantry is really bad, then just take everything out.
You will probably find cans that you haven’t seen in months or years, bags, and empty containers of things that you used forever ago.
When I had a huge stockpile of non perishable food and finally decided to get it in some sort of organized order, I found pasta 2 years past its sell by date. Oops!
Even if your pantry isn’t that bad, take most of the stuff out. You want to get behind everything and clean it anyways.
You can leave the big and heavy stuff in but take out anything that isn’t in a specific place where it will stay after you have organized it.
2. check your dates
Check expiration dates on everything. If something is about to expire, just use it that night for dinner, or make a plan to use it pretty quickly.
Don’t throw it away just because, you could also donate it to somewhere that needs the extra food, especially if the food is still good.
If you have an over full pantry then consider doing a pantry challenge to reduce how much you have without throwing food away.
3. Create pantry categories for your walk in pantry
Sort everything into categories. Put things together like all the pasta, all the cans, all the crackers.
For the cans, sort them into smaller categories like soups, sauces, vegetables, fruits, and others. A really great tip; put all the cans together.
There isn’t any sense mixing them up when you know that when you want chicken noodle soup, it will be in a can.
It doesn’t need to go next to the ramen noodles just because it’s chicken. It will make life so much easier.
4. Plan your pantry space
When everything is in a pile of the same thing, then figure out where it’s going to go before you put it in the pantry.
You don’t want to move around 20 cans again because there wasn’t enough space.
Figure out the general area of where you want things, and then start placing them back in the pantry. It may take a little extra time upfront, but it will save you lots of time in the end.
Put rarely used items up top or toward the back and items you need daily right where you can find them at the front, within easy reach.
Helpful storage products
Pantries and kitchens need effective storage. Creating a pantry stockpile requires organization. These are essential storage solutions you can use to store your stockpile and save money doing so.
53 Qt. Plastic Storage Bin Container with Durable Lid and Secure Latching Buckles
Large stackable containers with built in pull handle making easy access from a high shelf. Perfect bin storage for your pantry items.
Airtight Food Storage Containers Set, 14 PCS Kitchen Storage Containers with Lid
Perfect sizing for flour, cereals, pasta and more. Airtight, stackable and BPA-free. With re-suable labels so you always know what's in your stockpile.
Set Of 8 Refrigerator Organizer Bins - 4 Large and 4 Medium Stackable Plastic Clear Food Storage Bin with Handles for Pantry, Freezer, Fridge, Cabinet, Kitchen Countertops - BPA Free
It's not just your pantry that needs organizing. These stackable clear food storage bins with handles are ideal for your fridge and freezer.. BPA-free.
Tzerotone Glass Jars Set, Spice Jars with Wood Airtight Lids and Labels
These 6oz 12 Piece small food storage containers are perfect for storing your herbs and spices once you've started each packet.
Large Food Storage Containers 5.2L / 176oz, Vtopmart 4 Pieces
These BPA-free plastic airtight food storage Canisters are perfect for larger quantities of flour, sugar, oats and baking supplies. Comes with 4 measuring cups and 24 Labels.
Fruit Basket, 3 Tier Stackable Metal Wire Basket Cart with Rolling Wheels
Store fruit and veg to allow for air circulation with this uility rack for your pantry. Comes with 2 free hanging baskets you can use elsewhere for yet more storage.
5. Remember the kids
When you are deciding where everything is going to go, remember that your kids will want to get some of their own food themselves.
They need to have certain things like crackers on the lower shelves so that they can easily reach them. Or maybe not if these are usually off limits!
Also, when you are putting things away like cans, stack them and put the same of one thing behind the other same cans.
6. Stack and organize
You don’t need to see five cans of tomato soup right in front, but you can stack them and place them behind each other.
That way, you will have room to see everything that you need to without having to peer around other cans or move things around just to figure out if you have something.
7. Take your time unpacking
When you are unloading your groceries, make sure that you put everything back where it goes.
If you just shove everything in your pantry real quick, then you won’t be able to keep it organized. Just spend two minutes really putting everything away.
Put new cans behind the old ones if you don’t use the product very much so that you make sure and use the older ones first.
how to organize a walk in pantry and Keep it so
It helps you to know exactly what you have and what you don’t have when it comes to your food.
This way it saves you money because you don’t buy something thinking that you don’t have it.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve bought something I thought I needed only to find I already had at least one. And I’m sure I am not alone in doing this.
Keeping your pantry organized so you know exactly what’s in it will help you when it comes to meal planning and writing out your grocery list.
Plus, it looks so much better and is less stressful when you are trying to find something that you need for dinner that night.
For more help and advice on stocking your pantry and saving money while you do it, check out these posts:
How To Stockpile Food On A Budget – 10 Easy Tips
How To Build A Stockpile Quickly
40 Essential Foods to Create Your Emergency Stockpile
How To Prepare For Food Shortage and Build Your Stockpile
Why You Should Be Eating Down Your Pantry
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Last Updated on 10th March 2022 by Emma
