10 Most Important Rules For Pantry Success

Establishing an effective pantry requires more than simply stocking shelves; to draw people in and ensure people return, the pantry must foster community.

Appreciating volunteers and donors goes a long way. Small tokens, social media mentions and annual appreciation gatherings are simple ways of showing your pantry appreciates them and values their support.

1. Store like items together

When using your pantry by multiple people, it’s best to store similar items together. We like organizing our shelves into canned goods shelves, baking shelves and grain shelves as well as snack shelves for cereals, crackers, snacks and dried fruit so everyone can easily locate what they need. This makes finding what they’re searching for easier.

Store items in bins to easily see what you have, and make your space feel less cluttered. Try racks designed specifically for organizing pantry items that allow stacking bins for optimal organization.

Turntables can also make an invaluable difference, making replenishment easy when supplies run low. We highly suggest investing in one for condiments, sauces, shakers and spices so you don’t waste precious space with containers full of cayenne pepper! They make life much simpler!

2. Store frequently used items close at hand

If something you use often is placed within easy access, this saves time, food and effort by eliminating digging around in a deep pantry.

Always have items like spices and baking supplies handy in easy-to-reach bins. Additionally, install pull-out shelves to access oils and vinegars more conveniently without reaching into the back of cabinets.

Install shelf risers to maximize storage space if your shelves have adjustable levels, to prevent items from getting stacked too tightly together and make them easier to see. In addition, make it a point to move any perishable foods to the front of the pantry so they are used before they spoil – do this at least annually to minimize food waste!

3. Store heavy items lower

Cans don’t have to be piled high when stored on racks. Lower storage means less likelihood for spilling and crushing under their own weight.

Consider how food is organized at your grocery store as your guide when stocking your pantry, says Goldson. This creates a visual roadmap of all of its contents.

To increase efficiency in your pantry, consider installing turntables or lazy susans on shelves to accommodate items like spice jars or dry goods, hooks on the inside door of the pantry to hang tools like measuring cups and oven mitts off of counters, freeing up space for other storage options; stickers or erasable chalkboard labels may also help ensure everyone in the family knows where everything is located.

4. Store lighter items higher

Though it may seem counterintuitive, storing lighter items higher is actually the better solution to reduce clutter. For instance, you might place Tupperware containers or baking supplies up high (along with spices/seasoning packets and granola bars) rather than placing them on lower shelves where they could get knocked over by heavier objects below.

At first, it may be beneficial to store your pantry with clear bins or jars – this allows you to see at a glance what items you have and the quantity that remains, helping prevent you from purchasing duplicates. Perhaps consider adding a lazy Susan for easier accessing harder-to-reach items like spices and other cooking ingredients, so that when searching, just spin until you locate what you need without digging through piles.

5. Avoid heat in storing food

Donations to families struggling with hunger must take account of food storage and handling needs; many don’t have access to refrigerators or freezers, making it essential that donations contain foods with an extended shelf life during summer months.

Non-perishable items should be stored in cool, dry environments to preserve their best conditions of storage. Avoid heat sources like ovens as well as any sources of moisture like the kitchen sink or stove exhaust ducts for optimal storage conditions.

Label and organize foods according to the “First In, First Out (FIFO) method and rotate them regularly to help avoid eating expired food and reduce waste. Insulated containers may be an ideal way of keeping cold food cool for extended periods – like portable refrigerators they keep your cold foods cool for several hours!

6. Get good containers

Food-grade plastic containers or glass jars with rubber seals (such as Ball) provide superior protection from moisture, air exposure, and pests that could ruin the contents. In order to remain hygienic and secure when storing perishable items they should be regularly washed and sanitized prior to their storage.

Make it part of your routine to stock up on items you know will come in handy, taking advantage of sales. Doing this will prevent having to run errands when the fridge runs dry while saving both time and money on groceries.

If you’re preparing meals using glass containers, they’ll reduce the amount of toxic chemicals leaching into your meal. Tracking expiration dates helps ensure foods get eaten before they spoil; inventory your pantry and move any expired foods closer to the front shelf to encourage consumption more quickly while helping avoid purchasing duplicate items that already exist.

7. Label your containers

Add custom labels to your containers as an inexpensive way to simplify pantry organization even further. Labels help reduce visual clutter, monitor if supplies are running low and encourage everyone in the household to put back items after using them.

Try chalkboard labels that resemble miniature chalkboards and can be written on with wet-erase markers for bulk foods, canned goods and baking ingredients – as well as for designating pantry sections. Adjustable shelves pantrys make it especially useful to write the date when each container was purchased so you know when restocking will need to take place; this is particularly important for seasonal items like winter clothing and Christmas decorations that require replacing regularly. Back stock areas may also come in handy to store extra supplies of these frequently-needed items like flour and sugar

8. Don’t forget about expiration dates

Food expiration dates can often be misleading. While they provide an indicator of shelf-stability, they don’t always reflect actual quality or safety concerns of a product. A “best if used by” date provides more insight into its quality than just an expiration date does.

If you are uncertain of a food’s safety, use visual and olfactory cues to assess it before eating it. Store foods with shorter shelf lives in your freezer.

As you store away groceries, take the time to wipe down shelves and containers to prevent spills and crumbs from building up and make it easier to find what you need. Also label all containers and shelves so that everyone in your household knows their place while also helping prevent pantry moths from taking residence in them.

9. Keep your pantry clean

Keep in mind that pantry clutter is one of the leading causes of food waste. To eliminate wasteful spending and decrease food wastage, empty everything out onto the counter and go through each item individually to identify anything expired or no longer necessary to your pantry. This process should help eliminate anything no longer relevant in its storage location.

Establish an intuitive system to keep you organized over the long term. For example, this could include organizing items into cans/bottled goods shelves, breakfast/brunch shelves or snack/deliciousness shelves. Establishing such an arrangement will keep things under control.

Place frequently used items at waist and eye level shelves so they’re easy to reach, using shelf organizers or turntables (lazy Susans) as necessary to maximize vertical space. Practice the FIFO method when rotating stock; this will ensure older items are eaten first while also protecting newer foods from spoilage before being utilized.

10. Keep your pantry organized

Once your pantry system has become functional for you, it is key to stay on top of its maintenance. Every time something leaves the pantry for use or preparation purposes, return it where it belongs – this makes keeping up a tidy space easier during commercial breaks or while cooking dinner! – and ensures you never run out of pantry staples!

Keep track of expiration dates and stock up on pantry staples like pasta, canned goods, flour, sugar, cereal and rice that last long-term. Be sure to provide adequate storage for items like tin foil, aluminum baking sheets and ziploc bags; turntables might come in handy too if reaching hard-to-reach corners is your goal! Keeping your pantry organized will save money and cut food waste; the key is making a plan and sticking to it!