Helpful Small Pantry Organization Ideas (2024)

Table of Contents

How To Organize a Small Pantry

One of my goals this year was to get the closets organized, tidy, and maybe a bit pretty. I hate, hate not being able to find something I need. We organized the linen closet here along with the Christmas decor and you can see our laundry room makeover from earlier this year.

Before you get started organizing your pantry you should decide what is going to go inside of it. Will you be storing small appliances in there? Large appliances? Strictly food items such as dry goods?

Once you decide what your core pantry items are going to be, then you can move on to the actual project itself!

Start with a Clean and Fresh Space

Our pantry has several wood shelves with a coating on them. After cleaning it thoroughly, I painted the shelves with 2 coats of durable cabinet and trim paint.

This would be a good time to lay down shelf liners, whcih further protect against stains and scratches.

While you may not need to repaint, I recommend clearing everything out to start with a clear space. This will make purging and cleaning much easier.

The Pantry Organization Product Source list is at the bottom of this post.

Use a Pantry Door Organizer

Doors are the best way to maximize small pantry organization and offer easy access to the things you’d be looking for quickly such as spices, baking ingredients, and syrups for coffee.

I love my door hanger. This one is budget-friendly and has adjustable heights between shelves. Another option that goes through the entire door is this door organizer that you can adjust and includes different shelves.

The back of the door is also a great place to hang your aprons or even small kitchen utensils.

How to Layout Pantry Storage

There are several methods to how you should organize a pantry for maximum effectiveness, and I have many considerations. A well-organized pantry starts with a good layout.

Once you have figured out your kitchen essentials, plan out where they will go. Here is a good guide:

• Put heavier items on lower shelves.
• Put healthy snacks at eye level or in easier reach than treats.
• Rarely used items or backups go up higher than eye level on top shelf.
• Start with figuring out where your big items are going to go and follow them with the smaller items.
• Don’t put food on the floor, but you can add baskets under the bottom shelf that hang in the air.
• If you buy groceries in bulk from the grocery store, make sure you have a system for rotating to avoid food expiration. Always pay attention to expiration dates!
• Pair similar items together. For example, all dried goods such as sugar and flour or pasta and rice. This is a great way to make your pantry space even more functional!

For example, my husband happens to be 15 inches taller than me. Of course, he always gets the top shelf since I can’t reach it!

How to Choose Food Storage Containers

Oh, the fun stuff! I use a few different varieties of containers, but whichever you choose, food containers should always be:

• Easy to Clean (food-grade plastic) – I generally avoid those cute hyacinth baskets. Wire baskets are okay for sealed items like canned goods.
• Buy a few extra bins – storage items regularly change so I get a few extra or try to get items that are continually available.
• Keep uniformity by using as few different container styles as possible. The more different containers you have, the more cluttered it will look.
• Label everything.
• Clear containers. Utilize clear containers for things like cereal so that you can see when you are running low on them.

CONTAINER TIP: If you are placing bulk items in a container, be sure to label their expiration date! I use painter’s tape on the back, but sticky notes or dry erase labels might work.

Do Not Overfill Containers

If you find that you have nearly filled a container, consider getting a second one. One month you may want to take advantage of a great sale or maybe you’re a big Costco buyer.

I don’t fill pantry bins more than 70% when overhauling an organization system. In fact, I have two snack bins, 3 bins for canned goods, and 3 unlabeled bins for overflow.

List of Pantry Labels for Jars

• Baking Items (Cocoa Powder / Cornstarch / Baking soda)
• Flour (All- purpose / Bread Flour /Whole Wheat Flour / Oatmeal /Specialty Flours)
• Sugar (Granulated / Brown / Powdered)
• Rice (Brown / White)
• Pasta (Spaghetti / Penne / shells / macaroni)
• Dried Fruits and Nuts (Raisins / Cranberries / dry beans)
• Pre-made mixes (Cookie Mix / Pancake Mix / Soup Mix)
• Cereals

We have some handy printable spice labels (for FREE!) and more tips in my post on organizing spices in your kitchen.

Pull Out Shelves

It doesn’t work well in this corner pantry, I admit. However, I added pull-out shelves like these to my mother’s kitchen pantry which is more like a large cabinet with deep shelves. She loves them!

You can DIY this project or get a custom-made system that has nice pull-out shelves.

Bonus Small Walk-In Pantry Organization Tips

You have a pretty good guide of where to go with your upcoming pantry makeover, but here are a few bonus tips to get you going:

• Stick to bins and larger storage solutions if you have wire shelving.
• Food does not go on the floor but you can make use of floor space by placing kitchen appliances or cleaning products down there.
• The floor could also be a great place to keep bulkier items such as sealed water bottles and vases.
• Don’t place glass storage containers high up. Keep them at eye level or below as a precaution.
• If you have wall space, consider simple wall storage solutions to further maximize space.
• A space saving fold-able step stool like this one is a must-have kitchen tool.
• Got deep corners? Lazy Susans offer an awesome storage solution for tight spaces.

How should I get started organizing the pantry?

The pantry area can easily become overwhelming, especially if you haven’t organized it in a while. First start by pulling everything out and cleaning and lining the shelves. Go through all your items and take inventory, categorize items by what makes the most sense to you. Keeping it organized is much more attainable when it’s accessible to your own needs. Assess your available space and budget before choosing containers.

How can I keep inventory of what I have and avoid unnecessary purchases?

The age of technology comes in very handy here! There are so many apps out there to help keep you organized and on top of daily tasks. We like to use the Cozi app for groceries and lists. It’s one less thing I have to remember and is so convenient.

How can I organize a small pantry on a budget?

The biggest way to cut costs is by finding budget-friendly containers. Look for sales, discount stores, and inexpensive containers like mason jars or IKEA bins. Some of the sturdier systems (OXO good grips or Elfa System) have been around for years so you can buy a little at a time.

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(click on photo for source)