Pantry Storage Ideas: Keep Your Cupboards Organised & Clutter Free!

Your kitchen pantry and cupboards can easily become a neglected space in your home, piled with nearly empty bags of pasta, unknown spices and stacks of Tupperware. Despite this, however, your pantry can be one of the best and most exciting spaces to organise, with endless possibilities your pantry can become a functional and fun space. 

But where do you start when organising your pantry storage? Fear not! Our homeware experts at Northern Willow are here to give our top storage ideas to help keep your cupboards organised and clutter-free.

So what are the best storage ideas for organising your pantry? When it comes to organising your pantry, categorisation is vital. Break down the items in your pantry into categories. From there, use storage containers such as bins, tubs or jars to make things easily accessible and easy to grab. Finally, label all these items so you can easily see everything in front of you. This is a great way to see what you have and what you need to replenish and prevent unnecessary purchases.

Read on to find out more about our top tips and tricks on how to make your pantry organised, clutter-free and looking fabulous.

What is a Pantry & Why Are They Useful? 

A pantry is a space within the home that can be a small cupboard or a room typically in the kitchen or under the stairs. People use this space in order to store food, typically dry goods, crockery, appliances and sometimes drinks. It's a great place to store your excess food in order to keep your kitchen cupboards free from clutter. 

How To Organise Your Kitchen Pantry

Organising your pantry can be a daunting task especially if you’ve neglected it and let the clutter grow.  But try changing your mindset and approach it - not as a chore but rather as an exciting decorating activity. We’ve highlighted in more detail below our top tips to help you create the pantry of your dreams. 

Categorise Your Items 

Before you even start considering, labels, bins and decorating, the very first step you should do is categorise all of the items currently in the pantry. Start by going through everything in detail; anything out of date toss straight in the bin and anything where you know you aren’t going to use donate to your local charity or use an app like Olio to share your unwanted goods with your neighbours.

Once you’ve done this, put your items into groups such as food (separate these even further e.g. canned goods and baking goods), appliances and utensils. 

Containers, Baskets and Bins 

Once you’ve got the categorising out of the way, the fun begins! From here you can start to store items in baskets, storage bins and containers. This creates a more clutter-free environment as everything has its place so you and your family know exactly where things are and where to put them back so no more dealing with pesky empty boxes! 

We recommend using a mixture of clear acrylic tubs and baskets to create a chic and modern look for your pantry. These shallow wicker trays are perfect for storing crisps or packaged snacks for easy accessibility. These deeper storage baskets are great for storing on top shelves for less-used appliances such as your bread maker or blender.

Date Rotation 

If you want to create your very own at-home supermarket experience, take a leaf out of their book and try date rotation. This is where you take products with a shorter expiry date (the ones that will run out of date first) to the front of your basket or storage bin and the ones that will last the longest at the back. 

This will help to reduce food waste in the house and ensure that you and your family are smart about what you eat and buy. Ensure you rotate your stock every time you organise your food shop.

Labelling and Decals 

Labelling is another key component to making sure your pantry is organised and easy to navigate for everyone in the household. Labelling your boxes and bins with what's inside allows everyone to easily find what they’re looking for; without the need for rummaging and inevitably creating clutter again! 

If you are worried that labels look too formal, you can always try decals which offer more creative and artistic labelling options such as these cute stickers from Etsy.

Use Your Space Wisely 

When filling your pantry, we recommend measuring your space before purchasing storage containers. You want everything to look neat and organised rather than simply shoved in without fitting properly. If you’re working with limited space,  try purchasing dividers or other smart storage solutions such as these tray dividers to help maximise your space. 

Decorate Your Pantry Doors

If you feel like your pantry is lacking a certain flair, why not try decorating your panty doors? You could either paint them or if you want to really add something special to this space, chalkboard paint is a great option.

This is a fun and interactive feature that the whole family will use, whether it be used for reminding of appointments, writing out the weekly shopping list or even silly drawings.  

Why Should You Organise Your Pantry Storage? 

All of these steps can seem like a lot of effort, but trust us, it's worth it. Organising your pantry is great for two main reasons. Firstly it helps to reduce waste because you'll be able to see and use goods before they expire. Secondly,  it will help to save you time. You’ll no longer have to do a deep dive into your pantry to find what you need, as everything will be easily seen and easily accessible. 

Pantry Storage Baskets at Northern Willow 

At Northern Willow, we offer a range of handmade, stylish baskets and hampers; perfect for any space around the home. From our stylish kitchen storage to bathroom storage and outdoor garden baskets we have everything you need for chic and functional storage solutions. 

If you have any questions about our storage solutions, or you’d like to find out more about we can help style your home contact one of our friendly team- we’d be happy to help you!