We have seven people who live in our house… and a dog. We also are the owners of the world’s smallest pantry. Here is how we maximize a small pantry for our large family.
Rule no 1. – Clear storage bins
Although I love the look of white bins and baskets, a functional and tidy pantry is ultimately what I’m after . For this purpose, clear bins are the only way to go. It’s easy to see what’s inside while everything remains organized. They can also be easily pulled in and out for use.
Rule no 2. – Organize by category
Most of what I see online is an individual bin for each food item. I don’t have much space (or a desire to purchase all those bins) so we chose to group by category. Our categories are as follows…
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Mac & Cheese… it’s own category at our house 😉
- Drink Mixes
- Snacks
- Chips
- Crackers & Cookies
- Popcorn
- Baking
- Treats
- Diet
- Protein
- Hot Cocoa
- Potatoes
Customize your categories for the most popular items at your house. It’s very easy to look in the pantry and ask yourself which bin is low. If snacks are low, I know I need to grab a few more at the store to replenish the bin. I know it’s not the typical approach but has worked so well for our family.
Rule no. 3 – Not everything needs a bin, but it does need a home
I use a riser on the top shelf of the pantry for items that don’t need to be in a certain category. These are items that aren’t needed as often but are good to know we have on hand. Example is
Rule no. 4 – Paint your pantry white one a year
Pantries never seem to be bright enough. White paint reflects light and will brighten the space. I suggest painting your pantry once a year. This will also keep your pantry looking fresh and new. We spend a lot of money on food. I personally don’t have a desire to eat anything that comes out of a dingy pantry because I have no idea how long it has been there. A fresh looking pantry is way more appealing in that aspect.
- labels $8.00+
- smaller clear bins $89.99 for a pack of 8
- larger clear bins $59.99 for a pack of 4
- riser $19.99
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