Here are the Kitchen Pantry Organizers That Keep my Pantry Tidy (+ 8 Organization Tips!)
Here are my fave kitchen pantry organizers, plus some actionable tips for anyone to have a tidier pantry!
Do you struggle to organize your pantry?
I definitely do! There’s a lot happening in my kitchen each day, whether it’s for my family or for my role as a food blogger for Hip2Keto.com and Hip2Save.com. I’m moving so fast some days that I don’t always take the time to organize my space and put things back properly.
My goal is always to stay organized to help my life run smoother!
I have previously shared the drastic before/after of our pantry remodel.
We did most of the work ourselves to save money, and we’ve been enjoying this space so much. It used to be a closet and is now more like an extension of the kitchen with counters and electricity for small appliances.
My pantry is one of my favorite parts of our home for sure, and I am so grateful to have this extra storage space.
With that, here are 8 easy and frugal real-life organizing strategies and pantry organizers to keep things neat and tidy!
I say real life because this is not one of those pantries from a magazine with just a handful of items! Ha. I have lots of small appliances and kitchen stuff in general. In fact, my husband likes to give me a hard time about hoarding appliances and pantry foods, but I consider it just part of my process for work! 😂
Most of my pantry organizers are from Amazon, The Container Store, or Walmart. I have collected a few key kitchen organizers over the years that help my pantry from becoming chaotic. Thrift shops and Dollar Tree are other great spots to look for inexpensive kitchen organizers!
1. Purge and declutter.
Before I start any organizing project, purging is always the first step (less stuff always equals less effort to organize). I, too, sometimes overbuy one item and never use it, or my kids open a bag of chips, and it’s been sitting around months later! Declutter and get rid of as many things as you can, from spoiled food to unused appliances. Consider donating unwanted, unopened non-perishable food that hasn’t expired to a food bank.
2. Create different zones in your pantry.
Creating zones will help you quickly identify items so that there’s a home for everything. You can create a zone for pantry staples like canned goods, cereal, baking supplies, grab-and-go snacks, etc. I also have a zone for foil, kitchen wraps, and baggies.
Zone organization products I love:
- CRAKTH Bamboo Ziplock Bag Storage Organizer – $29.95 (regularly $32.95)
- Hapoyxm 3 in 1 Bamboo Plastic Wrap Dispenser with Slide Cutter – $19.99 (regularly $29.99)
Since I bake often, it is so helpful to have a spot for all my flour and sugars. These clear storage containers work perfectly for my space as I can immediately identify what’s in each one. I also made these farmhouse style kitchen labels using my Cricut vinyl cutting machine, and love the look and functionality so much!
3. Use clear kitchen pantry organizers to gather like items.
As you’re creating pantry zones, consider separating like items so you can easily identify them. I have mac and cheese separated together, and stacked about some drink mix packets. I also keep all my vinegar and oils in their own organizers.
Clear pantry organizers I love:
- Lifewit Refrigerator Organizer Bins for Fridge, 8 pack – $24.99 (regularly $34.99)
4. Use storage baskets or bins to separate snacks and small items.
I created a teen zone with all my kids snacks and open chip bags. This way they can grab and go as needed, and everything is corralled into one spot. This is so much cleaner and easier than keeping snacks in original packaging floating around the pantry.
My stackable bamboo organizers are from The Container Store and they have held up well for years. I love how beautiful they look and how functional they are.
Stackable storage bins I love:
- Stacking Bamboo Bin, Natural – start at $9.99
Hip Tip: Check out this small heated snack sealer that I’ve been using to prevent stale food in my pantry! It works great and helps me avoid food waste.
5. Use vertical space for canned goods.
Using all of the vertical space in your pantry shelving makes perfect sense, especially for storing canned goods. I have had these two canned food 3-tiered storage racks for years and love how easily I can grab what I need and also see what I have! If you have the room, these are so helpful.
My exact racks are no longer available, but we recommend this similar stackable rack organizer from Amazon.com that a few team members have and love!
6. Take foods out of large, boxed packaging.
Food packaging takes up so much valuable space! As an example, I keep a container for our dog’s treats instead of the big box they come in. I also store spaghetti in tall canisters and cereal in OXO air-tight cereal keepers.
My dry goods like rice and beans are stored in these brilliant PrepWorks canisters with scoops inside. I love these pantry organizers so much as the quality is fantastic and they are sleek looking.
Glass jars make great pantry organizers. This inexpensive yet large 2-gallon Anchor Hocking glass canister, pictured above, holds the large box of k-cups from Costco nicely! I am sure you can use it to organize lots of other items like flour and other supplies. Those are nice quality canisters for pantry organizing!
Dry goods clear canisters I love:
- OXO Good Grips Air-Tight POP Large Cereal Dispenser – $25.95
- PrepWorks Plastic 2.5-Quart ProKeeper Grain Storage – $17.99 (regularly $24.29)
- Anchor Hocking Glass Storage Heritage Hill Jar, 12 gal – $19.95 for 2
Hip Tip: Check out Sara’s pantry makeover using these beautiful kitchen organizers from Walmart!
7. Place a Lazy Susan in the corner.
I’m a big fan of Lazy Susan organizers to access items conveniently, as it’s a nice space-saving idea, especially for corner areas. This small turntable is perfect for smaller spices and baking items.
8. Take 10 minutes at the end of each day to tidy up.
This has been huge for me, and it makes all the difference so I don’t get overwhelmed. Even just wiping up the counter and shelving – and making sure miscellaneous things are put away at the end of the day – is so helpful!
Speaking of keeping things tidy, I recently picked up these handy cord organizers from Amazon.com and they have helped me corral small appliance cords in my pantry!! These are so easy to install, are very sturdy, and they do a great job of keeping cords in check.
The cord on my KitchenAid mixer has always bothered me as there is no great way to organized the cord! This little stick-on cord holder is organizing perfection. I am excited to install on all my small appliances now.
Need help with your fridge? Check out how I keep my fridge organized as well!
Thanks for the hints!
I would love to know how people store all the mini bags of chips from Costco or Amazon. I wind up leaving them on the floor in the box and I hate that!
I arranged mine in a large rectangular basket that I happened to have on hand.
i use a long rectangular wore basket as well. they stand right up and easy for my kids to grab on the go or when packing lunch.
I use the Sterilite medium stacking basket. Since they’re stackable, they fit perfectly on my pantry shelves. I found them at my local Walmart.
Kelleymcghie, I got a 6 pack of clear plastic boxes, (shoe box size) at Target, for 6 bucks. I fill them w/ granola bars, snack bags, fruit snacks, etc. They stack easily, nothing gets crushed, and I can tell at a glance what we’re running low on. Hth!
My daughter in law hangs a frantic shoe organizer on the back of pantry door and puts snacks in there
Any tips on organizing a kitchen with an island? I’m considering moving my dishes/ pans/etc. What works for you?
We use our island a lot so i put things in there we use daily. Cutting boards, strainers, prep supplies, etc. Our vitamix sits on top since we use it daily for smoothies. Hth.
I don’t like taking all my flour and such out of the bags any more. The ones I’m using – sure. But it seems like several times a year there’s a recall, and when it’s in a canister I don’t have a way to check the brand/lot number/expiration date to know if it’s safe, and if I bought several bags in a deal, I want to be able to at least return the unopened ones for a refund.
I placed my package flour , sugar etc in the clear container. They fit perfectly in OXO containers. It makes process simple if it’s ever recalled.
True for all your foods and especially important for those of us that manage food allergies.
I prefer to use storage containers that will hold the original packaging or clip just the label (include lot#) and attach to the storage container.
I bought a 30 count pack of wooden clothespins from the laundry section at the Dollar Tree and use them for chip clips
This is what we use, too. Plus clothespins are great for closing bread bags (toss those silly square plastic tabs immediately!), plus partially used pasta, chocolate chips, dried fruit, sunflower seeds, and frozen veggies, too.
We do this too! Cheap and efficient.
It makes me sad there are only 30 in a pack. There used to be 80 and ten it got to be less and less. I bought a ton way back when and use them for chips, too
I have SUCH a small pantry, makes me want to cry! But I have tried a couple of these from before…they’ve helped a bit, thank you 🙂
I hear you. We put up a shop 22 years ago to live in while we built our house. We made it cozy and really enjoyed living there…and before too long we decided not to build at all. Still living in the shop and loving it. Since it is small I want to share a few things I figured out over the years. In the summer I store extra blankets between the mattress and the box spring. Also, in my pantry and my closet…when you walk in and turn around like you are walking back out and look up over the door my husband put up big peg boards in each. When I find good deals (thanx H2S) I stock up. I hang bags of cotton balls, packs of razors, a million tooth brushes, rubber gloves, q-tips and a bunch of other stuff in my closet. In my pantry I hang bags of snacks, chips, etc. Hardware stores carry baskets and bins that attach to the peg boards and I love that the clutter is out of the way. I should have mentioned my tiny home is 896 sq ft.
Thank you for the great ideas, in the winter we live in an rv. Never enough room, I love the blanket ideas! Thank you so much
Not everything needs to go in a container. Many things can stay in the box they came in. This will save you so much money.
I agree Casey! I mostly have containers for baking supplies and rice/beans. Baskets are good and easy for gathering like items that stay in their bags/boxes.
I purchased a ziplock organizer recently and I loved it so much that I purchased one for my sister’s birthday. She like it so much that she purchased one for her motorhome. This has been my favorite purchase!
Oh yay! I know it feels less cluttery and organized. Thanks for sharing!
Best thing I ever did in my pantry and frig is use lazy Susans. You can easily see and access what you have. I got some from target dollar spot for cheap. Found some cheap at thrift stores or TJ max.
Love that idea, Patty. 💞 I have one in a cabinet for baking items, but I should put one in my refrigerator too! Thanks for the suggestion!
I bought the cord organizers from Amazon but to my disappointment they peeled off after a couple of days. I used them on my Kitchenaid Mixer and food processor. Bummer
Bummer! Thanks so much for sharing your honest feedback, Valarie! 💗