The Perfect Pantry: A Professional Organiser's Guide to Kitchen Storage and Organisation

As a Professional Organiser, I know that a well-organised pantry can transform your daily routine and reduce food waste. Here's how to create a pantry that works as hard as you do.

The Foundation: Smart Categorisation

Consider grouping items by:

• Type (breakfast, snacks, baking, spices, sauces)

• Frequency of use with the least used at the back and most used at the front

• Size and shape, with larger items at the back and smaller items at the front

• Dietary requirements

Professional Storage Solutions

Invest in storage that maximises visibility and access:

• Clear, airtight containers for dry goods. Label and date.

• Turntables for corner spaces

• Tiered shelf organisers for canned goods

• Door-mounted racks for smaller items

• Pull-out drawers for deep shelves

• Shelves within cupboards to double usable space

• Clear containers to group smaller items together, such as cookie cutters, candles etc.

The Zones System

Create dedicated zones based on use:

• Everyday items at eye level

• Backup supplies on higher shelves

• Kids' snacks within reach, or not, if they aren’t allowed to help themselves

• Baking supplies grouped together

• Special occasion items stored higher up

Maintenance Made Easy

Keep your pantry organised with these habits:

• Weekly inventory check. Put items that will go out of date soon at the front. Consider putting them in a box together and label it “use first”

• Monthly quick clean

• Quarterly deep clean and reorganisation

• Implement the "First in, first out" rotation system by:

  • Placing newly purchased items at the back of shelves

  • Keeping older items at the front to use first

  • Moving existing items forward when unpacking groceries,

  • Using items with the closest expiration dates first

  • adding new pasta / rice / legumes etc to the bottom of your container, so that oldest items are at the top to use first

Label Everything

Clear labelling helps maintain order:

• Contents and expiration dates

• Zone designations

• Family members' special items

• Allergen warnings if needed

• Storage instructions

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