Pantry Zones
Crestmoor | Denver, CO
How CUTE is this pantry's rooster wallpaper?! It gives me the cockadoodledoos. Plus, there's nothing better than starting the morning in an organized pantry!
BACKGROUND
This client is mom to an active 2-year-old, plus 6 months pregnant, who wanted help creating a system in her pantry that would make her busy (and exhausting) day easier.
Prior to starting the organizing, we talked through her needs, how she used the space, what her family's habits were, what she used most often, what drove her crazy about the space, etc.. This is important information for me when creating a functional system to meet her family's needs.
FIRST STEP
The first step in any pantry project is to pull everything out of the space (EVERYTHING), categorize by like item (think broad categories, like pasta, snacks, seasonings, etc.), and then clean the space. (For more on my process, check out this pantry organization post.)
Once everything is categorized, it's a great opportunity to peruse each category and pull out anything that no longer serves a purpose, is duplicative, and/or expired. If the item is in good shape, donate it. If it's in bad shape or expired, trash or recycle it.
From there, it's much easier to see what you have (and how much of it) to start properly planning the organizing system, purchasing the right organizing products, etc..
CREATE ZONES
Since this pantry was big with multiple walls of shelving, I created broad zones by wall and then grouped similar categories within the zone. So for the window wall shown below, this wall became home to household categories like, first aid, supplements, meds, and the kiddo's craft supplies and toys. Within the zone, each category was given its own dedicated spot and contained in a basket or a drawer, and then labeled.
The next wall shown below became the food zone. So everything stored on this wall was all food related and broken down by category and stored in separate bins and other organizing solutions.
And the last wall below became the zone for kitchen overflow items, such as small appliances, extra dishes, bakeware, etc.
And that's it! If you have a large pantry with multiple walls and lots of shelves, I highly recommend creating broad zones by wall and then grouping similar categories within each zone.
When every type of item in your pantry has a home and is contained, it's much easier to find what you're looking for, put things away, and get organized for grocery shopping because you can easily see when you're running low on something.
Once the system is in place, it's super easy to follow, even if you're not a rule follower ;)
Need more tips? Check out this post for more quick pantry organizing tips.
Happy organizing!
Products Used:
Seagrass Cotton Basket with Handles
The Home Edit by iDesign Sand Open-Front Bins
White Plastic Bins with Handles