I have a very small kitchen with very little cupboards. I am thankful that I have a pantry, even though it too, is very small.
I’ve learned some tricks over the years to keep it organized and functional. I find organization in the kitchen is key to keeping me motivated in the kitchen, cooking for my family and feeding them healthy food.
Here are a few tips for keeping a small pantry organized:
1. Only buy what you need for the week — I don’t have the storage space for buying weeks at a time, and honestly I think it keeps life much more simple to buy what we need for the week and start fresh the next week. Obviously some food items last much longer than a week (like baking powder and cocoa) but there are other items that I just don’t need 10 bags or boxes at a time (pasta, cereal, etc.)
2. Keep like with like–always store like items with like items. I keep all my nuts together in a brown wooden box. We have a bin for pasta/rice/grains and a bin for snacks. I have a basket for all my tea items. Keeping tea in a cute basket motivates me to drink it more often. Cereal and oatmeal stay together, as they are both breakfast items.
3. Use functional storage helpers–I love kitchen carousels and mason jars. I like to be efficient in the kitchen, and jars quickly show me what is inside, and a carousels display their items with a quick spin.
4. Create extra shelving with wire organizers — because I lack drawer space, I keep my foil & plastic bags on a wire organizer. The space organizer gives is just the right height for these items, and allows me to store things underneath them.
5. Use hooks– I use hooks for my duster, broom, mop, a holder for my plastic bags, & my girls 3 lunch bags. Hooks are a GREAT way to stay organized and keep things off the floor and shelves.
6. Buy an over-the-door organizer — this is one of the best purchases I have made. It has a tea shelf, a shelf for most used baking items (baking powder, baking soda, cocoa & salt) that I can just quick grab when baking. I have a vitamin/supplement shelf. I keep my straws next to those. The very last shelf is a deep one and holds my dish cloths, again, saving a drawer.
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I hope this inspires you to embrace organization even if you have a small space. Small spaces are a great motivator for staying organized, as one really doesn’t have much choice but to get creative!
What are ways you organize your kitchen space?
