6 Steps to Organize and Clean Your Pantry

If your pantry is getting full of jumbled miscellany, cooking can become a depressing chore. At least once a year (I’d say every 6 months for most people), you should clean it out.

This isn’t a fun task. It’s a pain, and I rarely actually do it twice in a year! But the last step I’m including here is how to maintain it so you might not need to do it that often. Yessss to less frequent cleaning jobs!

Why Organize A Pantry?

A well-organized and clean pantry can be a game-changer for your kitchen. Not only does it make it easier to find the ingredients you need, but it can also save you time, money, and stress in the long run.

Taking the time to declutter, categorize, and maintain it can really simplify your daily cooking and meal prep routines. Whether you have an actual pantry or kitchen cabinets or shelves, the place where you keep your canned goods, flours and unopened condiments can become very cluttered.

You keep buying new products and pushing other products around to make room for them. After a while, you may not even know what’s in the back. And that’s why you need to give it a good decluttering once or twice a year.

Supplies You Might Need

This is a bit of a process, so you may need some or all of the following:

Trash bags or boxes for donations/discards
Shelving units, baskets, or storage containers
Labels and a label maker (or sticky notes and a permanent marker)
All-purpose cleaning supplies (e.g., all-purpose cleaner, microfiber cloths, sponges)
Step stool or ladder (if you have high shelves)

Step 1: Empty the Pantry

Take all the items out and decide which you should keep and which you should throw out or give away.

Schedule Dedicated Time

Organizing a pantry is a bigger task than it may seem, so be sure to block off enough time to complete it without feeling rushed. Aim for at least 2-3 hours, depending on the size of your pantry.

Enlist Help (If Possible)

Get an extra set of helping hands, if you can! A family member or a friend can make the process go much faster. They can assist with sorting, cleaning, and putting items back on the shelves.

Clear the Space

Before you can start organizing, you’ll need to completely empty out your pantry and clean it. Gather all the items in one central location, such as your kitchen counter or table.

Step 2: Clean the Pantry

Take advantage of the shelves being empty and give them a good cleaning.

Wipe Down Shelves and Surfaces

Use your all-purpose cleaner and microfiber cloths to thoroughly wipe down all the shelves, walls, and any other surfaces in the pantry. Pay special attention to corners and hard-to-reach areas that may have accumulated dust and grime over time.

Check for Pests

While you’re cleaning, keep an eye out for any signs of pests, such as droppings, chewed packages, or even the pests themselves. If you spot any evidence of an infestation, address the issue right away before putting any food items back in the pantry.

Vacuum or Sweep the Floor

Don’t forget to vacuum or sweep the floor of the pantry to remove any crumbs, dust, or debris that may have accumulated. This will give you a clean slate to work with when it’s time to put everything back.

Line Your Shelves

It’s a great idea to line your shelves with parchment paper or shelf liner that will catch spills before they soak into the wood. Plastic-lined freezer paper is also great for this. If you want a liner that “grips” the shelves, I’ve used Contact Grip Liner and recommended it to friends.

Deodorize and Absorb Moisture

To keep your pantry smelling fresh, you may want to put an open box of baking soda or a few activated charcoal bags (I use these) on the shelves. This will help absorb any lingering odors and moisture that could lead to spoilage.

Step 3: Sorting and Purging

Now that your pantry is empty, take a look at everything you pulled out of it. Some of these items should be thrown away or given away, and that will reduce how many items you need to put back.

Check Expiration Dates

This one’s easy! Go through each item and check the expiration date. Toss anything that is past its prime or looks questionable. Be ruthless here – expired food can be a health hazard, and keeping it around will only contribute to pantry clutter.

Give Away What Your Family Doesn’t Eat

We all buy food that goes to waste. Maybe the family didn’t like it, or your dietary preferences have changed. If you have some unopened dried or canned goods that aren’t expired and are in good shape, you can take these to a food bank or give them to people you know.

Opened Packages That Have Gone Stale

If it doesn’t taste or smell good, throw it away. And if your family has a habit of opening new containers of products before finishing the old ones, this is a good time to discuss that.

Damaged Or Dented Cans Or Containers

Dents don’t necessarily mean the packaging is compromised. But if you have any concerns, throw it away. Better safe than sorry when it comes to food.

Step 4: Categorizing What You Keep

Now you’re going to have to do some thinking. Look at what you’re keeping and start grouping items into logical categories, like:

Canned goods (e.g., vegetables, fruits, soups, beans)
Baking supplies (e.g., flour, sugar, baking soda, extracts)
Grains and pasta
Snacks and crackers
Oils, vinegars, condiments and sauces
Spices and seasonings
Breakfast items (e.g., cereal, oatmeal, granola)
Beverages

Step 5: Arrange Items In Your Pantry

When you start putting back the items you’re keeping, put some thought into it. Arrange the shelves so that the items you use most frequently are at eye level or within easy reach. Taller, less-used items can go on the top or bottom shelves. You may also want to designate a “kids’ shelf” for their favorite snacks and treats.

As you’re grouping your items, consider the type of containers they’re stored in. Transferring items from their original packaging into clear, airtight containers can not only maximize your shelf space, but also make it easier to see what you have at a glance. You can also use labels, baskets, or bins to further organize and contain similar items.

This way, instead of randomly putting new items into empty spaces where you’ll forget them, everything is where you expect. If you’re looking to cook something with beans, for example, all the cans of beans are in one place. You can quickly tell if you have the right kind of beans and the right number of cans for your recipe.

Consider Storage Solutions

Speaking of storage, having the right organizational tools and containers can make a huge difference in the overall look and functionality of your pantry. Here are some recommended storage solutions to consider:

Clear, airtight containers: These are great for storing dry goods like flour, sugar, pasta, cereal, and more. They keep items fresh and make it easy to see what you have.
Lazy Susans: These rotating shelves are perfect for storing spices, oils, and other small items that can get lost in the back of the pantry.
Tiered shelves or risers: These vertical organizers maximize your shelf space and make it easier to see and access items on the lower shelves.
Baskets or bins: Use these to corral and contain smaller items like snacks, baking supplies, or kid-friendly treats.
Door organizers: Hang these on the inside of your pantry door to store spices, canned goods, or other small items.
Label makers: Invest in a label maker to clearly identify the contents of your containers and bins. This will keep everything looking neat and organized. (Handwritten labels are also great, and can also work on freezer containers.)

Creating Extra Shelving (Optional)

Some cabinet and pantry shelves are tall enough to stack a couple of layers of cans. It can make sense to create an extra shelf to go in that space so one shelf can hold double the amount of cans or other items.

You can make a small one time investment on some nice expandable shelf units.. Or you can make your own shelves out of pieces of wood or other sturdy materials. It may not look glamorous, but who’s going to see it? It makes the actual food items so much more visible, which saves you time spent looking for them, moving stuff around, putting stuff back.

Step 6: Maintain and Upkeep

Congratulations, now your pantry is sparkling clean and beautifully organized! But to keep your pantry in tip-top shape, you’ll need to make a habit of regularly maintaining and upkeeping it. Here are some tips:

Check expiration dates regularly and discard any expired items.
Write purchase dates on anything that doesn’t have an expiration date. Write the expiration date on an item that’s no longer in its original container.
Wipe down shelves and containers as needed to keep everything clean.
Refill storage containers as they start to run low.
Rotate items so the oldest get used first.
Add new purchases to the back of the shelf to maintain the FIFO (first-in, first-out) system.
Schedule a pantry refresh every 6 months or so to purge, reorganize, and restock as needed.