The Best Way to Organize a Pantry with Categories: Step-by-Step Pantry Makeover Guide, Part 2

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Last updated on March 13th, 2024 at 07:44 am

Welcome back to the second week of this pantry-organizing series with how to organize a pantry by category, including how to group pantry items and choose containers!

Picking up where we left off last week, these steps are probably the more overwhelming steps in the process. However, since I’d taken the time to start with what I wanted and plan out how I would get there, it was easier to keep moving forward.

In this post, I’ll show you how to organize a pantry by category.

Before we dive in …

Before digging into the pantry makeover, here’s what you should know: This series follows the RNL signature S.P.A.C.E. Organizing Framework. Each step is outlined in the Start Organizing Your Home Guide. In this post, I’ll cover how to accomplish the Action & Curate steps.

Did you miss Part 1? Read How To Organize an Overcrowded Pantry: Step-by-Step Pantry Makeover Guide here >>>

How to declutter a pantry

The next step in the S.P.A.C.E. Framework is Action, where we declutter & organize items by zones using the Simple Sorting Framework. 

The first step in decluttering is to take everything out. So, I emptied each shelf one at a time.

As I emptied each shelf, I checked the expiration dates for expired foods.

At the same time, I grouped similar foods on my counters and table. This way, it would be easier to evaluate how much inventory I had and allocate enough space in the pantry.

After each shelf was emptied, I vacuumed and wiped clean each shelf. This was easy because of these shelf liners.

It’s important to note that this process can be overwhelming. Taking everything out automatically means it will be a mess. One reality of organizing is it always looks worse before it gets better.

Organize the pantry by category

The next Action step is to organize.

Here are the categories I used to organize my pantry (a full breakdown of how to do this is inside the Guide):

• Bulk items, backstock, & heavy Items: Place bulk items and heavy items on the floor or lower shelves to avoid stressing the upper shelves. Also, when heavy items are on upper shelves, it’s much harder to lift items. 
• Snacks: Allocate a lower middle shelf for accessibility to all snack foods.
• Cooking Essentials: Store cans, oils, grains, pasta, and bread on the upper middle shelf for convenient access during cooking.
• Fresh Foods: Reserve the first shelf for perishable items like potatoes and onions, keeping them separate from cooking oils. Add lunch pails, teas, and coffees to this shelf while ensuring proper separation to prevent spoilage.
• Baking Supplies: Dedicate an upper shelf specifically for baking ingredients and spices.
• Appliances & Extras: Utilize the top shelf for rarely used appliances and serving dishes. Specialty drinks are on the top shelf to keep them out of reach.

Using organizers to create categories

In Curate, you choose the right organizing products & store your items in a systematic way that works for you and your family, focusing on style, budget, and space.

The next step in the framework is Curate. At this point, I started placing my items using organizing products into the pantry.

Usually, I purchase products at this stage but since this is a different project, I had everything I needed in hand. Here’s why I chose these particular organizing products to streamline the look & maximize efficiency:

• Turntables: Use turntables on upper shelves to improve visibility and access to items stored there.
• Cereal Canisters: Invest in cereal canisters with snap-back lids to keep cereal fresh and maintain a streamlined appearance.
• Categorized Baskets: Purchase baskets in various sizes but similar styles to keep items well-categorized and create clear boundaries within the pantry. Check that the weave is narrow enough for items not to fall through.
• Organizing Canisters: As mentioned in this post, when purchasing organizing containers, opt for similar styles. This way, you can adapt and repurpose them as your organizing needs change.
• Mason Jars & Lids: Use glass mason jars to maximize food freshness.
• Shelf Risers: Maximize visibility by lifting the back items. Streamline the look with a solid riser instead of a wire riser.

Here are a couple of posts that discuss choosing the right organizing containers:

5 Practical Rules for Finding the Right Organizing Products

How To Choose the Right Organizing Containers

The best way to organize a pantry by category

In this second post in the pantry organizing series, we covered the Action & Curate steps of the process. Summing it up:

• Take everything out of the pantry, shelf by shelf.
• Clean each shelf as it empties.
• Sort similar items together as you remove them from the pantry.
• Declutter by checking expiration dates.
• Decant foods into canisters & jars.
• Organize your pantry by category.
• Streamline & maximize organization by choosing organizing products.

In the next post, I’ll dig into how this setup has kept the pantry organized (including labels & detailed pictures of each shelf).

Ready to start organizing your pantry? Download the free Where To Start Decluttering Guide to get the exact steps to organizing any space!