Overhaul Your Pantry!

compass_blog_-overhaul-pantry

As you’re busy baking this month, are you frustrated with your pantry? Having trouble finding what you need? As winter sets in, and we have more time spent inside, it might just be the perfect time to overhaul your pantry. At Compass Homes, your custom home builders in Columbus, Ohio, we build homes with amazing pantries, and we’ve got many great pantry remodel ideas to help you organize & love your pantry again!

First off, you’ve got to take everything out of the pantry, check dates, toss what isn’t good anymore, clean all shelves and get ready to organize! Now to plan & implement!

How do you want to store your pantry items?

  • Store items that you have more than one of behind each other instead of beside, so you only have one row of an item.
  • Place the most used things at eye level & toward the front. Items that your kids can access should be reachable for them.
  • High shelves should have items that aren’t frequently used (or keep items there you don’t want kids to be able to reach).
  • Large bulky items (think items from Costco or Sam’s Club) should be put in smaller containers to put in the pantry, & keep the extra someplace else. Refill as needed!

How do you want to group your pantry goods?

  • Organize your non-perishable items in groups that make sense to you. Cereals, baking items, pastas/grains, jarred items, lunch foods, snacks, instant meals, oils & vinegars, and condiments are a few ways that might work.
  • Keep all spices together and organize them either alphabetically, or by groups like cooking (savory), baking, ethnic, types of salts & spice blends.
  • Separate the non-food items from the food items so that you are better organized – think paper products, baking supplies (cookie cutters, liners, etc.), and small appliances or anything else you keep in the pantry.

What kinds of containers and shelving should you invest in or use?

  • Storage containers that are see though and similar sizes make for more manageable spacing & stacking. (Did you see our Tupperware storage in our 2016 Parade Home in Powell, Ohio?)
  • Mason jars are great for dry goods, spices, pastas, & rice.
  • Baskets can be used on deeper larger shelves and hold bulkier items, snacks, & instant meals.
  • Label, label, label! Not only do you know where everything is and what it is, but everyone else that uses the pantry will know where things belong!
  • Small Lazy Susans are perfect for storing small items like oils, vinegars, & baking supplies.
  • Having sliding shelves installed creates all kinds of storage space and may be worth the investment.
  • Don’t forget about the door! Small or flat items can be stored with shelves, baskets, hooks, & pocket organizers on the back of the door.
  • If your pantry is large enough, put a rolling kitchen cart in the pantry that can hold items like cases of water of pop, cereal, small appliances, or extras.
  • Add stackable or stair step type shelves, in order to utilize the height of the shelves.

Don’t forget to keep a white board or chalkboard in the pantry, so that when you use the last of something, you can write it down for the grocery list!

At Compass Homes, with homes for sale in Upper Arlington, we build homes with more thought per square foot, and that includes our pantries. Being organized and having everything you need at your fingertips will make your kitchen an amazing & cohesive space!