Have you seen Get Organized with the Home Edit, the new hit show streaming on Netflix? If so, there’s a good chance an organized pantry is on your holiday wish list. Imagine everything having its own place, cute storage containers with neatly written labels, and best of all, color coordination!

Even if you haven’t had the chance to sit down in the TV Room and watch the latest take on home organization, your pantry is probably still a priority. Homeowners want more than tall kitchen cabinets, stone countertops, and ornate range hoods these days.

The dream kitchen now has a few more requirements — and an organized kitchen pantry cabinet is at the front of the line. If you want to maximize your pantry this winter, here are a few steps you can take to achieve that television show-worthy kitchen pantry cabinet of your dreams.

1.Out with the old, in with the minimalism.

Your dream kitchen may not be the same as your neighbors, but we’re pretty confident that no one likes clutter. Bags of split peas from soups never made? Way too many cans of diced tomatoes? At least three opened boxes of stale cereal? If you look into your pantry right now, there’s probably a lot going on in there. Pantries tend to fall into the “out of sight, out of mind” category and can quickly turn into one giant catch-all.

If you want a super stunning pantry, you’re going to have to cut back on the clutter. That means doing a full sweep of your current inventory and adopting a minimalistic mentality moving forward. Anything that’s expired should obviously go in the trash, and any non-perishable items that are unlikely to be used should be donated ASAP. Discovering you have so much unnecessary overstock might feel like a shock — but the good news is, once your new pantry system is in place, you shouldn’t have this problem in the future.

2. Create stations based on different categories of food.

To maintain organization in any space, you need a north star, and organization by category tends to work best in a pantry. Depending on the size of your pantry, you will divide each section into a clear category. Some examples are snacks, canned foods, and breakfast items.

Essentially, you’ll create a station for each category of food. When each area of your pantry serves a distinct purpose, you’ll no longer wonder where grocery items should be shelved or have to search for an ingredient when cooking.

3. Everything should be visible and in a designated place.

Once you’ve established how you’re going to divide your kitchen pantry cabinet categorically, you can build out your stations with inside cabinet accessories. Accessories allow you to maximize the space in your cabinetry, because they can be stacked, swiveled, or tiered. This allows every inch to be optimized to take full advantage of depth and vertical space on shelves.

Aim for visibility when arranging accessories, so that you have a clear view of everything in your pantry. When items are in plain sight, you won’t risk overbuying the same thing and end up with more of the overflow that we just conquered during step one.

4. Simplify your kitchen flow with easy-to-read labels.

Labels are an essential part of an organized pantry. They simplify the kitchen flow and cut down on prep time, because you never have to search for a missing ingredient. While your accessories should increase visibility, labels make it even easier to navigate your pantry stock. They’re also a huge help if you have tall kitchen cabinets and can’t see everything stored on your top shelves.

5. Give yourself a boost.

A ladder is another great accessory to add to your pantry. It eliminates the hard-to-reach struggle and can even give older kids some independence in the kitchen. Built-in varieties are safer than free standing ladders or stools, so consider installing a rolling “library” ladder for your pantry. This style also adds some charm and can enhance a more traditional or farmhouse kitchen theme.

Of course, the best way to maximize your kitchen pantry this winter is a custom design from TheRTAStore! Our new pantries come ready to assemble and are fully customizable for better organization and functionality. Click here to learn more!

 

At TheRTAStore, we help make your dream home a reality with RTA (ready to assemble) and pre-assembled cabinets and accessories. Whether it’s your kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, home office, home bar, TV room, or closet, we offer the same (if not better) quality you would find at any retail store, but for a fraction of the price. Stop by our website or give us a call, and let us make your dreams come true with the help of our free room design service.