Welcome to the 30 Days to Less of a Hot Mess Challenge! Over the next month we’re decluttering, reorganizing, and refreshing our homes to create spaces that feel calm and functional. If you’re new to the challenge, you may want to start here at the beginning. Affiliate links used for convenience.
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Let’s be honest: I loved the newly organized refrigerator from yesterday’s post, and it made small wins like fitting drinks properly in the door. But the change that truly made me jump for joy was the transformation of my pantry area.
Technically, I don’t have a traditional pantry. My food storage lives in two small cabinets — one in the kitchen and one in the laundry room — and together they store almost all of our non-perishable food. Compared to many pantries I’ve seen, it’s tiny. But it’s what I have, and my previous system wasn’t working.
One cabinet in the kitchen holds most of the non-perishables (exclusions: spices, oils, cereal, and chips are stored elsewhere and are already organized). The other cabinet — the first one in our laundry room — became the “extra food storage” after we replaced the old wire shelves when we moved in.
My mistake was letting similar items live in separate places. Opened boxes and bags stayed in the kitchen while unopened duplicates went to the laundry room. The result: duplication, wasted space, and me constantly wondering whether I actually had an ingredient. Yes — that’s how I ended up with six boxes of granola bars, multiple nearly full bags of the same sugar, and extra cans of cooking spray. Two jumbled cabinets made it impossible to see what I really had.
So what fixed it? I emptied both cabinets completely.
Then I grouped like items together and put everything back in one organized system. Grouping by category makes it simple to see at a glance what you have and what you need. Some practical categories I used were:
- Kids’ snacks
- Dried fruits and nuts
- Baking supplies
- Crackers and grab-and-go items
- Rice and pasta
- Canned tomato products
- Other canned goods
- Beverages and drink mixes
I bought clear pantry bins from Target and ended up using all of them — and I still needed more. Clear containers are an inexpensive, high-impact choice because they make items visible and neat. I’ll be ordering additional containers to complete the system and will add labels to each bin once everything is fully settled.
Once everything was back in place, the difference was instant. Everything has a designated spot, and I can now see my inventory at a glance. No more digging through two cabinets to find pasta or canned tomatoes. Designated zones reduce duplicates and make meal planning and grocery shopping faster and less stressful.
A couple of quick tips for your own pantry refresh:
- Empty and assess both cabinets or shelves before deciding on categories.
- Group like items together so you always know where to look (e.g., baking goods, pasta, canned goods, snacks).
- Use clear bins and containers for visibility and consistency.
- Label bins to maintain the system and make it easier for family members to return items to the right place.
- Donate unopened items you won’t use and toss anything expired.
- Keep frequently used items at eye level for easy access.
RELATED: How To Create Your Own Pantry Labels
I used to find myself convinced an ingredient was gone, only to discover it hidden in the other cabinet later. That frustration is gone now. Organized storage makes it simple to see if you have an overabundance of one item — and then you can plan meals to use it up.
I’ll be making labels for each bin soon and will share a photo when they’re finished. For now, the clear bins and a thoughtful system are already saving time and stress in my kitchen.
The Messy Work: Empty your pantry area, discard expired items, donate what you won’t use, group like items together, and return everything in labeled, visible containers.
In the mess with you, Laura
More Posts You Will Love:
- Butler’s Pantry Ideas: 10+ Beautiful And Functional Designs
- How to Organize a Pantry
- DIY Pantry Labels
- How to Declutter Your Home in 5 Simple Steps
- 30-Day Decluttering E-mail Challenge