The Perfect Pantry: A Professional Organiser's Guide to Kitchen Storage and Organisation

As a Professional Organiser, I know that a well-organised pantry can transform your daily routine and reduce food waste. Here's how to create a pantry that works as hard as you do.

Jo de Serrano OBE DUniv

1/3/20261 min read

Kitchen cupboard with full storage canisters, oil spray bottles and beige coffee canister
Kitchen cupboard with full storage canisters, oil spray bottles and beige coffee canister

The Foundation: Smart Categorisation

Consider grouping items by:

  • Type (breakfast, snacks, baking, spices, sauces)

  • Frequency of use with the least used at the back and most used at the front

  • Size and shape, with larger items at the back and smaller items at the front

  • Dietary requirements

Professional Storage Solutions

Invest in storage that maximises visibility and access:

  • Clear, airtight containers for dry goods. Label and date.

  • Turntables for corner spaces

  • Tiered shelf organisers for canned goods

  • Door-mounted racks for smaller items

  • Pull-out drawers for deep shelves

  • Shelves within cupboards to double usable space

  • Clear containers to group smaller items together, such as cookie cutters, candles etc.

The Zones System

Create dedicated zones based on use:

  • Everyday items at eye level

  • Backup supplies on higher shelves

  • Kids' snacks within reach, or not, if they aren’t allowed to help themselves

  • Baking supplies grouped together

  • Special occasion items stored higher up

Maintenance Made Easy

Keep your pantry organised with these habits:

  • Weekly inventory check. Put items that will go out of date soon at the front. Consider putting them in a box together and label it “use first”

  • Monthly quick clean

  • Quarterly deep clean and reorganisation

  • Implement the "First in, first out" rotation system by:

    • Placing newly purchased items at the back of shelves

    • Keeping older items at the front to use first

    • Moving existing items forward when unpacking groceries,

    • Using items with the closest expiration dates first

    • adding new pasta / rice / legumes etc to the bottom of your container, so that oldest items are at the top to use first

Label Everything

Clear labelling helps maintain order:

  • Contents and expiration dates

  • Zone designations

  • Family members' special items

  • Allergen warnings if needed

  • Storage instructions

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