No-Fail Tips To A Pinterest-Worthy Pantry

JEN MARTIN owner, Reset Your Nest

TIP #3: Measure your space and buy products to better serve you. The more packaging you have the more cluttered and less efficient your space. We love clear, airtight containers for bulk items. Container Store and Target have some of our favorite plastic airtight containers, but glass containers can be found almost anywhere and are also beautiful.

What do you use the most? Make sure it gets the prime real estate and put less used items up high or down low. More unsightly packaged things that don’t make sense to empty into their own container can go in solid bins or baskets.

Have you ever wondered if it is realistic for a normal family to have a pantry that looks like it came out of a magazine? Or have you ever thought that picture-worthy pantries look picture-worthy, but are impractical and that there is no way that it could function for you and be easily maintained.

I want you to know that not only is a beautifully designed pantry realistic, practical, and functional for you, but you can do it yourself! Once systems are set up and set up in a way that caters to you and your needs, it is easy to maintain.

TIP #1: Take everything out, and I mean everything! Throw out anything expired and make piles of like items. You might be surprised about that hidden jar of Nutella that was hiding behind the spaghetti sauce or that there are three half-eaten boxes of the SAME cereal in your food cupboard.

TIP #2: Working with a clean slate, you can see your space in a new way. Pull ideas from Pinterest or your favorite organizers and decide what look and feel you want to create. Food cupboards can have style!

Another pantry essential are open bins or baskets. This is where we put everything that can’t be easily emptied into a clear container. As you analyze the things you have pulled out, decide if you need tiered shelving for cans, Lazy Susans for hard-to-reach corners, big baskets for Costco-sized packages, etc. Because we want our pantry space not only to be functional, but also beautiful, try to keep the look consistent. For example: if using clear acrylic, pair with natural woven baskets and black wire baskets. If using glass containers, match the lids of the jars to other materials in the pantry. Too many looks will make the space feel cluttered and not as custom.

TIP #4: Put everything back. Empty packaged items into your new bins and containers. Keep like things together. Do you have a way to keep spreads and bread by your toaster? Can you keep your protein powders by your blender?

TIP #5: Label! Label! Label! You can write directly on the container with chalk markers, use a label maker, order custom vinyl, or print labels off your computer; however you do it, labels will help you (and, more importantly, all those less invested in your beautiful new space) to keep things where they belong.

Following these five tips will set you and your home up for success! Not only will your pantry be Pinterest-worthy, but it will also be functional.