So the big day is over and you’ve finally made the move to a new home! It’s an exciting time for anybody, and we totally understand if you can’t wait to finally get settled into your new home. Whether you’re an avid home cook or weekend baking enthusiast, we know you’re tempted to head into your kitchen and get to work straight away.
Not so fast! You’ve just moved in, and your pantry needs probably needs organisation. That means looking into pantry organisation and storage ideas that can put your kitchen in good working order.
In today’s article, we’ll talk about how to organise your pantry in your new home and several storage ideas that will keep not only your kitchen but your entire home clean and clutter-free.
Our top pantry organization and storage ideas
We include creative approaches to common organisational issues and DIY pantry storage solutions for those who are happy to get their hands dirty in the name of additional storage space.
Know what sort of pantry storage works for you
Organising your pantry is largely a matter of personal discretion as it depends on what you find comfortable. But even this is a matter of how you use your space as well as what you’re planning to store within. Otherwise, you run the risk of keeping things that shouldn’t be there as well as struggling to find items whenever you need them.
If you’re a cook who needs everything within arm’s reach, consider mid-height open shelving where you can keep your most frequently-used ingredients or, if you’re keen on working on your kitchen island, ensure that you have a rack or recessed spot that can handily hold all of your gear.
Identify, store, and label properly
Once you’ve moved into a new home, experts recommend that the first thing you need to do is look over all your groceries and ingredients to determine which ones you use regularly. If you’re already doing this spot-check before leaving your old home, it helps to ditch anything that is well beyond its ‘Best Before’ date. These items will only take up valuable storage space in your new home, so there’s no sense in keeping them.
Also, be sure to decant dry goods like pasta, whole grains, popcorn, and legumes into clean glass storage jars or rustproof metal canisters. It helps to label these already to know exactly where they are and what’s in every container. This will save you from making mistakes in the long run.
Open shelving? yes, please!
There’s a reason why interior designers and professional cooks are big fans of open shelving: they’re great for putting things away in plain sight and ensuring that they are always within reach. But keep in mind that open shelving works best if it is properly organised.
Keep one shelf for all your spices and oils, with all the labels facing outward. Have a bigger shelf to hold all your baking gear, from ingredients to baking tins and cases. Use a shelf dedicated to tinned items you can easily pop open for quick and easy meals.
Go vertical
Maximising vertical space is a great solution for those with smaller kitchens or pantries. Rather than lining the length of your walls with shelves – which can seriously cramp the space – we say build shelving from the floor up to the ceiling.
Pots and pans can easily be hung from a rack set into the ceiling, and you can use a handy little stepladder to reach up into the higher shelves.
Pro-tip:
Be sure to use the highest shelves for ingredients and equipment you only use on a seasonal basis, such as Christmas-themed fairy cake cases or biscuit cutters for Easter. Likewise, avoid storing anything heavy on the higher shelves to prevent accidental crashes and injuries.
Even doors have a purpose
Regardless of whether you have a tiny pantry cupboard or a more extensive and luxurious walk-in pantry, the back of the door also serves a purpose for storage and organisation.
Pantry doors are ideal places to install small racks you can use for oils and spices, or even an entire component of cake decorating supplies like jars of edible glitter, tins of ready-mixed frosting, and tubes of decorative gel. You can even hang up racks to hold pots and pans – something which makes them easier to find and store than storing them in a closet or drawer.
Peg rails and hooks mounted to the back of a pantry door can also be used to hang up reusable shopping bags as well as baskets for carrying or holding fresh produce.
And speaking of baskets…
Make the most out of your baskets
Large and deep baskets are a great (and aesthetically pleasing) alternative to conventional plastic bins for kitchen organisation and storage.
Instead of storing things individually, group them together by category and put them in baskets. For example, all your baking accessories like whisks, rolling pins, and biscuit cutters can be placed in a large basket within easy reach.
Tray-style baskets with built-in dividers are excellent for storing and organising the cutlery you use daily. On the other hand, Box-type baskets make good receptacles for table linens like tablecloths, dust cloths, and napkins.
Long and narrow baskets you can easily shove into a shelf like a set of books are helpful for storing root vegetables in cool, dry places. Meanwhile, you can use wooden crates to store and display seasonal fruit.
Throw some drawers into the mix
Having drawers in your kitchen and shelves is a great way to maximise the space within your pantry, and these are also easier to access.
Drawers may be used to store dry goods, especially if these are deep enough, or serve as an alternative to a wine cellar if you love wine but lack the space to store your precious cache of bottles.
Let us help you
Pondering over how best to move all your kitchen necessities from an old home to a new one and how to organise them in a new space? No need to fret: Smoothoves can help you get moving and get organised.
They are a professional removal service within the Greater Sydney Area that offers several removal, home organisation, and decluttering solutions. Be sure to check them out for home organising services, book a quote today!
