1. Use clear containers
Know what you have and what you’re running low on by placing all of your dry foods in clear containers. Make sure the containers have silicone sealed suction lids to maintain the freshness of your stored food. For added organizational prowess, label your containers using permanent markers, stickers, or the free printables found here.
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2. Invest in drawer systems
To utilize all the space on a shelf, purchase drawer systems, either free standing or built in (like the ones found here). Most of us have shelves that are fixed, but not necessarily placed well. By putting in drawers, you’ll be able to use the full height of the shelf to store smaller items, like canned goods or spices.
Quick Tip: Store root vegetables like potatoes and onions in these drawers to increase their shelf life.
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3. Embrace FIFO
An old rule and a good reminder, FIFO, or First In First Out, is used by grocery stores and supermarkets to maintain freshness in food. By rotating food as you put it away, there is less chance the food will go bad or spoil. When putting your grocery items away, be sure to put the fresher food in the back and move the older food to the front. By doing this, you’ll say goodbye to food waste, and hello to savings! Â
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4. Utilize the door
The back of your pantry door is often an underutilized space. The few inches between the door and the interior of the pantry can be transformed into a large spice rack, a hanging post for mops and brooms, or an organizer for cleaning supplies and other odds and ends. You’d be surprised by what you can store in that space alone.
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5. Graduate your shelf depths
Not all of us are six-feet tall, so sometimes seeing to the back of the top shelf can be tricky. If unseen, food can go bad, or appliances unused. The addition of graduated shelving to your pantry will ensure you can see all the way back on each of your shelves.
What other ways have you found to organize your pantry? Share your tips and tricks with us at: sp@simplyputorganizers.com
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