Tips and Advice

These 5 simple steps will transform the way you organise your pantry

Article by Your Home and Garden

Hoping to create the perfect package free pantry? These professional organisers share their top tips on how to do it

pantry organisation

Amanda Stickland and Hannah Sullivan are the founders of pantry organising service and online store, Simplify My Home. Here, they share their advice on how to get the clutter-free pantry of your dreams.

What are the basic principles of an organised pantry?

Amanda: “A place for everything, and everything in its place” is what my mum has always said. It certainly underpins everything we do to create a beautiful and functional pantry space. This idea feeds into this specific process that can be used to organise any pantry or storage space:

1. Remove Take everything out.
2. Discard Get rid of food that has gone off or is well past its use-by date.
3. Regroup Separate foods into groups of like items, eg baking supplies, spices, spreads, snacks, etc.
4. Label Labelling your containers not only looks good, but it also makes it easier to see what you have at a glance.
5. Rehome Put your food items back into the pantry, keeping in mind that the foods you use the most need to be the most accessible. Eg If you don’t bake regularly, put your flour, sugar and baking powder on the top shelf. Spreads, cereals and everyday items should be easy to access.

pantry organisation

Do you have any other waste-free household tips?

Donate goods you no longer need to charities and op-shops, and get your family involved in this process (especially kids) to teach them about waste and sustainability.
Swap disposables for reuseables, eg take refillable water bottles out with you wherever you go, use handkerchiefs instead of tissues, and always have a few reuseable containers at the ready.
Remember to keep reusable bags in your car for quick supermarket trips.
Start small – new habits are formed by taking the first step.