Is your pantry a disorganized mess? Is there an avalanche of pots, pans, and cans every time you open the door? A pantry is one of the most heavily used areas in a house. It can be a joy to use or it can be a nightmare full of surprises whenever you venture into it.

If you’re lucky, you already have a functional, well organized pantry. However, many of us have to make do with a tiny built-in pantry that’s little more than a coat closet with shelves. If a full kitchen reno isn’t in the cards, there are a few things that you can do to make the most of the pantry space you have.

• Clean it out. Chances are your pantry contains a lot of things you never use, food you’ll never eat, or small appliances and pots and pans that would be better off stored elsewhere. Take everything out. If food is sealed and you aren’t going to eat it, put it in a bin destined for the food bank. If food is opened and it’s stale or you know you aren’t going to eat it, toss it. Take those big pots that get stuck in the door out and find a better place to store them.
• Clean and paint. Food spills are inevitable in a pantry and they can attract insects. Paint the pantry an inviting colour and after you’ve cleaned the shelves cover them with shelf liner.
• Design a plan that makes the best use of the space. There are lots of pantry organizing modules that can be installed in your existing pantry to optimize the space and make it easier to keep things organized. Place items that aren’t used very often on the top shelf. Put all of the staples and other things that are used frequently on the middle shelves. Place heavy items like cases of pop or soup on the lower shelves or floor. Put foods like pasta, rice, or sugar in clear jars so you can see when you’re running low.

If your pantry is stressing you out, Perfect Fit Canada has organizing solutions that can help turn it into one of your favourite places in your house.

By Maliheh Braun Join me on Google+