While most of us supermoms don’t have a team of organizers to get our pantries into Instagram-worthy shape, it’s still achievable! With a good bit of strategy and work overtime, I’ve been able to whip my pantry into order — photo-worthy order!
Here are my tips to help you create your own:
Invest in your pantry, without breaking the bank.
I absolutely love OXO food storage containers, iDesign Lazy Susan cabinet bins, and baskets of all sizes. With so many container options out there, it can become overwhelming and expensive, fast! But don’t worry; you can absolutely create the pantry of your dreams on a budget.
Most of my organizing items can be found on Amazon, the Container Store, or at HomeGoods. I shopped at all of these locations and didn’t purchase everything at once. My pantry is an ongoing project! I encourage you to start organizing with what you have before making an investment in containers and bins. Feel free to get creative!
Create a plan, and stick to it.
I have a master shopping list of things we LOVE (which I can’t wait to share soon) that I keep on hand. This great guide I’ve created keeps our pantry stocked with the essentials, plus more. I encourage you to take some time to create your own master shopping list. How do I get mine started? Typically, I do a weekly inventory of what’s needed, preparing to have everything stocked.
Having a shopping list is great for those on a budget or anyone trying not to overbuy. It’s also an excellent way to stay organized. Once everything arrives, we unpack boxes and bags and add everything to the containers. Doing this right away keeps the pantry organized long-term and makes the process less daunting.
Involve the kids.
It’s important to get the kids involved! I like to have certain snacks that are stocked low enough for my older kids to reach if I need them to grab something for me. (They gotta earn their keep! Just kidding! lol.) They love helping Mommy tackle endless things, so I try to create systems they can help with as well. Having items at kid-level also allows my children to create their own pre-packaged snack for community day. They can get to those items without a problem.
Don’t be afraid to rearrange more than once.
Remember, your pantry is not a one and done project. As your needs (and your family’s needs) change so will your pantry’s. It’s a good idea to rearrange your pantry periodically to keep the layout fresh. Often, I play around with things in my pantry. I even consider it to be one of my favorite hobbies. I perform a trial and error test of what looks the best where, and other times, I think about accessibility, depending on what we have going on.
Being a mom and achieving a photo-worthy pantry doesn’t have to be mutually exclusive! Like any good project, do it one step at a time. Finding out what works for your family is the most important part of this process, so let that (and the tiny hands grabbing for snacks) guide you as you figure it out. These tips are a great place to start!
