Have you ever made a trip to the grocery store, only to realize that the exact item you went to pick up was already in your pantry? I’m not going to lie, this happens to me all the time because I lack a proper pantry organization system. This means I waste money on items that I don’t need (SO frustrating!) and have to throw out expired food (SO wasteful!). When it comes to my new house, I can’t wait to make my new kitchen and pantry a well thought out and ORGANIZED space. Part of this planning process has been using dream boards to map out what I want these spaces to look like, and how I envision them functioning. Today on Sweet and Saving I’m excited to share my pantry dream board, inspired by Wayfair, to help keep me organized and keep track of my pantry inventory. I hope this blog inspires you during your own spring cleaning!
Dry Food
For pasta, rice, quinoa, couscous, flour, sugar, cereal and any other dry cooking or baking items, I will be utilizing clear, glass kitchen canisters. While I absolutely love pops of colour in my kitchen, clear glass containers help me to easily see what ingredients I have sitting in my inventory so I can clearly identify when/what items need to be topped up.
Food and Beverage Cans
If there is one thing I always lose track of it’s my cans, whether it’s soup, sauce, or soda. My cans easily get pushed to the back of the pantry and before you know it I’ve made multiple purchases of the same cans that have been sitting in my pantry for months. To fix this problem, I will be investing in a can organizer (which isn’t that much of an investment!). This will ensure that I can visibly identify my can inventory. I will also be using the FIFO (first in, first out) system meaning that cans with the closest expiry date will be used up first, where as newer cans will be stored towards the back of the organizer to prevent being wasteful and trashing any unused cans that have expired.
Spices
Sugar, Spice, and Everything NOT Nice…my current spice situation is a total embarrassment! I can’t even begin to tell you how many bags of chilli powder I own. Well…my new pantry system will certainly fix this problem. I will again be using clear, glass spice jars so I can see when something needs to be re-filled. I will also purchase a spice rack (finally!) that will allow me to easily access all my spices without having to sort through bags and bags of partially used spices.
Bottles
While I’m not much of a soda drinker, I LOVE my soda water. I tend to buy it in bulk (thanks Costco) which currently just ends up on the floor of the pantry. I was having trouble looking for a proper storage unit for my bottles until EURIKA! I came across this perfect solution to help me stay organized and use the space in my pantry wisely (love how these are stackable!).
Snack Foods
Growing up we always seemed to be out of granola bars. Why? Because my siblings and I often left empty granola bar boxes in the cupboard which left my mom thinking that we had tons of snacks in stock. Fast forward a few years, and this still seems to be the issue in my house. My new system will include emptying all the granola bars and other snack foods from their boxes into an open basket making these delicious snacks easily accessible yet visible, so we avoid being under stocked on our favorite lunch treats. I particularly love this storage container because you can separate your healthy “adult” snacks from your kid’s snacks.
Food Container Storage
Is there anything MORE frustrating than not being able to find the matching lid to your Tupperware? For some reason, my Tupperware drawer is always a disaster which leads to temper tantrums because my patience for figuring out the Tupperware drawer jigsaw puzzle has worn thin. So, what’s my fix? This amazing Food Container Storage Organizer, which I can’t wait to get my hands on!
Food Wrap
Plastic wrap, tin foil, parchment paper, the bulk of food wrap quickly takes up a lot of valuable kitchen drawer space, which is why this food wrap organizer made it onto my pantry dream board. This organizer is a better use of space and is so much tidier.
Shopping Bags
Who else is a shopping bag hoarder? I honestly try to use re-usable bags but I admit, this is an area where I am super forgetful. This forgetfulness has led to a plethora of plastic bags lying on the pantry floor because I feel too guilty throwing them out. It’s about time that I purchase a grocery bag storage unit which will no doubt be well utilized.
And there we have it! My pantry dream board. If you have any organizing tips please let me know and join the conversation on Instagram!
Shop my Dream Board
 Round Screw Top Glass Kitchen Canister Set |
 Can Organizer |
 12 Jar Spice Jar & Rack Set |
 Soda Bottle Shelving Rack |
 Mesh Stacking Bin |
 StoraStack Food Container Storage Organizer |
 Adjustable Wrap Stand Organizer |
 Wall Mounted Grocery Bag Dispenser |
xo,
Sweet and Saving 