The pantries featured in magazines and design blogs sure are gorgeous to look at and drool after, but let’s be realistic here, I can get mine to look like that, but it never stays that way.  Not with two kids who are constantly in there looking for food.  However, I have learned a few tricks along the way to keep it looking fairly neat.  A real plus to an organized pantry is that you know immediately when you’re low on something.  I last organized my pantry about 2 months ago – meaning, I purged it of anything that was getting old and/or stale.  So, this system, even with a 3 and 6 year old, and a husband that doesn’t necessarily cooperate all the time, works because there is a home for everything. I took these photos without cleaning/organizing it first!

Tip #1: When I get home from the grocery store, I do open packages of cookies, spaghetti, cereal, etc. and empty them into containers.  That way, they are easy to get to, everything is put away in stackable containers, it’s harder for items to go stale and for crumbs to get all over the place.  However, I only open one pack at a time.  If I bought several of one item (i.e.: Costco) the rest stay in their boxes and are either put into a separate storage area or in the garage.

Tip #2:  I use baskets to hold sauce packets, jello, juice boxes, baking supplies, and smaller items that I feel should be organized but would be silly to have their own containers.

Tip #3:  If you have younger children, keep their snacks at their level so they won’t be hauling the dining room chair over to get onto the higher shelves.

Tip #4:  Keep foods that you use regularly in an easy to access location – that way, when you’re out of an item, you’ll know to add it to the grocery list next time you go shopping.

To see more on organizing pantries, visit this link on LuxeFinds!

Here are some of my favorite products for organizing your pantry: