How to organise your pantry

Organise certain goods – such as cans or baking ingredients – using baskets. They make items easier to store and keep everything contained, preventing any potential mess. Label each basket to make ingredients even easier to find.

While you may immediately refer to the shelves in a pantry, the wall is often forgotten as a potential space for additional storage. Store your cake decorations or spices along the wall using mounted shelves or baskets, increasing your storage potential and creating a designated spot that makes ingredients even easier to find.

Always hunting for the vinegar after using the oil? Can never find the sugar near the flour? Make pantry organisation even easier by grouping together items you normally use together. Place condiments in small plastic baskets that are easy to remove and replace, or use labelled glass jars to store grains, dry pulses and baking ingredients. This will make it easier to track how much you’ve used and when you’ll need a replacement. It will also reduce the chances of space-hogging duplicates.

Large or bulky boxes taking up space in your pantry? Decant all items into smaller boxes for the ultimate in space-saving organisation. Pop tea bags or coffee in jars or snacks in boxes and recycle any excess packaging. This will not only make each item easier to find, but will once again, show when ingredients need to be replenished.

Avoid a guessing game in your pantry with reusable food labels. Once you’ve decanted your product, simply stick on a label and write the name using chalk. Should you need to change whatever is inside, simply wipe off with a damp cloth and re-label! Labels also make it easier to quickly see what’s in the pantry, so you can locate ingredients in seconds.

If your pantry is tall but not deep, increase its storage potential with portable inner shelves. These metal racks can be placed on larger shelves to double the space, allowing you to stack containers or jars easily. As they are standalone, they can be moved easily when required.

Can’t stop bags of potatoes or onions spilling out? Use in-built basket shelving to contain bulky items, containing any mess and making each ingredient easy to access. They are particularly helpful for items that don’t stack easily, such as bottles or odd-shaped tins. You can also use these baskets to store kitchen items like cling film and aluminium foil, as well as cleaning products.