In the days of social media and Pinterest perfect pictures, having an organized pantry is something of a status symbol. Beautifully organized pantries with coordinated bins, clear jars full of food, labels and turntables is fun to look at and admire, but what about the kitchens that don’t have pantries? In those cases, it’s time to get creative and

Think outside the box

What I mean is, look at your kitchen as a whole unit. Just because tradition dictates where certain items typically go doesn’t mean that’s where they ALWAYS have to go. The first step is to eliminate what isn’t necessary. Set aside time to pull everything out and really consider what you need and what you don’t need. You can donate rarely used small appliances and gadgets or keep them in a storage area in the house or garage until the yearly need for them arises. If you’re limited on space, don’t let rarely used items take up valuable space. Once you know what you’re working with then you can begin to assemble the kitchen puzzle.

Some examples from my previous jobs include:
– Hanging mugs on hooks on the wall or under a cupboard

– Using a shelf riser to stack bowls above plates without having to stack them directly on top of each other

– Using bins to keep “pantry” items contained in cupboards, especially if they share space with other non-pantry kitchen items.

– Give each shelf in a cupboard a specific purpose (I.e. the bottom shelf may be glasses and above it may be powders and other smoothie ingredients, along with the items used to make your smoothie)

– 3m hooks on the inside of cabinet doors for measuring cups or other utensils

Just remember your kitchen is YOUR space and you can organize it however YOU need it to be organized. Use Pinterest and Instagram for inspiration but at the end of the day give each item a home in a space that makes sense to you.