Organizing Your Kitchen Pantry - Part Two Restock

Now that you have begun organizing your kitchen pantry, you need to take a step back and decide on what kinds of staples need to be included.  There are many lists available to give you an idea of what to include.

One rule of thumb is to have two of everything and when one is used, jot it down on a shopping list so that you can always have an extra on hand.  At this point, it is a good idea to make your own list of the staples that you use often and post it in or near your pantry.  A clipboard that hangs on the wall is a simple, yet useful solution.

Another key to organizing your pantry is to group like items by category.  Canned items should be kept together, and grains, such as pasta, rice, and couscous can also be in the same group.  Spices can be stored on a rack or in their original containers, and items like snacks and lunch items should be stored at an easily accessible height.

A different method of organizing your kitchen pantry that also gives good results is to organize by food preparation.  For example, if you bake a great deal, keep all of your baking supplies together.  For soup making, store broths and dried vegetables in the same areas.  If you have enough room in your pantry, don’t forget to organize your paper goods.  Having paper towels, napkins, and paper plates all together makes setting a table quick and easy and the goal of an organized kitchen is to make mealtimes simple.