These Super-Tidy Pantries Are Everything You Want in Kitchen Storage

The thing about a kitchen is that no matter how diligent you are about keeping it clean, no amount of counter-wiping, dish-washing, or leftovers-eating is ever going to combat the inevitable clutter. Kitchens come with stuff — which is probably why you have a Pinterest board full of pantry organizing ideas, all promising a neater, more efficient space (plus, they’re just really cool to look at). We asked four bloggers with fabulous pantries how they keep things tidy, and we suggest you steal all of their genius ideas.

A Place for Everything

Couldn’t you just about live in blogging duo Kevin and Amanda‘s light-flooded pantry? Besides the fact that their food is super-orderly (Amanda likes to place frequently used items at eye level for easy grabbing), the appliance shelf, curved corner storage and pull-out drawers are as impressive as a decorators’ living room, if you ask us.

Well-Planned Cubbies

Adjustable shelves ensure flexibility in a storage space, but the rigidity of permanent fixtures might be more helpful than you think: When items have a very specific home, they always goes back in the correct spot, and finding extra space for clutter is challenging. Designer Nina Hendrick‘s pantry operates this way, with pull-out drawers, perfectly sized places for jars and even space for cookie sheets and cutting boards. “My favorite pantry organizing trick is to have a zone for every category,” Nina says. “Even when things get messy, it’s so much easier to put items in their proper home quickly.”

Extra-Handy Add-Ons

Christy, one of the bloggers behind Eleven Magnolia Lane, proves that you don’t need a ton of space to tidy up your kitchen stash. Jars, bins and baskets work just as well in her pantry cabinet as they would anywhere, but a couple other clever ideas really dial up the organization. Chalkboard paint turns an underutilized spot into a place to plot a grocery list or jot down a quick note — especially helpful when you just can’t find a pen. And we can’t help but smile at her rack of chip-bag clips. Just like the ones at the grocery store, the rack is a great way to fill a tall, narrow spot — and it adds a little whimsy to the space. Why not, right?

A Better Basket Strategy

As a rule of home organizing, a good basket and a clear label are all you need to get a little neater. Emily, who blogs at Eleven Gables, chose wicker baskets for her pantry, which offer a welcome decorative element in an utilitarian space. That said, we also love the wire baskets, which offer a great spot for stacking lots of cans.

“My favorite organizing trick in the pantry is grouping ‘like’ items together,” Emily says. “I typically bring my groceries straight to the pantry and put everything in its place immediately. My boys know where things go and help keep it organized by putting things away where they got them. I have also labeled all my baskets and shelves so that it makes finding things easier.”

Top photo: Will Heap/Getty

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