The pantry is a very important part of the kitchen. It is hidden away from the sight of guests, but when it is out of control making meals can be very difficult. Just walking in and looking at the mess would make anyone search for the carry out menu and phone.
When the pantry is well organized family members can use it as a functional space and take care of their own needs. The kids can get their own cereal, find their own snacks, or assist you with meal preparation.Every pantry is different but everyone can have their's organized. The first thing you have to do is look at the amount of space you have and think realistically. If you only have four shelves you can not stuff a convenient store's inventory into your pantry. Look through the things you have and determine what will fit. Only plan on putting that much back into the pantry. Remember, you can't defy simple physics and create space that isn't there.
Second, group your things together by how you use them. Place all the baking items near each other. Do the same for snacks, sweets, cooking, side dishes, etc. Once everything is together you may see you have too much of something and you may decide to purge. Check the dates on the items and if an item is expired toss it out.
Third, decide how the items can go back in the pantry in a way that will make your life flow easier. I prefer to use baskets that are labeled. I can throw the items in the basket and everything stays organized. Many items are too small to stand up on their own or they get lost or spilled. Baskets keep everything together so you don't have to. There are also pantry organizational systems from places like The Container Store or Ikea. These are wonderful options, but if you aren't ready to make big changes, try to make a few little ones and see how things flow.
After the pantry is organized you will have to go in an update things occasionally. Every three months re-evaluate the situation and purge the items you aren't using before they get spoiled. Food banks are always happy to receive unopened food items and you can be happy knowing that item is being used rather than taking up space on your shelf.
Enjoy your kitchen pantry and make it work for you!
