An Organised Pantry

How to create an organisational masterpiece!

The Pantry. It works hard. It’s easily the one of the busiest places in the home that can make a real difference to the way you start your day and how much you spend (or save) on food. If a few changes could make your pantry a joy to use, would you do it? If you are reading this article then you are certainly interested in knowing more, and are curious in unlocking the door to an organised pantry.

So where do you start? Here’s an action plan to an organised pantry:

Assess your Shelving, keep, upgrade or replace
Plan out your Pantry Zones - allocate appropriate space
Pick the right Food Containers for your needs, space and budget
Add Shelf Helpers, a genius way to create space
Add Caddies and Containers to keep items grouped and tidy

The good news is that it doesn’t matter how big or small your pantry is. There’s always a way to make it better. Even if you have to be a little inventive and create one. Howards is here to help you unlock your pantry’s potential and make you HAPPY every single day with your pantry organisational masterpiece.

1.

Shelving

Good shelving is the backbone of a great walk in pantry. Is your current shelving working for you? Quickly work out if you can keep it, improve it or if it needs to be replaced.

Howards is a shelving specialist so you are in the right place to get advice about clever shelving to suit your needs, space and budget.

Shelving Improvement Ideas:

There are all sorts of things you can do to improve your shelving therefore increasing usability and efficiency. For example:

Tansel is an Australian designed Stainless Steel pull out storage system, that can increase your usable space by up to 30%. Mount to existing shelves or totally replace them. A popular choice! See more about Tansel here
The elfa Shelving System is a Swedish designed “dream’ solution that has efficiency in its DNA. Howards can custom design a solution for your specific needs, that is fully adjustable to your changing needs. Choose from shelves, drawers, freestanding basket systems and so much more. It’s definitely worth a look. See more about elfa here
For a freestanding solution, Howards easy-build is the answer. It’s fully adjustable and is available in kits or components in Chrome or Black finish and is super popular for a “quick fix”. See more about Howards easy-build here

So, once you are happy with the infrastructure in your pantry, move on to how you use your pantry and maximising your space to make it work for you.

Have a look at some of Howard’s pantry successes below and be inspired!

Tansel Premium Pull-Out Shelving System

elfa Shelving System

Howards easy-build Shelving System

2.

Zoning

Believe it or not, zoning is often the number one mistake made in a pantry setup. For instance, there is no point putting your grandma’s pickles in the easiest place to access, if you never intend to eat them! Get the picture? Above all, organising 101 is making sure that the things you use the most are easiest to get to.

"EVERYDAY" Zone
This is where your everyday items are kept – think breakfast cereals, tea and coffee, plus what ever you use frequently. It’s in the middle of the pantry, waist to shoulder height. No bending or reaching required. This is your PRIME space and needs to be used wisely.
"LESS USED" Zone
This is where things like bulk food reserves live because you don’t need to access these on a daily basis. Use your higher or lower shelves for this zone.
"RARELY USED" Zone
This is where you store the items that you use only now and again (like grandma’s pickles and the baking equipment you purchased on a whim and never used again!). Its really up high or in the corner of your L shaped pantry. If you really can’t bare to throw it out, the least you can do is get it out of the way in this space.
"KIDS" Zone
Lastly, don’t forget the kids! Younger children are shorter than you so why not empower them with a zone just for them, at their height? Think breakfast essentials, recess, drink bottles, lunch bags and food for packed lunches. A great way to encourage independence.

It all really makes perfect sense doesn’t it? We have often been very inspired by Peter Walsh’s famous words about “not letting the life you had, get in the way of the life you want to live”. Therefore, your pantry needs to reflect the way you cook today. It’s a wonderful process of being true to who you are, right here and now.

Make some changes and you’ll never look at your pantry the same way again!

3.

Food Storage Containers

There’s nothing quite like matching food storage containers. They stack, look amazing and when you open the pantry there’s that aaaahhh moment when they are all lined up so beautifully.

What to look for in a container? Unfortunately, not all containers are created equal or of the same quality.

We recommend you choose clear containers so you can see the contents inside. Moreover, airtight seals are super important and consider how easy they are to open. The best containers tick all these boxes and are super durable to give you years of good service.

Here are just some of the food storage containers available at Howards. It’s great to have choice!

Felli Flip Tite Containers

Felli Flip Tite Containers for dry food storage when you are using standard shelves. They are modular and stack, so you can utilise the shelf space. In addition, they feature an easy open and close ring top that simply flips up allowing you to open, and flips down to close securely.

The containers are clear to make it easy to see contents, and made from durable shatterproof acrylic with a silicone seal for freshness. Moreover, Flip Tite containers come in a large range of sizes, look good and work well in any kitchen.

Felli Loc Tite Containers

With clear lids and body, these containers are great in any pantry and are also perfect for drawers with their clear lids.

They are space saving, stackable and made from shatterproof acrylic. Complete with a hygienic safeguard lid with clear panel to easily see the contents, this BPA free acrylic container is also great for upright use in deep drawers!

Loc Tite containers come in a large range of sizes.

oxo pop 2.0

OXO is a trusted brand for good reason.

Firstly, they look amazing, are highly functional and have a great range of sizes so you can build your collection as your budget allows.

Plus, they feature an airtight seal and are space efficient, making them easy to keep your dried foods fresh and organised. Additionally, they have a unique push button mechanism that creates an airtight seal with just one touch. The button also serves as a handle to lift off the lid.

Designed for modular stacking, so that you can efficiently organise your bench or pantry. POP’s square and rectangular shapes make the most of any storage space, whilst their corners are shaped for easy pouring.

Plus, if you already have an OXO POP collection, the new evolution will work with work with your existing containers.

Also available are the OXO POP 2.0 Sets and a great range of Accessories.

See more about OXO POP here.

Lock & Lock

The Lock & Lock containers are absolutely air and liquid-tight. This means your food stays fresh longer all while staying exactly where it is meant to stay, which is in the container and not all over your fridge, cupboard or bag. Additionally, a lot of thought went into the space-saving and stackable BPA free design, which means less time fighting to find space in your fridge or pantry. Finally, the unique 4-sided patented lid locking system clips on and off easily and features a silicone seal that compresses and restores time after time.

Lock & Lock now includes an Eco and a Euro Glass range

The Eco Lock & Lock containers are constructed from 100% food-grade waste plastic, it is made from the offcuts, trims and imperfect goods from the plastic container production line. Did you know that every Lock & Lock Eco Food Container is a unique colour as the colour is determined by the different shades of post-production plastic waste that goes into them?

SEE ALL HOWARDS FOOD STORAGE CONTAINER SYSTEMS

4.

Shelf Helpers

‘If you can see it, you’ll use it’ is one of our favourite sayings. So, add clever organisers to help you see what you have and you’ll quickly revolutionise the way your pantry functions.

A clever 3 tier organiser multiplies your usable space. It’s that simple.

See our full range of shelf helpers and you’ll be totally surprised by the huge range. Add additional Lazy Suzan’s and stackable baskets, to make everything easier to see in your very organised pantry.

SEE ALL SHELF HELPERS

5.

CADDIES and BASKETS

The simplest solution and also one of the best. Group like items and make them easier to identify.Use caddies and baskets to create a home for packets, sauces, pasta, oils and bulk goods etc. to help you maintain a tidy pantry.

Here are some of Howards TOP pantry organisers.

Marie Storage Basket with Handle

The Marie is super versatile, perfect for grouping sauce packets or like items in the high access area, as well as vitamins and medicines on the highest shelves. With a clear plastic ventilated design and an integrated handle for easy accessibility, this clever helper is ideal for the pantry, cupboard or fridge. Marie is available in large and medium, is super easy to clean and thanks to its handle, it offers quick access and is great for storing items up high.

Amalie Pull-Out Organiser

Available in narrow and wide versions these handy organisers essentially create a drawer on a shelf.

Complete with a smart clear plastic construction, two rear wheels which allows you to easily slide in and out, plus a handy lip for easy pull and access. Simple and efficient, the Amalie Pullout Organiser maximises space by utilising the full depth of the shelf.

Mimi Separators

Mimi, the very best in simple, useful design and a Howards favourite for ….. everything organisation.

These are perfect for grouping items like oils, vinegars and sauces within a pantry solution. The high side design with clever integrated handles allows you to make the most out of your deep shelf space. Slide them out, grab what you need and slide it back in. Extra wide, wide or narrow options enable you to make the most of the horizontal shelf space too.

WARNING 🙂 If you buy one of these, you will definitely be back for more!

Aamina Easy Access Storer With Handle

These Aamina Storers come in 4.6 or 9.6L. They are perfect for keeping dry goods such as cereal, rice and pasta fresh, within an airtight environment. They are also stackable, capacity calibrated and dishwasher safe. A clear plastic design makes for easy identification and the large handle gives easy access.

SEE MORE PANTRY ORGANISERS

Feeling inspired? Let’s get started!

For your very own Pantry makeover come into store, bring some pictures of your space and some measurements of your pantry. We will happily help you find the best complete solution or simple upgrade to create a pantry to be proud of.

Need shelving? Howards are shelving experts. Ask us for a FREE design session to create the perfect pantry for your needs.

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