With the BB&B Method, your pantry will be organized, useful, and totally Pinterest-worthy.
Pantry envy: we’ve all had it. It’s when you’re hanging out on Pinterest, flipping through a magazine, or scrolling on Instagram and you see a perfectly color-coded, coordinated, organized pantry. Everything in it just makes you want to cook. There are no expired products, no six boxes of rice with varying levels of fullness because you’re never quite sure if you have rice. A tidy pantry is a beautiful thing. And, it can be your thing! All it takes is the BB&B Method.
Banish
Before you get started, take everything out of your pantry. Yes, everything. Do a thorough clean. Wipe down the shelves and vacuum the floor. Take stock of what you have, and get rid of everything you won’t eat. Toss anything that’s expired as well as anything that’s open or perishable that you won’t use. Donate any unexpired non-perishables to a local food bank.
Bundle
For a functional (and pretty) pantry, you’ll want to group similar items together. It helps to think about bundling in two ways: Items that are actually similar should go near each other. Spices should live with spices, pastas should be near pastas. For level two organization, consider what you use together. Put your pastas near your tomato sauces, and your nuts near the dried fruit. That way when it comes time to make a recipe you’ll be able to see what you have and what you need to get, and you’ll be able to take everything out of the pantry easily.
Be Tidy
You’re onto the final step, but it’s also the most time-consuming one. We promise, it’s worth it. Time to tidy up!
Use bins and baskets to keep similar items together and prevent items from getting lost. If you have deep pantry shelves, great! More storage! But, there’s a downside: items can get lost easily if they’re in the back. Bins and baskets make staying organized easier. Use them for snacks like chips, pretzels, and popcorn, and for coffee and tea. They’re also great for items that come in containers that don’t stand easily.
Use canisters to keep pantry items like flours, sugars, grains, and nuts fresh and pest-free. These are great because they’re airtight, and because they make it so you can consolidate. No need to have four boxes of pasta taking up space; just use one canister. As an added bonus, having a bunch of these in your pantry makes you look like an organizational wizard who totally, completely has it all together.
Create more space on your shelves by going vertical. Instantly increase the amount you can store on each shelf by adding your own—no construction required! Use these to stack your bins and baskets without having to pile things on top of each other. We love the 3-Tier Cabinet Step Storage Shelf Organizer for spices. Being able to see everything you have will make it so you don’t end up with three extra jars of cumin every year, which has definitely not ever happened to us (it totally has).
Over-the-door storage is a little life-changer. If your pantry has doors, use them. Install over-the-door organizers to store everything from canned goods to cereals to snacks to spices to cleaning supplies. The door is your oyster!
Is it possible to have pantry envy when it’s your pantry? You’re about to find out.