Store Your Snacks in Style: Pantry Organization Solutions for Apartment Living

Organizing your pantry in an apartment can be challenging. Maybe you've purchased all the pantry organizers before, from little baskets to more shelves. Perhaps you even have pantry door organizers and other solutions to help maximize the space.  

If you keep food in your apartment, you need to be able to find the perfect snack or specific ingredients quickly, and organization is key! If you're struggling with pantry organization solutions or you just want to neaten up this area of your apartment, there are several tricks you can use to make the most of this space.  

1. Start with a Full Reset 

If you're organizing your existing pantry--or moving into a new space for the first time--this is the ideal time for a pantry reset. Start by taking everything out of the pantry: every spice, bag, extract, or food item. Set them all in one location. You may want to have a few boxes or storage tubs to contain it all. Otherwise, your food may take over your counters or pose a tripping hazard on your kitchen floor. 

As you move the food out of the pantry, make sure it is all worth keeping. A few simple steps will help get rid of clutter in the pantry.  

• Throw away anything that is expired, stale, or otherwise inedible 
• Get rid of items you do not use or will not eat 
• Combine duplicate items, including half-empty boxes, bags, or other containers 

Next, make a note of what you have plenty of so that you won't end up accidentally buying more of it.  You can keep a written list or use an app to keep track of the snacks and ingredients you have on hand. You can even track the future expiration date so you can use everything without waste!  

2. Organize By Use 

Instead of organizing items by what they are, consider shifting to an organization strategy that relies on how you actually use those items. For example, you might group flour, sugar, and other baking essentials on one shelf because they are all useful for baking or Sunday morning pancakes, while canned goods go on another shelf.  

Consider when you're most likely to reach for items and group the ones you use together in the same location wherever possible. Not only will this help make it easier to keep your pantry organized, but it can also allow you a closer look at what items you really need.  When organizing multiple items that belong to the same category, put items with the nearest expiration date in the front.  

3. Choose Organizers That Work 

Take a look at the size and shape of your pantry. If you have shelves that are small or close together, you may not benefit from adding shelving. On the other hand, if you have large shelves designed to fit cereal boxes, smaller shelves for spices, cans, and other items can make it easier to keep everything organized. You may also want to explore additional organizational tools, including:  

• Pantry door organizers: Not only do these work for items like storage bags, aluminum foil, and plastic wrap, but you can also use them for canned goods or spices.  
• Lazy Susans: These spinning organizers turn so that you can see everything on them quickly and easily. They're perfect for canned goods and spices you don’t use often, which often get pushed to the back of the pantry and lost in the shuffle.  
• Baskets and bins: Placing spices, pasta, rice pouches, canned goods, and other smaller items in baskets and bins sized for your apartment pantry can make it easier to find the items you want.  

Consider what type of organizers actually fit in your space and will work for you before buying. While there are plenty of options available, not all of them will fit in an apartment pantry. You want organizers that fit your preferences and needs, not organizers that are just going to create more work.  

4. Use Containers for Flour, Sugar, and Other Items 

When you buy many shelf-stable baking supplies, including flour and sugar, they come in bags that are difficult to seal completely, putting them at risk of spoilage and pest infestations! Open bags can tip over easily, quickly creating a mess that you have to clean up and wasting the ingredients you need. Storage containers designed for those items can help seal them away, preventing pests from getting in and keeping your items fresh longer.  

5. Add Labels 

Adding labels to your containers and pantry storage solutions can help you find everything you're looking for quickly. They also help you avoid culinary mishaps, like grabbing the salt instead of the sugar! If you're struggling to keep your pantry organized or have kids, you may even want to label the shelves so that it's clear where various items go.  

6. Create a Running List 

As part of your apartment pantry organization project, take the time to write out a list of pantry staples. Since all of those items are in front of you, this is a great time to make a master list that includes everything you need. Then, laminate it or print several copies and attach them to the inside of the pantry door or another convenient, visible location.  

When you use the last of an item or notice that it's running low, make a note of it on the list. When it's time to go grocery shopping, you'll be able to quickly see what's missing, reducing the odds that you'll end up with six cans of cooking spray or run out of sugar right before you try to bake a batch of cookies.  You can also use apps and specialized software to track your pantry’s contents and the expiration dates for perishable items! 

Find the Right Apartment for You 

There are a lot of factors that go into choosing your ideal apartment, including looking at the pantry and other storage space. If you're looking for apartments in Minot with a pantry closet in many units, check out the Commons and & Landing Apartments to learn more about our comfortable apartments and how they may fit your lifestyle. 

Our studio, 1, 2, and 3-bedroom pet-friendly apartments in Minot have plenty of storage space, an in-home washer and dryer, central heat/air, and easy-clean vinyl plank flooring. When you live here, you can also enjoy our indoor and outdoor pools, a hot tub, an enclosed dog park, and even a pet wash station! Contact us today to learn more and to schedule a tour of our community.