At my first design job out of school, we had an efficiency box. If a step in the workflow seemed inefficient, you put anonymous feedback in the box—either a problem or a solution. Upwards of 12 people touched a project during its lifetime. To meet deadlines and create great work without mistakes, an efficient workflow was key. It hit me while dialoguing about Minimalism in the Kitchen during the A Couple Cooks podcast—the kitchen pantry should be no different. It should be smart and efficient. It should work for you, not against you. So, I built a minimalist pantry. [Take the in-depth The Minimalist Kitchen Course here.]
As you well know by now, I love the idea of minimalism. Less is more. Amen! But I see minimalism also being synonymous with smart, intentional design. I love when things work—when I’m on a website and the next click is under my finger. Or when I go to grab a spice in my cabinet and I don’t curse because it’s easy to find. It’s that sweet spot where form meets function. But it’s like fingers on a chalkboard when something doesn’t work when it should. If I had to guess, your pantry is one of those things that doesn’t work. Mine didn’t either.
I fee like we’re taking our relationship to the next level today. I’m giving you a look inside my underwear pantry (before and after) and letting you inside my brain. Here’s how to build a pantry that works for you.
How-to Build a Minimalist Pantry
Keep inventory.
Think of your pantry like a tiny business. Goods are constantly coming in and out. You’ve got limited shelving and a bunch of employees ranging in age from 2-84. Develop a workflow to meet your inventory needs.
Buy clear containers.
Use clear containers to store most of your food. I like the OXO Pop Containers and the Wide Mouth Ball Jars. It’s easy to see what’s out. It’s easy to find what you’re looking for. Rebuild your spice cabinet using glass containers. I like starting with Archer Farms Spices. Then label containers that need it, adding cook times and ratios when necessary. Up until recently, we stored everything in the boxes or bags they came in. Navigating the pantry was like walking through Times Square. Awful.
Building a pantry is quite expensive. When we first got married, I opted for the cheaper stainless steel canisters and plastic Rubbermaid containers over the OXO Pop Containers. I’ve since disposed of all of them. They didn’t work like I needed them to. As my dad always says, do it right the first time or save up until you can.
Buy ingredients.
Think of items in your pantry as an ingredient. For example, we buy a certain brand of tortilla chips. Always. The same with noodles, rice, crackers, oats, cereal, nuts. I could go on. No matter who is on shopping duty that week, we know which ingredient to buy. Become brand loyal and/or shop the bulk aisles. Save your decision making power for other things.
Give yourself parameters.
Even if we could afford it (we can’t), I’d never want a huge house. I’d have to then maintain the big thing. The same rule applies to the pantry. Build and buy what you can maintain. Drop your spices to 24, especially if you rarely use the other 17. Less is more. If you want to hear me wax on in detail about this topic, head over to the A Couple Cooks podcast.
For a comprehensive guide to creating and cooking in a minimalist kitchen, check out my cookbook, The Minimalist Kitchen and take the in-depth course.
Sources: OXO POP Containers | OXO Labels | OXO scoops | Ball Wide Mouth Jars | Archer Farms Spices | Pendant Light
More organizing posts around the web:
13 Tips for Organizing Baking Supplies from Girl versus Dough
Closet Organization from Shutterbean
This is a great post! I invested in Tupperware containers to fit out my pantry – they were really expensive to start with but, 10 years down the track, I’m still totally in love with them and how they keep my pantry well organised. I always try to keep a few containers empty for random new ingredients, but something I always struggle with is limiting the number of spice jars.
I have found it useful to group things in non-traditional ways;, e.g., sweeteners, vinegars, corny things protein things, etc. I had one shelf stocked with oils, pasta, quinoa, rice, and spices. Can you see the pattern? Then the pattern was ruined when someone gave me some barley! Thanks for this article. It has motivated me to cut back on my spices. Do you have a trick for figuring out how to do that? I suppose I could put a tiny sticker on each bottle, taking it off after I have used it.
I just found your blog via Pinterest and your post has motivated me to start getting my pantry organized once and for all! lol
Do you mind me asking what type of canisters you’re using in the shelf under the Ball jars?
Thanks so much! 🙂
For sure! They are from IKEA. They’re plastic but still work well. I don’t recommend the taller version they also sell. They’re way top heavy. We got rid of ours.
I do the same thing with keeping track of what I need from “what store” on my phone. I have a whole evernote folder dedicated to shopping lists and pantry updates. I also love taking pictures of good recipes I see and keep track of those on a different evernote folder – that way when I’m out and about and need to buy ingredients, I have the recipe at my finger tips.
Also! Washitape is great to put on containers for labeling. I love that stuff. I also use it to label pantry that needs to be kept in the freezer. 😉 xo
My NY apartment dwelling self is dying with jealousy over this dreamy pantry. One more reason to move to MN I guess 🙂
please say it’s happening, please say it’s happening!!
no current plants, but it does come up in conversation every once and awhile…
I love this! I bought a bunch of clear containers a few years ago, but could never figure out what to do with the overflow… keeping all of that on a separate shelf makes so much sense!
Our problem now isn’t so much the pantry organization… it’s the complete lack of a pantry! I’ve tried numerous times to figure out a proper solution for how things should be organized… but I’ve gotten pretty much nowhere. Hopefully wherever we move to in June will have a better cabinet set-up 🙂
This is so wonderful and useful Melissa! I love the idea of labelling cooking time for rice etc on the jar itself. I used to place a little card with the cooking time inside the jar but this makes so much more sense. Your pantry looks amazing. Thanks for sharing 🙂 xx
Ummm LOVE. Years ago I did a huge pantry overhaul and blogged about it. Now I have a completely different perspective, which is also minimalist. I only buy what I need!
http://www.thedomesticblonde.com/2013/02/05/the-big-reveal-part-2-the-big-pantry-reorganization-project/
LOVE this. I am inspired to kick my own butt in regards to organization. We do not have a pantry so I tend to just stuff things where ever I can fit them, but I know I could do better! THanks!
This was a fantastic solution to my cluttered pantry. Now, I love cooking because everything is so well-arranged.
I love your pantry makeover and suggestions! Are your entry shelves built into your house? We are renters and I really miss having a pantry. I want something that is accessible to my elementary age son, but still dog (beagle) proof. Right now our pantry items are spread out between our kitchen cabinets and some extra shelves in the garage.
We had this same problem in all the apartments we lived in. I feel you! Our pantry cabinets are built in. It’s kind of a tower separating the kitchen from the dining room. However, we just bought some Ikea kitchen cabinets for extra storage in the dining room. We used the upper cabinets because they are narrow and placed them directly on the floor, wedging them up slightly. I’ll post about it soon but they are a whole lot like our built in cabinets but also affordable and moveable. We didn’t bolt them into the wall. Just used a heavy butcher block to weight them.
Love these ideas. I’ve been thinking about minimalizing my pantry and more of my kitchen. You’ve inspired me to go for it. Thanks!
Here’s my guideline for organizing: make sure that any item is accessible either directly or by moving ONLY ONE ITEM. When you can get the organization pattern down to that, you are in great shape.
That is such a smart tip! Any deeper and that’s when the system starts to break down. In fact, I think I have a spot in need of fixing in my pantry based on this. Thanks for chiming in!
Great ideas.
Hi there! I was wondering (since you mention costco by name) what you do with the excess that doesn’t fit in your pretty uniform containers (I’m thinking flour, oats, rice that one typically buys in a bigger size)? Do you have a solution for that or still have a secret package dumping ground somewhere?
Ah, good questions! I use the bottom shelf in each of our pantry towers as overflow storage. For the flour shelf, I hide extra flour behind the flour containers since it’s not functional to keep other things we use often behind them.
This is amazing! Definitely need to get organized and love all the tips!
This gets my OCD organized/efficiency loving heart seriously pitter pattering Melissa (!!!). I love these pictures and how they rotate, so simple and amazing! I agree with everything you say here and am just giving you a mega huge fist pump for this whole gorgeous post.
I really want a nice simplistic pantry I love organisation especially with a busy household and family to take care of! I really enjoyed this thank you very much for sharing
http://www.sophobsessed.com
I need to minimalize everything in my life – haven’t even thought about the pantry! Thanks for the inspiration.
Wow! Thank you for this. My pantry is a hot mess and it drives me crazy! Especially because I love to cook with lots of different ingredients, but my pantry literally has three shelves and aren’t very deep. And you really have a point with spices. I keep those in a cabinet and have to shuffle through them every. time. I cook. it sounds silly, but it never occurred to me that 50 spices is too much. I think I fear I will miss out, but I think I would forego quite a bit just to have an organized, minimalist pantry!!
Living in San Francisco, a minimalist pantry is a necessity since space is so limited!
Kari
http://www.sweetteasweetie.com
Love this! I love keeping an organized pantry. It makes shopping and cooking so much easier!
Super smart! Can’t get enough OXO!!
Love this Melissa! Great idea to share the inner workings of a beautiful, efficient kitchen. And that cookbook shelf – mega swoon.
I migrated to a mason jar pantry with Martha Stewart’s line of kitchen labels about 2 years ago and can never go back. Also, you most definitely need to download the Wunderlist App – way better for grocery lists then just the notes app, as you can tick things off in the store and share lists (so anyone can add to it)!
Thank you from the newest Wunderlist user! I’m using it to keep my normal work to-do list in line too. You’ve saved me so many times.
I’m interested in your cookbook titles, I have a cookbook problem! Well done on the minimalist pantry, I shall take notes.
I buy grains and beans from the bulk department, and then store them in mason jars and label the jars with painter’s tape. Additionally, I the spices I use often (cinnamon, cumin, and red pepper are the three big ones) in jars, and the rest in small bags from the bulk department, and alphabetize the bags.
Alphabetize. This is good!
I’ve started doing this with my herbs from my garden too!?
I didn’t know pantry envy was a thing until just know. In my little apartment, my “pantry” is spread between several cabinets (where boxes and bags are just shoved in and I have to pull everything out to find anything) and a standalone shelf in the corner (that I do try to keep semi-nice with glass jars and the OXO pop containers). Perhaps this weekend I’ll at least try to tackle some of the cabinets and invest in a few more containers for them, too. Thanks for the inspiration!
Love this post, lady! When we were planning the renovation, we made the decision to seal off the nook in the spare room and open it from the kitchen so that we’ll have a mini walk-in pantry. More than anything, it’s the one thing I’m reaaaaally looking forward to about the renovation. A well-organized pantry makes my heart sing. Also, those OXO containers are my favorite. I always score them for mega cheap at TJ Maxx.
TJ Maxx, that’s genius!!
so inspiring! I dream of making my cabinets look this good, not to mention enjoying the efficiency of having everything right where I need it to be.
My unorganized pantry made me mad on the daily. I was like—I could fix this problem. Here’s to trying!
I love the OXO pop top containers. I agree, they aren’t expensive, but they are definitely worth acquiring over time. We’re in the process of designing an addition and it will include a pantry, and I’m really enjoying the process of planning and thinking about how to lay everything out. Visibility is everything.