I’m a professional organizer – my top five tips for turning your pantry into an efficient and tidy space

THE heart of your kitchen – the pantry – needs to be organized regularly to save time and cook hassle-free.

Nicole Abramovici, co-founder of New York-based professional organizing company Genius Organizing, has all the tricks to make this possible.

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Speaking to Today.com, the professional organizer explained how to completely revamp your kitchen.

THINK OF THE DIMENSIONS OF YOUR PANTRY

Before you start organizing, Abramovici said it’s important to take note of how much space you have. This includes dimensions and number of shelves.

Now that you have identified what you are working with, you can mentally note exactly where you want to place each item. When sorting, you need to consider the amount of use you make of the item as well as its size.

Abramovici said, “Following usage conditions or size requirements is critical when planning a pantry or storage space.”

The pro shared some tips on how to achieve this. Everyday essentials such as salt, sugar, and coffee beans should be at or a little above or below your shoulder height for easy access.

Lesser used items like cookie cutters and cheese graters can be stored on higher shelves as they are not must-have items.

To make things accessible to children, snacks can be placed on the lower shelves and heavy/bulky items can be placed at the bottom for safety.

DO NOT OVERLOAD THE SHELVES

“I’ve seen situations where there are so many things that some have to be removed to remove others, or even look for something,” Abramovici said.

Ensuring your shelves aren’t overflowing with items will make your life easier, as more space allows you to move items around as you please.

If you’re a bulk buyer, create space in your home to store excess, and as you find you need to restock, move them into the pantry accordingly.

GROUP ITEMS BY SIMILARITY

Reduce the time it takes you to find that pasta strainer among all your other utensils. To make sure that finding items is not a headache, you just need to put them together based on their similarities.

“You could have the pasta and sauces section, the multiple types of peanut butter and other spreadable sections, the international tea section,” Abramovici said.

Items can also be grouped by carbs, containers, and occasion.

HAVE BINS AND CONTAINERS AT HAND

Bins and containers will make all the difference when organizing your pantry.

“Anything inside the walls is immediately more organized,” Abramovici noted.

The organization expert recommended containers with handles, saying, “Storage bins with handles are the easiest to remove – just a few inches from a protruding handle can make a big difference in your ability to grab something and move around. remove it from a shelf.”

SEAL OPEN PACKAGES

Whether you decide to store your cereal in fancy labeled containers or store it in its original packaging, you should always make sure your pantry items are properly sealed.

“Containers that aren’t properly sealed can easily spill their contents or attract household pests,” Abramovici said.

If you want to seal bagged items, bag clips will do the job.

Abramovici also recommended canisters with flip-top lids stating, “They create an airtight seal every time you close them.”

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