How to organize a pantry floor
Get tips on how to organize a pantry floor so you are sure to be using all the space you have available for the storage you need. It is an often overlooked space in pantry organization, but you might be surprised at what you can do with all that room!
Closets and pantries may just be two of the smallest rooms in our homes, which is funny when you think about it. These two spaces hold more things than most of our other rooms combined.
This means we need to be strategic when setting things up. To not only ensure we are making the most of the room we have available but also to make it easy to find what we need without wasting time searching in chaos.
When you are organizing a space, it helps to look at the areas that are the easiest for you to reach. This is your “prime real estate,” where you want to place anything that gets frequent use so you can get to it quickly.
The places that are hard to reach, such as the top shelf in your pantry or the floor are good locations for items that get used less frequently. Things like seasonal dishes or small appliances.
More often than not, things tend to get tossed on the floor in the pantry to deal with later, such as bags of groceries.
This is a clutter-bug habit that keeps rooms in absolute chaos. Let’s face it: food is expensive, and by streamlining your food pantry, yes, even the floor, you can turn this small area into an organized tool for your kitchen.
What can you store on a pantry floor?
Usually, when you think of what belongs in a pantry, food is the first thing that comes to mind. However, you can keep so many other items in this area. Let’s look at a few ideas of what you can organize and house on the floor of your pantry.
1. Appliances
Gadgets and small appliances that you use sporadically may do better stored out of the way, freeing up much-needed counter space. Keeping out only what you use daily and storing away the rest will free up space for cooking, baking, and more.
Appliances that you can store in your pantry:
- Stand mixer
- Instant Pot
- Crock-Pot
- Air Fryer
- Roaster
- Smoothie Maker
- Juicer
- Dehydrator
- Indoor grill
2. Paper
Paper supplies are another item that will be better stored in a pantry. You can set up a large basket on the floor to hold miscellaneous items and keep them organized and neat.
Paper items that you can store in your pantry:
- Rolls of paper towels
- Napkins
- Paper plates
- Plastic silverware
- Paper coffee travel mugs
- Red solo cups
3. Bulk Food
The floor is a good place to keep bulk food items or larger containers. You can use pull-out carts or these Food storage buckets to help make it easier to access heaving containers.
Bulk food you can store in your pantry:
- Flour
- Sugar
- Rice
- Beans
Bottom line: The pantry floor is best for items that are big, heavy, bulky, and simply awkward.
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HoW TO ORGANIZE THE FLOOR OF YOUR PANTRY
Now that you have a few ideas of what to keep on your pantry floor, let’s look at a few ideas for streamlining things even further.
Tip #1. Organized by category
to help you and yoru entire family know what goes where, it is a good idea to section this area off. You can do it in three sections:
- Bulk Food
- Small Appliances
- Paper Supplies
Tip #2. Use Labels
Whenever you set up a new space in your home, you need labels to keep things neat. Label every container clearly so you and your entire family remember what belongs where. Labels will help to keep things put away and leave less clutter.
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Tip #3. Hold a Family Meeting
This is such an important part of keeping an organized home, yet so many times, we skip over it. No matter what size your family is, you will want to have a quick meeting to introduce your new setup.
Explain to your kids and spouse what your goal is, why you went into trouble organizing this area, and where things belong going forward. If you can let everyone know your reasons why and how important it is to keep things neat, you may get more cooperation going forward.
More Storage Options for the Pantry Floor
We have already looked at a few common organizers, but this section is for other options. Try out a few of these unique solutions that you can use to streamline your pantry so you can find the best solution for your setup.
Floor cloth baskets
I love canvas and cloth baskets for storage in many areas of my home, especially in the pantry. Baskets can hold paper products such as napkins or paper towels, and picnic items such as paper plates or coolers.
Hampers
Hampers are a great organizer for the floor in your pantry. Not only do they work great in compact areas, they hold more than you may realize. Use them to hold brooms, mops, swiffers, and other long-handled tools.
Totes
This is my go-to organizer for most large areas because they are versatile. A tote will work well to hold seasonal supplies such as dishes or table cloths and napkins. If you keep your pet food in the pantry, a food storage tote will work quite well on the floor.
Shelf
Adding more shelving in a pantry is a great way to utilize the floor space more efficiently. You can use individual shelves or purchase a shelving cart allowing you to move it around easily.
Why put appliances on the pantry floor?
When you only keep out the appliance you use frequently, it frees up so much space on your kitchen counters. This will help make cooking meals more enjoyable if you have more space to move around.
When deciding what appliances to keep in your pantry, look at what you have out now and ask yourself if there is anything you can put away without causing inconvenience by not having it close by. These items may be good candidates for your pantry.
Buckets
Buckets are another great tool for your pantry floor, mainly because the handle allows you to pick them up easily. Buckets are great for holding napkins, picnic supplies, or storage bags.
You can purchase buckets with lids and use them to hold bulk food such as rice, sugar, or flour. Be sure to note the expiration date so you always use up your food before it goes bad.
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Sliding Drawers
Sometimes you need to think outside of the box to utilize all the storage space you have available. A good idea is to add a few drawers below your bottom shelf. These drawers are great for snacks meant for the youngest children in your home, as they can reach them more easily than an upper shelf. Label a basket for each child and fill it with foods they can use for school lunches or after-school snacks.
Shelf Basket
I love these shallow shelf baskets because they can give you more space even if you store things on the floor directly below them. Use them to hold bread, foil, wrap, storage bags, or grill utensils.
Plastic Bins
If your family enjoys bottled drinks, you can use this tip to keep them all organized. A bin for each type of drink is a great way to streamline the floor. One for soda, one for water bottles, one for probiotic water, one for tea, and more.
Remember to keep the outside labeled so your entire family can help to keep these bins neat.
Sturdy Baskets
I love these jute pantry baskets and find they work well with snacks. A large basket can easily hold several family-sized bags of chips or pretzels. Not a fan of snacks? You can use them for just about anything, and the good news is that the wicker is a nice, sturdy option that will stand up well.
When streamlining your kitchen pantry, the floor can often be overlooked. Find the extra room you need to store excess items from your kitchen and free up space for cooking meals for your family. Use these tips on how to organize a pantry floor to streamline another area in your home.
These were all wonderful suggestions on what to put on the pantry floor and what organizational tools to use.