How to Organize a Pantry With Wire Shelves

Get the help you need to finally organize a pantry with wire shelves – a frustrating area to get on track. Just because you have wire shelving doesn’t mean all is lost. Here are some tips that might help you to organize your pantry into one you love.

This is just one pantry organization tip that will help you finally streamline how you store your food.

Having a dedicated space to store your dry food and ingredients is an important part of a streamlined kitchen.

Keeping food organized is tricky enough, but when your pantry is made with wire shelving, things become trickier.

What Role Does a Pantry Play in a Kitchen

A pantry is where dry food and ingredients are stored and kept, from canned goods to seasoning pouches it is important to have a set up that is organized and easy to keep that way.

Organizing Food can be Tricky

If you look at your pantry now, it might not look too bad and that’s because you are only seeing what is in front of you.

A pantry has many shelves that are easy to organize, especially if you are dealing with a solid, flat surface.

This guide is for uneven shelving, wire shelving to be exact, and they can be a little tricky to organize.

When I finally got my first walk-in pantry, it was made of wire shelving and never once did I think about how they would work. To be honest, I had no idea that storing cans on wire shelving would be something that would annoy me to no end.

If I bumped anything, canned goods would fall over like dominos.

If I would grab one can of beans, seven more cans would topple over, leaving a mess and possibly a broken toe.

But it was more than those cans that were giving me headaches; the same issues were happening with cereal boxes, boxes of noodles, and even jars of sauce.

Then, there were the seasoning packets that would constantly fall through the rungs all the way down to the floor.

Walking into my pantry was a balancing act that I worked hard to perfect so I would not accidentally bump into anything, causing a cascade of cans and boxes around my feet.

Dealing With Wire Shelving in a Pantry

If replacing your shelving is not in the budget, you can use these tips to organize your pantry into a space that is a dream to store food in.

Over the year, I tried many different solutions, and what I have now is my top winner’s list, my fast and easy way to systemize a food pantry into an organized storage area.

Creating a flat more stable surface

The biggest issue with wire shelves is the uneven surface. If you can solve that issue, you are on your way to becoming organized and streamlined. I have a few ideas that have worked for me over the years.

Solution #1.  Plexiglass

This is the best way, in my opinion, to give a more stable surface to wire shelving.

You can purchase plexiglass at any hardware store or you can find it online. It is best to purchase sheets that fit the size of the shelf you have. Cutting plexiglass is not easy, so precut pieces are a better solution.

Pros: Plexiglass is easy to keep clean, lightweight to use, and in most cases, inexpensive to buy. Just a few sheets on each shelf and you will create a more stable surface that will more easily hold just about anything. 

Cons: It can be tricky to categorize things. Labeling isn’t the easiest on flat shelving, and you might struggle to keep things in place, remembering what belongs where. Why is this important?

Having specific areas for different categories of food will make list-making easier and dinner prep a breeze. 

Solution #2.  Baskets

Baskets can work well in a pantry with wire shelving but there are a few things to keep in mind.

1. Look for baskets with a smooth bottom to allow you to slide them out more easily. Whicker baskets, for example, are not a good option as they can get caught on the rungs.
2. Another thing to keep in mind is the strength of the basket. Food can be quite heavy, so a sturdy basket will last longer, holding up better to constant use. 

Pros: Baskets are a great way to contain cans and small boxes. You can also organize more easily by keeping like items together in each basket and labeling them by category.

Common Pantry Categories:

1. Pasta
2. Soup/Broth
3. Side dishes
4. Snacks
5. Breakfast
6. Italian
7. Sauces
8. Spices

Whenever you set up a new basket in your pantry, be sure to put a label on the front telling what is inside. Labels will work great to remind you and your family what belongs where.

Cons: Baskets can be hard to slide on the wire shelving. One snag on a rung can break the entire basket if you are not careful. Baskets, especially wicker ones, may be stable enough to hold heavier items like jars or cans.

Pantry Solution #3.  Boxes

If you are looking for a cheap and easy DIY solution for your sire shelbes, look no further than a cardboard box.

Boxes are a great option, especially if you are testing out a new organizer. When I first tried boxes in my pantry, I used shoe boxes but I found they were not quite sturdy enough for heavy items such as large cans.

Later I switched to photo boxes that I found empty in my attic and they worked great.

Photo boxes are sturdier, and they hold up much better to constant use. If you do not have photo boxes, you can use a shoe box and wrap it in contact paper, making it more durable.

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Pros: I am sure most of us have a collection of boxes in our homes, making this another affordable organizing solution. Another plus is the different sizes available which will help you to more easily find a box that fits the size of shelving you have to organize. 

Another plus is that you can label boxes more easily using tags or stickers. Too much? Just label by writing directly on the box itself.

Cons: Cardboard boxes are not the sturdiest option and can get damaged quickly, especially if they are being slid in and out often.

Get tips on How to Organize a Pantry Floor for more ideas that will help you to make the most of the space you have available.

Solution #4.  Plastic Jute Bins

Plastic bins and baskets are my favorite organizers to use not only in a pantry but just about anywhere in a home.

Not only are bins sturdy and easy to slide in and out, but there are many styles and options on the market, meaning you can find exactly what you need.

Pros: Plastic bins are a much sturdier option to use, but this all depends on the thickness of the bin itself. Bins will hold up well even when filled with heavy soup cans or large sauce jars.

By getting bins with high sides, you can trust that even those glass jars will not topple out. Most bins come with openings that you can use as handles, making them easy to slide in and out.

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Labels can be added easily either with a sticker label or tied on with a string. This again will help you to know exactly what is inside without having to look every time you need something.

Cons: These bins can be a cost investment ranging from $3-$10 each. What you spend all depends on what you are looking for. The bins I use in my pantry were $3 for the small size and $5 for the larger size.

This made the total cost of my pantry organizing project close to $75+. However, the look of the bins is something I love, and for me, the cost was totally worth it.

Remember, I started out using free boxes, and yes, it took me some time to save up the money to invest in this much sturdier option. 

Solution #5. Lazy Susans

Lazy Susans, also known as turntables, work well on wire shelves. Another bonus of turntables is that they work great to utilize corners in a space.

Turntables come in many sizes and even multiple levels allowing you to make the most of your space.

DIY Turntable for a pantry

If you do not want to purchase a lazy Susan, you can easily make one all you need are two round cake pans and a bag of marbles.

1. Take one round cake pan, and fill with an even layer of marbles.
2. Place the second cake pan on top.
3. Place it in the area you are organizing.

The marbles will let the top pan move so you can spin and see what you have stored in the top pan. This is a great way to test this organizer before you invest in buying one that fits your style, as they can get a bit pricey. 

Solution #6. Shelving Risers

I never was a big fan of shelving risers or “stadium shelving” until I tried them myself, and let me say they are a great way to add more space to a shelf or counter.

Risers are also perfect for wire shelving, giving you the stability you are looking for, along with more storage.

The shelves are similar to stairs, allowing you to take advantage of vertical space. This set up also helps you to see all the items you have without having to move and shuffle things around. 

Why are labels so important in a pantry?

To know the answer to that question, let’s recap why we organize in the first place; so it is easy for us to find what we need quickly and put those items away just as easily when we are done using them. 

When things are put away, clutter is eliminated.

Organizing is our way of creating a home for all of our things. Labels are there to remind us what belongs where.

This can be tricky especially at the beginning of a new setup and labels will make it easier to quickly put your things away. 

There are many different styles of labels that you can use to map out your shelves, bins, and baskets. The type that you chose will all depend on what you like. If simple is a good fit for you, then stick-on labels from a label maker may be the best way to go. 

What is Your Organizing Personality?

When setting your pantry up, there are two ways to set things up. Choose the one that you feel will encourage you to put items away.

Organizing Option #1. Easy

If you require a few steps, you will want to choose tools that help you quickly get what you need.

Organizing Option #2. Pretty

If pretty is more your speed, then looks should be first on your list when choosing an organizer.

Don’t overlook this part of organizing no matter what the size of your project is. If you do not take into account your organizing personality, you may find your new setup too hard to stick to. And if you don’t stick with it you will find your pantry a mess in no time.

Now that you have some simple tips on organizing a pantry with wire shelves, you are on your way to a streamlined pantry. This also means you are ready to move on to another decluttering project. So, let’s dive into that kitchen.

Head on over and get ready to clean out your kitchen. The most important room in the home and a great place to begin creating a home you love.

Pantry Organizing Resources:

• Wire Rack Pantry Organization
• Set up a Kitchen Appliance Pantry
• Maximize Space in a Pantry