If your cluttered, overflowing pantry is a source of frustration or anxiety, it might be time to create a new organization system for your space. The best pantry organizers make it practically effortless to keep food supplies tidy and easily accessible, with specially designed products for storing everything from baking supplies to canned goods to spices. It’s just a matter of finding the right organizers to fit your space and hold your most frequently used foods.
The best pantry organizers make it practically effortless to keep food supplies tidy and easily ... [+] accessible. Wire Basket For Towels
While it does take a bit of initial effort to organize your pantry, the results are worth it: “A well-organized pantry saves time by eliminating the need to search for ingredients,” explains Sarit Weiss, founder of Neat & Orderly, a professional organizing company in NYC. “You can quickly locate what you need, making meal prep a breeze. With a clear view of your pantry contents, you're less likely to forget about items, reducing the risk of expiration and food waste.” She recommends clearly labeling pantry bins and creating designated spaces for certain foods within the space to make your system easier to maintain over time.
If you’re not sure where to start, we rounded some of the best pantry organizers to tidy up your food storage area.
Dimensions: 80 x 48 x 16.75 inches | Material: Metal | Colors: White
If you’re building your pantry from scratch, this shelving unit is an unbeatable option for holding all your food and kitchen supplies. Designed to fit in a 4-foot closet, the system includes four height-adjustable shelves that are over 16 inches deep and can support up to 250 pounds each. You can effortlessly arrange the shelves to suit your needs and space, and the closely spaced wire slats prevent smaller items from falling through. Additionally, the wire shelves are made from 90% recycled materials, and the entire system is quite affordable as shelving options go.
Dimensions: 80 x 17.63 x 5.25 inches | Material: Metal | Colors: White
You can maximize the space behind your pantry door with this over-the-door organizer from Elfa. It’s designed to fit a standard 7-foot door, and it’s quick and easy to install with no tools required. The system comes with one small mesh basket, two medium baskets and two large baskets, and the best part is that they can be arranged in any way and moved around as often as needed. You can also add on additional baskets to increase your storage, and the system can also be mounted directly to the door for a more permanent solution.
Dimensions: 16 x 16 x 1.5 inches | Material: Plastic | Colors: White
You can ensure condiments or spices are easily accessible in your pantry with this large turntable from OXO. The 16-inch design has a lip around the edge to keep items from tipping over, and it has steel ball bearings that spin the platform, making it smooth and even to turn. The turntable has non-slip rubber feet to prevent it from moving around on your shelf, and if you have a smaller pantry, it’s also available in an 11-inch diameter that will take up less space.
Dimensions: 8 x 8 x 6 inches | Material: Plastic | Colors: Clear
Pantry bins are essential for any organization system and these popular plastic bins are ideal for storing all sorts of food, from fresh produce to pre-portioned snacks. They come in five sizes, ranging from small to jumbo, and you can purchase them individually or in packs of four. The bins have clear plastic sides that allow you to see their contents and the built-in handles make it easy to pull out the bin as needed. The containers are safe for the refrigerator and freezer, as well, but they do need to be washed by hand if they ever get dirty.
Dimensions: 12.5 x 10.7 x 8.7 inches | Material: Metal | Colors: Bronze or white
Wire baskets are another option for storing produce and small containers, and these mid-size baskets from mDesign can be stacked on top of each other to maximize space in your pantry. Just flip the handles into the basket and they create a convenient platform for stacking another basket on top. The wire sides allow for better airflow around your food, and when the containers are stacked, you can still reach the contents thanks to the sizable opening at the front of each basket. The baskets come in a set of three and there are three finish options to choose from, as well.
Dimensions: 14 x 8 x 12.75 inches | Material: Metal | Colors: Brown, gray or white
It’s easy for smaller items to get lost in the back of your pantry shelves, but these Simple Houseware baskets will keep everything easily accessible. The two baskets are stacked on top of one another and they slide out so you can reach items in the back. Each basket includes a liner to prevent small items from falling through the wire, as well as an adjustable divider to keep the contents organized. There are even small handles at the front of the basket to make them easy to pull.
Dimensions: 12 x 12 x 0.25 inches | Material: Metal | Colors: White
If your pantry has wire shelving, these handy dividers can help keep its contents more organized. The wire panels come in multiple sizes to fit 12- or 16-inch shelves, and they’re easy to install with no tools needed. The dividers make it easy to create designated areas for certain foods or keep odd-shaped items (such as paper towels) securely in place, and their sturdy construction won’t tip, bend or slide around during use. The only downside is that they’re only compatible with wire shelving—if you have wooden shelves, you’ll need to find dividers that attach in a different way.
Dimensions: 10.13 x 16 x 5.5 inches | Material: Metal | Colors: White, silver or lava
You can easily create more storage space in your pantry with a few under-shelf baskets. These handy containers slide right onto shelving up to 1-inch thick (though they won’t work with wire shelves), creating a convenient storage space underneath. The baskets come in three sizes and the largest option has a 5.5-inch height, which is tall enough to accommodate most canned foods. The beauty of these baskets is that they’re simple to install and can be rearranged as often as needed, allowing you to change up the layout of your pantry any time.
Dimensions: 17 x 11.5 x 14 inches | Material: Metal | Colors: Bronze, chrome, silver or white
You can keep canned goods organized and easily accessible with this simple three-level rack. It has sloped shelves that make the cans roll forward and it comes with six adjustable plastic dividers that you can insert to hold different-sized cans in place. The rack has non-slip feet that keep it securely in place, and you can even stack multiple units on top of each other. Some people also use the rack to store other pantry supplies like boxes of aluminum foil, which fit nicely onto its shelves.
Dimensions: 6.5 x 6.5 x 9.5 inches (4.4-quart) | Material: Plastic | Colors: Clear
To store dry foods like pasta, rice, granola and more, the OXO Good Grips POP containers are an unbeatable option. These popular containers have special airtight lids that come apart for easy cleaning, and there’s a large button on top of each one that you simply press down to create a tight seal, keeping food fresh and critters out. The containers come in a wide range of sizes, from 0.2 quarts all the way up to 6 quarts, and the components are top-rack dishwasher safe. There’s even a special notch on the underside of each lid where you can attach one of the brand’s accessories, such as a measuring scoop for serving.
Dimensions: Varies by container | Material: Plastic | Colors: Clear
If you want to store baking supplies like flour and sugar in uniform containers, this eight-piece set from OXO Good Grips is the way to go. It comes with two 0.4-quart containers, one 1.1-quart container and two 4.4-quart containers, as well as two half cup measuring scoops and a brown sugar saver. The containers have the brand’s signature airtight lids, which close via a push-button and have a docking spot for an accessory. Plus, they can be stacked on top of each other in your pantry. The jars and their lids are all dishwasher safe for easy cleaning, as well.
Dimensions: 10.5 x 8.75 x 3.5 inches | Material: Plastic | Colors: White, charcoal, blue, aqua, pink, purple
It can be tricky to store spices in your pantry, as it’s often hard to find the one you’re looking for, but this three-tier Copco organizer helps solve that problem. The design includes three steps, each of which has a non-slip lining, and you’ll be able to see each spice bottle clearly when they’re lined up on the different tiers. The organizer is more than 10 inches wide, allowing you to fit several spice bottles on each step, and it’s an inexpensive solution to keep items accessible within your cupboards.
Dimensions: 10.24 x 10.32 x 3.54 inches | Material: Plastic | Colors: Clear
These OXO Good Grips containers are specially designed for keeping your cereal fresh (and keeping bugs out of it). They have a contoured design that makes them easy to hold with one hand, and the lid hinges open, allowing you to pour cereal out of the spout. The containers are available in several sizes, including options for larger boxes of cereal and smaller containers for granola. However, unlike other storage jars from the brand, these containers aren’t dishwasher safe and should be hand-washed.
The Forbes Vetted team has spent hundreds of hours researching and testing all types of storage and organization products, including everything from kitchen organizing essentials to shower caddies, and we relied on our knowledge and expertise while curating this list.
To find the best pantry organizers, we looked into popular pantry storage strategies, such as the KonMari Method, and we also spoke to several home organization experts, including Sarit Weiss of Neat & Orderly and Laura Price of The Home Organisation. They provided tips on how to approach pantry organization, as well as their opinions on what types of pantry organizers are best for keeping food neat and accessible.
Using guidance from our experts, we looked for pantry organizers that would keep common food items neat, organized and easily accessible. When evaluating individual products, we considered things such as their dimensions, making sure they would fit on common shelf sizes, as well as durability and versatility. We prioritized organizers that make food easy to access while also helping to maximize space—essential in smaller pantries—and we aimed to provide a mix of multi-purpose organizers like bins, as well as item-specific solutions like can racks.
There’s no one-size-fits-all pantry organization solution that will work for every household, but these tips will help you find a system that meets your individual needs.
When creating an organization system for your pantry, it’s best to keep your most frequently used items front and center, where they’ll be easy to access. Use higher shelving for items that don’t get used as often.
While inexpensive food storage containers are appealing from a budget standpoint, they may create problems in the long run: “Low-quality containers may crack or break over time, leading to spills and pantry chaos,” says Weiss.
The best pantry organizers allow you to see their contents, but if you do opt for opaque bins, it’s important to label them so you know what’s inside. “Clearly label containers and shelves to make it easy to find items and encourage everyone in the household to maintain the system,” recommends Weiss.
Even if you have a detailed organization system in place, your pantry can get messy if you buy more food than you have space to store. “Before shopping, take stock of your pantry space to avoid overcrowding and ensure that everything has a designated place,” says Weiss. She also recommends keeping non-food items, such as cookbooks and small appliances, in another location and reserving the pantry for food only.
If you want to maintain your new organization system, it’s important to regularly go through the space to tidy up. “You need to regularly check dates, condense stock and return items to their proper places to keep your pantry organized and easy to use,” says Price.
If you’re going to buy just one style of container for your pantry, it’s best to start with plain pantry bins like the iDesign Linus Pantry Bins. “Pantry bins can transform how you use your pantry—they’re great for lots of reasons,” explains Price. “They come in lots of different sizes so you can find one to match the width and depth of your storage and use the whole space without placing items directly onto shelves, so everything is easy to access and won’t get lost at the back.” She recommends opting for clear bins, which allow you to see the contents easily.
Pantry shelves are commonly made from wire or wood, each of which have benefits. Wire shelves, like the ClosetMaid ShelfTrack Pantry Closet Kit, are generally quite affordable, easier to install and adjustable. Wire shelving also provides better airflow around your food and increases visibility. However, small items can fall through the cracks between the wire slats, and certain pantry organizers may not sit flat on the surface.
On the other hand, wooden shelves are more durable and generally have a higher weight capacity. While they can be more complex to install, they provide a smooth, stable surface where you can place any type of organizer. They’re typically not adjustable, though, so you’ll want to carefully consider the height of each shelf before you have them installed.
I'm a graduate of the University of Miami. Before joining Forbes I worked as a reporter and editor at Bloomberg where I covered everything from sports to how negative rates impacted the Black-Scholes model.
I'm a graduate of the University of Miami. Before joining Forbes I worked as a reporter and editor at Bloomberg where I covered everything from sports to how negative rates impacted the Black-Scholes model.
I am a commerce editor for Forbes Vetted covering beauty, fashion, travel and home. Prior to joining Forbes, I held positions at BuzzFeed and Dotdash Meredith where I was responsible for curating lifestyle content and testing products for real-world insights. My work has appeared in Women’s Health, Men’s Health, BuzzFeed, Brit + Co, Everyday Health and more. I hold a Bachelor’s Degree in English/Creative Writing from Marist College and currently reside in Brooklyn, New York.
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I'm a Cincinnati-based freelance journalist, content marketing writer, copywriter, and editor focusing on health and wellness, parenting, real estate, business, education, and lifestyle. Away from the keyboard, I'm also mom to four sons under age 7, all of whom keep things chaotic, fun and interesting. For over a decade I've been helping publications and companies connect with readers and bring high-quality information and research to them in a relatable voice. I've been published in the Washington Post, Huffington Post, Glamour, Shape, Today's Parent, Reader's Digest, Parents, Women's Health and Insider.
I have a Master of Arts in Teaching and a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications/Journalism, both from Miami University. I also spent about 10 years teaching high school, specializing in media education. To read more of my work or to connect, check out my website or social media on Twitter, Instagram, or Linked In.
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