49 genius pantry organization ideas and storage essentials | CNN Underscored (2024)

Oxo Good Grips 10-Piece Pop Container Set

"We don't always decant, but when we do, we use Oxo Pop Top containers," Lightfoot and Pawlowski say. "They keep food fresh, and all of the different shapes and sizes make customization a breeze!"

Praki Airtight Food Storage Containers Set with Lids

This set of 24 food storage containers gets high marks from users for durability, design and price. The set includes four each of four differently sized clear plastic containers with lids as well as stick-on labels and a labeling pen.

Rubbermaid 10-Piece Brilliance Food Storage Containers

Reviewers love this Rubbermaid set of 10 durable containers with snap-on lids. The BPA-free containers are freezer- and dishwasher-safe, and come in sizes ranging from 19.9-cup to 0.5 cup.

The Chefstory food storage set includes 14 containers with snap-on lids in four sizes: two tall, and four each in small, medium and large. They come with chalkboard labels and a chalk pen that can be wiped off so the labels can be redone or reused.

Chef's Path Extra-Large Food Storage Containers

Large households or people who do a lot of baking will love these extra-large food storage containers for decanting extra-large bags of flour, cereal or sugar.

mDesign Plastic Organizing Bin With Handles

Lightfoot and Pawlowski love this basic clear plastic bin, which they call “one of our versatile essentials," for organizing in pantries, kitchen cabinets and refrigerators. Opting for clear bins ensures you can see what’s inside, which will help to cut back on food waste and overbuying, and the handles make it easy to grab and pull down from a shelf.

mDesign 4-Section Organizer Bin

"These divided bins are great for your fridge, pantry or cupboard because the four sections allow you to keep like items together," Dorn and Woodrow say. "Separate your baking supplies, tea bags, nutrition bars, cocoa, soup mixes, tea, instant coffee and other small cooking essentials neatly in their own designated compartment."

White Storage Bins With Handles

While clear storage bins are generally a good choice, there are times when a bit more privacy is called for. Driskill likes these white plastic storage bins “to corral many bags of snacks, grains, beans or other categories of unruly packaging.”

mDesign Bamboo Stacking Bin

"Made from eco-friendly bamboo, our Bamboo Stacking Bin is perfect for organizing all your favorite snacks, drinks and foods," Dorn and Woodrow say. "It’s convenient and versatile, so these bins can be used all over the home, not just in the kitchen! Also, the open fronts let you see and grab what you need instantly without unstacking them." The brand also makes bamboo storage bins with dividers.

Netany Small Pantry Organization and Storage Bins

Pantry bins come in all shapes, sizes and materials. These small woven plastic bins can help to maximize storage and organization in a pantry by taking advantage of small or awkwardly shaped spaces.

mDesign Plastic Kitchen Organizer

"The most common problem we run into when organizing pantries is deep shelves," Lightfoot and Pawlowski say. "For that reason, our favorite pantry bins are stackable storage bins with handles. Items remain visible, and the ability to stack bins means the available space is doubled."

Utopia Home Pantry Organizer

This set of eight clear plastic storage bins in two sizes gets high marks for durability and price. One reviewer says, "Much more affordable and great quality. Cheaper than the Container Store similar products and seems better made."

mDesign Plastic Wide Food Storage Organizer Bin With Handles

"This storage bin fits boxed foods, condiments, spices, baking supplies, dry goods and many other kitchen essentials," Dorn and Woodrow say. "You can use it in the refrigerator and freezer, and the design features handles for easy pull-out or carrying."

Hoojo Organizer Bins

Organizing bin sets can be pricey, but this collection of plastic bins is high-quality bargain. It includes eight containers with easy-grip handles that make it easy to pull in and out of even the most packed pantry.

"As professional organizers in New York City, we run into a lot of small pantries," Lightfoot and Pawlowski say. "Sometimes one cabinet is all we have to work with. When that's the case, our go-to product is a three-tiered adjustable bamboo riser. Cans and jars in the back of the cabinet remain visible, and we love that this shelf is made from sustainable materials."

Mooace 3-Tier Expandable Spice Rack Set

Reviewers love this set of expandable shelves, saying they're easy to assemble, durable and "stylish for smaller spaces."

SimpleHouseware Stackable Can Rack Organizer

The bestselling can rack on Amazon has a lot to offer: The simple metal design can hold a whopping 36 cans on its three-tier risers. Reviewers love it for its ease of assembly, sturdiness and large capacity.

mDesign Plastic Organizer Bins for Cans

"Can organizers allow you to organize all your favorite canned soda, soups, fruit and vegetables compactly and conveniently," Dorn and Woodrow say, adding, "Use them in both the fridge or pantry."

Copco Nonskid 3-Tier Spice Pantry Kitchen Cabinet Organizer

The bestselling riser-style can organizer on Amazon is also a great budget pick. For under $10, this three-tier shelving system can hold cans, jars, bottles and more. Reviewers call it "very sturdy" and "immensely helpful."

iDesign Linus Wine Holder

Driskill suggests buying two or more of this stackable bottle holder “to use in a cabinet for empty water/sports bottles.” The clear plastic design allows you to see what’s stored so you won’t mistake a travel coffee mug for your water bottle in a dark cabinet.

Webake Can Organizer for Pantry

When it comes to pantry storage solutions for small or awkwardly shaped spaces, look for products with small footprints to maximize limited space. This mat-style can organizer provides stability for stacking cans, pyramid-style, without taking up any extra width.

YouCopia Crazy Susan Turntable

"Pantries become chaotic," Lightfoot and Pawlowski say, "when containers in every shape and size vie for limited shelf space. We like YouCopia's Divided Lazy Susan because sections can be easily removed to transport items from pantry to counter, and smaller cans and bottles won't get lost in the back."

mDesign Rustic Lazy Susan Turntable Metal Spinner Tray

Lazy Susan turntables come in a huge variety of sizes and materials, allowing you to pick exactly the right thing for your space and style. This black metal spinner tray elevates the form and is attractive enough to go from pantry to table.

Another great option for those looking for a lazy Susan stylish enough for use on a table is this wood and metal organizer.

Copco Lazy Susan Turntable

Driskill calls this 9-inch lazy Susan “genius” and uses it to store small bottles in cabinets and pantries, where the smaller footprint doesn't take up as much space as turntables with a larger diameter.

Landneoo 12 Inch Nonskid Lazy Susan Organizers

Large pantries will benefit from this inexpensive set of four nonskid turntable organizers. Use them to organize and maximize dead space in the corners of shelves.

Allstar Innovations Spice Spinner 2-Tiered Spice Organizer & Holder

Using vertical space is a great way to maximize storage in a pantry. This two-tier lazy Susan gives you double the space of a traditional turntable organizer.

mDesign Fluted Lazy Susan

"These spinners make it so easy to store and organize all your canned goods, snacks, dressings, oil, condiments and more," Dorn and Woodrow say. "The raised outer edges help keep everything in place while spinning the organizers."

Elfa Utility White Wire Kitchen Over-the-Door Rack

"We are longtime fans of the Elfa system from The Container Store," Lightfoot and Pawlowski say, "and their over-the-door kitchen rack is one of our favorites. There are a multitude of baskets, racks and hooks, so it's highly customizable and will work in most any kitchen."

Homyfort Over-the-Door Hanging Organizer With 5 Big Pockets

This over-the-door organizer takes inspiration from closet organizers with its oversized fabric pockets. Use it to store lightweight but bulky items like paper goods or large bags of potato chips, pretzels and other snacks.

Jautokerdar Over-the-Door Cabinet Organizer

One-piece organizers are limited by their size. For small or oddly shaped pantry doors, this set of modular over-the-door baskets is a great choice. They can also be mounted on the wall for more versatility.

Smart Design Over-the-Door Pantry Organizer Rack

Reviewers praise this pantry organizer, which they call "very sturdy, and larger than I expected," "well designed and constructed" and "definitely worth the purchase!"

mDesign Plastic Adhesive Mount Storage Container

"This self-adhesive bin can be hung under kitchen sinks, inside cabinets or behind doors for discreet storage," Dorn and Woodrow say. "Take advantage of unused space to create extra storage wherever you need it."

Knape & Vogt Double-Tier Pull-Out Cabinet Organizer

"For people who have to store the majority of their pantry staples in a cabinet," Lightfoot and Pawlowski say, "pull-out drawers can make a world of difference. We like to maximize the vertical space by using a double-tier sliding drawer system. These are also great for organizing and containing food storage containers!"

Lynk Professional Slide-Out Spice Rack

Slide-out spice racks are a good way to take advantage of small or narrow space in a pantry or cabinet. Reviewers praise the Lynk Professional spice rack, calling it "easy to install, glide is super smooth" and "great for storing all your spices in an upper wall cabinet."

SimpleHouseware 2-Tier Sliding Cabinet Basket

Freestanding pull-out basket organizers are a great choice for people who prefer not to install wall- or shelf-mounted styles, and an organizer with two tiers takes advantage of vertical space to offer more storage with a smaller footprint.

Landneoo 2-Tier Clear Organizer With Dividers Slide-Out Storage Container

Pull-out basket organizers come in all sorts of fabrications, colors and styles. For those who like a clear organizer, this set of divided, two-tier storage containers is a great choice.

mDesign Plastic Stackable Pantry Organizer

"These stacking drawers make it simple to organize everything," Dorn and Woodrow say, "and the clear construction makes it easy to see what’s inside, while the slide-out drawers allow you to quickly grab what you need without unstacking."

Pull-Out Lid Organizer

The lids to pots and pans are oddly shaped and can be difficult to keep organized — and even more difficult when it comes to finding the size you need from a big heap of lids. A pull-out lid organizer solves that problem, making it easy to grab for lids when you need them without all the clatter.

ClosetMaid Pantry Cabinet

"Occasionally, we have clients who have extra available floor space but lack built-in cabinets or shelves," Lightfoot and Pawlowski say. "The perfect solution in this situation is a freestanding pantry. The ClosetMaid Pantry Cabinet is a great choice because of its sturdy design and adjustable shelving."

Home Bi Kitchen Pantry Cabinet

Pantry cabinets are available in many sizes and styles, and there will be one that fits every need. This white farmhouse pantry cabinet has double doors that open to reveal six shelves.

Hodedah 4-Door Kitchen Pantry With Four Shelves

This floor-mounted four-section cabinet is as simple as it gets, offering a lot of storage space with a relatively small footprint (24 inches wide by 16 inches deep). It comes in four colors: Beech, Cherry, Chocolate-Gray and White-Beech.

Perfect for storing your dinnerware essentials, this hutch-style cabinet has upper and lower cabinets as well as a pull-out drawer, giving users a variety of options for storing items of all shapes and sizes.

"Portable caddies let you conveniently transport items from your pantry or cabinet shelves to the countertop, island or kitchen table," Dorn and Woodrow say. "They are also perfect for carrying condiments out to the grill or picnic table."

Brother P-Touch Everyday Label Maker

"If you have a lot of different family members searching for food items or putting groceries away," Lightfoot and Pawlowski say, "labels can be a huge help. We recommend the Brother P-Touch labeler. It's simple to use, reliable and the refill tape is always easy to find."

Brother P-Touch Cube Smartphone Label Maker

The Brother P-Touch Smartphone labeler allows you to design and print labels from a smartphone or tablet. The app works with Apple and Android devices and offers a huge selection of label templates, and also allows users to design custom labels.

Phomemo Portable Bluetooth Label Printer With Tape

This pink handheld labeler is as cute as can be! Reviewers praise its simplicity and ease of use, and love that its connected app offers loads of design options.

mDesign Steel Clip-On Basket and Bin Tags

"These labels can be used to organize drawers, storage bins or baskets," Dorn and Woodrow say. "Each combo set includes eight tags and four sheets for 32 labels total, featuring a bold font that is easy to see in your pantry."

Quart + Pint Kitchen Pantry Labels for Containers

Preprinted pantry storage container labels make organizing as easy as it gets. This set of 134 waterproof peel-and-stick labels includes duplicates for common items like cereal and snacks.