In all their magic, the holidays can also be overwhelming and chaotic. If you focus on sorting and organizing before the holidays arrive, instead of simply cleaning up the aftermath, you are setting yourself up for a much more calming and enjoyable season.
One helpful place to focus on is learning how to organize your pantry for the holidays. The holidays center around food, and beginning with a well-organized pantry by utilizing this guide will set you up for a much more orderly and relaxing holiday season of hosting.
Why Organizing Your Pantry Before the Holiday Season Matters
The holiday season revolves around the kitchen. Thanksgiving is centered around the meal, with cooking and preparation taking days, but Christmas is also heavily centered around food.
Whether you are having a Christmas brunch, dinner, or days of celebrating with family and friends, there will be a lot of time and effort placed on appetizers, meals, and desserts.
Beginning this season with a pantry specifically stocked and sorted with the holidays in mind will ease so much potential frustration, rushing, and panic at having an ingredient missing at the last moment. When things flow better because you have previously organized them, you have more time to focus on things like
I have many tricks and tips to share that, when applied, lighten the mental load of the holiday meals and their preparation.
A properly organized pantry will help you to:
- Find ingredients quickly
- Help you avoid buying doubles
- Help you to use up what you already have
- Reduce food waste
- And help the holiday meal prep to feel peaceful instead of frantic
A tidy pantry isn’t about perfection. It’s about developing a system that works for you and your space and gives you more room to breathe in this busy season.
Step 1: Start With a Quick Declutter
Before beginning any organizational task, we need to declutter what’s already there. Typically, that means taking everything out, cleaning the shelves and storage containers, and replacing items in a new order. This can feel overwhelming, but a little cleaning out of clutter goes a long way in making your pantry feel lighter and more functional.
Let’s cover step by step how to do this.
- Remove everything. This doesn’t have to be overwhelming. You can do this section by section (such as one shelf at a time or one side of the pantry at a time) or all at once if you prefer.
- Wipe down the shelves. Clean off anything spilled or sticky.
- Clean out any storage containers. If you use baskets, bins, or Tupperware to organize your pantry already, wipe them down or pop them into the dishwasher.
- Check expiration dates. Toss or donate things you don’t need/want or expired products.
Step 2: Redesign with the Holidays in Mind
The holidays span a couple of months, so designing your pantry organization with the holidays in mind is ideal. Considering your holiday hosting needs now and organizing accordingly will set you up for success later.
There is no right or wrong way to design your pantry. The size and age of your family members play a factor, as well as the size of your pantry. Even your dietary needs and the parties you are hosting should be taken into account.
What is important is grouping the items in the pantry in a way that makes sense to you and using tools that make organization easier. It can become overwhelming to store everything you need in your pantry just by simply setting it on the shelves.
- Colored bins can be very helpful when organizing your pantry. If you have kids, guests, or even your husband helping in the kitchen, this is even more beneficial, as you can direct people to specific colored bins to gather the needed items. Some people prefer clear open bins for more visibility.
- Large clear plastic containers with lids help organize baking goods, pastas, or cereals. These are one of my best tips for the holiday baking season. Everything stays visible, fresh, and uncluttered because the containers can be stacked and labeled.
- If you have the floor space and need more storage, you can add additional shelves to your pantry. When the space you have is less cluttered, the overwhelm is reduced, and your ingredients can be located more easily.
Tiawudi 12 Pack Colorful Storage Bins
Vtopmart Clear Stackable Storage Bins with LidsAmazon Basics 4-Shelf Steel Wire Storage RackPRAKI Airtight Food Storage Containers
Some categories that work for pantry organization, specifically designed with the holidays in mind, are:
- Holiday baking essentials
- “Healthy “ baking supplies like gluten-free flours and sugar replacements
- Canned goods
- Sauces
- Pastas
- Cereals
- Snacks
- Treats
- Drinks
Things you will need access to often throughout the holidays are best placed at eye level, in the front, and easily accessible to make holiday hosting a breeze. Think baking supplies, spices, oils, and snacks.
Step 3: Make Use of Your Space
Consider using vertical space more wisely. Clear stackable storage containers, risers for cans, or adding additional shelves within your built-in shelves, for more room, will make your available space work harder for you. The more organized your space is, the less overwhelming searching the pantry for ingredients will become.
AIYAKA 3 Tier Stackable Can Rack OrganizerSONGMICS Cabinet Organizer Shelf
Step 4: Label Everything
When redesigning a space you use frequently that contains many items, you want a simple and seamless experience. Even if your new redesign is set up perfectly, everything being in a new place can cause confusion and frustration at first.
Labeling containers, bins, and shelves is both aesthetically pleasing and sanity-saving. They are also little reminders to help you stay organized every time you restock the pantry.
Step 5: Stock up on Holiday Essentials
It’s ideal to stock your selves when you already have recipes picked out for the holidays so you know exactly what to purchase. If you are still searching for ideas, that’s alright too. Some great items to be sure you have on hand that can be easily forgotten by even the most prepared hosts are:
- Evaporated milk
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Canned pumpkin
- Canned sweet potatoes
- Black olives
- Bacon bits
- Extra oils for cooking
- “Healthy” alternatives for guests with dietary restrictions or preferences
- Vanilla extract
- Brown sugar
- Chocolate chips
- Chicken stock
- Parchment paper
- Extra to-go boxes for guests
Final Step: Keeping it Tidy
Now that your pantry is organized perfectly with the holidays in mind, make your best effort to keep it that way throughout the entire season. You’ve put in a lot of work to make a space that works with you and meets your needs already.
Do a weekly “stock check” to be sure all those special holiday ingredients are still available. If every time you restock, you do a quick wipe down of spills and a quick check that everything is in its proper place, your pantry will continue to be a place of peace instead of overwhelm throughout the holidays.
A peaceful home starts with small intentional steps. In a season bursting with indulgence and often rushing, preparing before it arrives by cleaning and organizing with your upcoming needs in mind will lead to a simpler and more enjoyable season overall.
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