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    Home » Decor

    August 18, 2020

    How to organize a small under-stair pantry

    Looking for tips for how to organize a small under-stair pantry? Well, that's good because it's exactly what this post is all about! Today, I'm sharing my tips and ideas for small pantry organization. Create extra storage by turning your under-stair cupboard or closet into a functional and pretty pantry.

    What can you do with a small space under the stairs?

    You'd be amazed at how much extra storage space you can achieve by utilizing the small space under the stairs.

    If you don't have a pantry, why not turn your under-stair cupboard or closet into a pantry? It may be the perfect pantry storage solution for a small kitchen.

    Pin for later

    How to organize a small under-stair pantry

    Why you should make an under-stair pantry

    Our kitchen didn't have a pantry and all of our pantry goods were strew throughout various kitchen cupboards. Although we tried to keep like items together, the kitchen cupboards were so deep that often items would get pushed to the back and forgotten about.

    How many times have you bought an ingredient and then realised you still have plenty of the same at home but you just couldn't find it? Hmm, guilty!

    What does this mean? Wasted money and ingredients when they fall beyond their storage date.

    Have you ever gone to the cupboard to find the ingredients for a meal and then realised you are out of half of them? Yes? Me too! What does this mean? Wasted time, frustration and stress.

    That right there is reason enough to start thinking about under-stair pantry storage ideas!

    Organize a small pantry under the stairs with shelving

    The first thing to do is to figure out how you are going to organize the space you have available. In our case, there was a small indent in the wall which was big enough to add decent size shelves. If your space is not as deep as ours, there are plenty of narrow shelving options to buy or DIY.

    We decided to build shelves for our small under-stair pantry so that we could create a custom size to match the space we had available.

    How to put up shelves

    We used the same process for making shelves as we did in my office makeover. I created a post and video showing how to put up shelves so pop on over to read that post if you want to see how we did it.

    You could also add wallpaper or a stencil to the back of the shelves to make them look even prettier or just paint the wall a pretty colour. We wanted to keep this space bright and airy and love the look of wood and white so that's what we went with.

    Empty shelves ready to be organized in a small under stairs pantry
    How to organize an under stairs pantry

    Ideas for ready-made shelving

    If you don't want to mess with making shelves, there are plenty of ready-made shelving options which can be used for pantry shelving. See below for some ideas about that.

    How to organize a small under-stair pantry

    So now, you're shelves are installed, what's next? Do you dump all the extra goods which were overflowing in the cupboards, onto the shelves and close the door to hide the mess? Well, that's kind of what happened to our small under the stairs pantry when we first built the shelves.

    Because our under stair pantry was at the top of the stairs leading down to the cellar, all sorts of things would collect there which had no business being there at all! In short, our under the stairs pantry became a dumping ground for things which were meant to be returned to the cellar (like flower seeds, string and tools). That's not exactly how you want to organize a small under stair pantry is it?

    Although there is a door to the small pantry, we tended to keep it open and that area always looked messy. We also still couldn't find anything we wanted and our lack of organization meant we were still losing things and buying unnecessary ingredients.

    Here's what the pantry looked like before – what a mess!

    This photo shows how not to organize a small under stair pantry! Pantry items overflowing on the shelves and all the dry goods are mixed up.

    organize a small under-stair pantry – dry goods

    The best way to organize dry goods in your pantry

    These are my tips for organizing the dry goods in your pantry. They may not work for everyone but they worked for us!

    • Remove everything from the shelves
    • Place everything onto the table so you can see what you have.

    Here's a pic of some of my pantry items on our table.

    Pantry goods set out on a table ready for organizing - How to organize a small under-stair pantry
    How to organize an under stairs pantry
    • Corral like things together

    Corral all your baking items together in one place. Do the same for cooking, spices, breakfast, canned vegetables, canned fruit, bottles of water and juice and so on.

    Next, remove any items from the rest of your cupboards which belong with any of the above ingredients and put them with their like items. You may be surprised at the amount of stuff you have stashed away.

    Icing sugar is one of those ingredients I tend to unintentionally stock up on. I hardly ever use it so I always tend to forget I have it, then end up buying a new box when I need some. I also found various opened bags of pasta, rice and spices.

    organize a small under-stair pantry – containers

    By corralling like items together, you will be able to better judge the amount of storage space you will need for them. Here are a few of the containers I used for organizing our small under stair pantry.

    Pantry storage ideas - Glass Jars

    I highly recommend using glass jars or clear glass containers to organize a small under-stair pantry because it's so much easier to see what you have even without a label (more about that later).

    Spring top pantry jars on a shelf in the pantry - How to organize a small under-stair pantry
    How to organize an under stairs pantry

    Pantry storage ideas - Baskets

    I used a basket to store all the ingredients which I use for making natural skincare. It means that I can just grab the basket and take it to the kitchen counter when I want to make something and I have everything I need.

    Pantry storage ideas – Crates

    We use the space at the bottom of our under stair pantry for bottles of water and juice. For the sake of convenience, we keep the bottles in the crates in which they come from the supermarket. You could always buy prettier crates if you want your under stair pantry to be more insta-worthy. That kind of stuff doesn't bother me. I like things to look pretty but at the end of the day, it has to be practical and function in our home too.

    How do you organize loose recipes?

    I use a small wooden file organizer which I like to keep in the pantry under the stairs for the sake of convenience.

    I find it much easier to grab this file organizer from a lower shelf than from a high cupboard shelf where it would probably be pushed to the back.

    How to organize a small under-stair pantry - photos shows clear glass spring-top jars with labels labelling.

    Cleaning an under-stair pantry

    Before you fill up your pantry shelves with all your lovely storage jars and containers, wipe the shelves down with a damp cloth to remove any dust.

    From now on, your under-stair pantry is going to be so much easier to keep clean - jars out, wipe down, jars in – done!

    Organize a small under-stair pantry – Labels

    The last step of organizing a small under-stair pantry is to label everything! I designed some labels myself and printed them off on my printer at home. If you'd like to have mine, I've added them to the free subscriber library. If you're not a newsletter subscriber, look for the information at the end of this post explaining how to sign up.

    Homemade pantry jar labels - How to organize a small under-stair pantry

    Do you need to label your pantry jars?

    I'd say, yes! Ingredients like cornflower and icing sugar look the same in a glass jar so it's easy to get them mixed up.

    How to apply labels to jars

    As I said, I printed these labels onto A4 printer paper. Once I had them all cut out, I just used wide clear parcel tape to attach the labels to the jars. You can't even see the tape at all.

    Clear glass jars on a shelf in a pantry - How to organize a small under-stair pantry
    How to organize an under stairs pantry

    Small under-stair pantry finished!

    Well, those are my tips for how to organize a small under-stair pantry.

    I can't tell you how good it feels to finally have this pantry organizing project finished. I lost count of the number of times I've 'just popped to the shops' to get another round of glass jars but it has been worth it!

    Our under the stairs pantry has gone from being a dumping ground for things to be returned to the cellar to organised bliss! We all love that the labels are so clearly printed and that it's easy to see where everything is.

    I wish I had tackled this pantry organizing project a long time ago but you know how it is, there's always something bigger on the list!

    Organized and refilled pantry  - How to organize a small under-stair pantry

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    How to organize a small under-stair pantry
    How to organize an under stair pantry

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    1. Michele Morin says

      August 24, 2020 at 2:51 pm

      Always good to be more organized in the kitchen. Inspired!

      Reply
      • Jayne Westerholt says

        August 26, 2020 at 4:24 pm

        I agree Michele and it saves so much time!

        Reply
    2. Allison O'Dell says

      August 29, 2020 at 5:19 pm

      Jayne, I'm in love! First, it's good to see that someone else has "weird" (my daughter's word, not mine) types of baking ingredients too ... but also, I love the idea of using the super big jars. If I'm right, even the one cup measurer will fit in the top (I think). Btw, I over-buy powdered sugar too. Ah well. I might just add organizing my pantry (again) to my list now that I've seen what you did.

      Reply
      • Jayne Westerholt says

        August 29, 2020 at 8:24 pm

        Hi Allison, yes the one cup measure will fit into the large jars - perfect for all types of 'weird' ingredients lol!

        Reply
    3. Lori Nell says

      August 29, 2020 at 6:01 pm

      Jayne! I'm amazed at what you did with that small space. Bravo! I love an organized space, such a time saver. Enjoy Today!

      Reply
      • Jayne Westerholt says

        August 29, 2020 at 8:21 pm

        Thanks so much Lori, you too!

        Reply
    4. Corinne Goyette says

      August 29, 2020 at 6:42 pm

      I always get overwhelmed when organizing my pantry. Thank you for all your useful tips. Now I just have to put them into practice.

      Reply
      • Jayne Westerholt says

        August 29, 2020 at 8:21 pm

        You will save so much time when you do Corinne!

        Reply
    5. stacy says

      August 29, 2020 at 7:36 pm

      I love your organizing tips!

      Reply
      • Jayne Westerholt says

        August 29, 2020 at 8:20 pm

        Thanks so much Stacy!

        Reply
    6. Anne Zirkle says

      August 29, 2020 at 7:39 pm

      I love this idea! Can you come organize my pantry next?!

      Reply
      • Jayne Westerholt says

        August 29, 2020 at 8:28 pm

        Haha, I'd love to!

        Reply
    7. Jeanne Cameron Washburn says

      August 29, 2020 at 7:59 pm

      The labeled jars look beautiful...so fresh and clean. This is organization at its best. Thanks for the inspiration!

      Reply
      • Jayne Westerholt says

        August 29, 2020 at 8:29 pm

        You're welcome Jeanne, I'm so glad you like it!

        Reply
    8. Paula A Skulina says

      August 29, 2020 at 9:21 pm

      Wow! You fit so much into that space and made it look so attractive at the same time. If I visited you, I would stand and admire your pantry for a long time.

      Reply
      • Jayne Westerholt says

        August 30, 2020 at 12:41 pm

        Haha, Paula, that's what I do all the time! I'm so happy to have checked this off my list!

        Reply
    9. Sonya says

      August 29, 2020 at 10:29 pm

      I love how your organized your pantry. I don’t have a real small pantry but mine is a hot mess and can for sure use your tips to get it organized. Love the labels by the way

      Reply
      • Jayne Westerholt says

        August 30, 2020 at 12:40 pm

        Thanks Sonya! The labels are really there so that my boys can find the right ingredients when they are helping in the kitchen 😉

        Reply
    10. Linda says

      August 30, 2020 at 1:55 am

      I need to use some of these ideas in our pantry!

      Reply
      • Jayne Westerholt says

        August 30, 2020 at 12:37 pm

        It will take you much less time than you think, to get your pantry organized!

        Reply
    11. Danielle says

      August 30, 2020 at 3:46 am

      What a great idea! It’s such an always suave to work with, you made it look beautiful!

      Reply
      • Jayne Westerholt says

        August 30, 2020 at 12:36 pm

        Thanks so much Danielle!

        Reply
    12. Jennifer says

      August 30, 2020 at 1:19 pm

      I love how organized this small space is! You've inspired me to tackle mine!

      Reply
      • Jayne Westerholt says

        August 30, 2020 at 7:25 pm

        Thanks Jennifer! I'm so glad I've inspired you!

        Reply
    13. Linda Johnston says

      August 30, 2020 at 3:15 pm

      What an amazing job you have done! Adding pantry space is always a plus!

      Reply
      • Jayne Westerholt says

        August 30, 2020 at 7:24 pm

        Thanks, Linda! utilizing this space has made a huge difference to our kitchen storage!

        Reply
    14. Marie says

      August 30, 2020 at 5:20 pm

      This turned out so we! Love all the jars you linked.

      Reply
      • Jayne Westerholt says

        August 30, 2020 at 7:23 pm

        Thanks Marie, glass jars are the key to success!

        Reply
    15. Kim Waldorf says

      August 30, 2020 at 6:11 pm

      The pantry looks great! So many good ideas. I especially love the glass mason jars with the labels. Thanks for the inspiration!

      Reply
      • Jayne Westerholt says

        August 30, 2020 at 7:22 pm

        Thank you, Kim, I'm so glad you liked the post!

        Reply
    16. Christin Cieslarski says

      August 30, 2020 at 11:00 pm

      Oh my gosh! So pretty! And functional! My kinda space!

      Reply
      • Jayne Westerholt says

        August 31, 2020 at 12:29 pm

        Thanks so much Christin! I love making my space pretty!

        Reply
    17. Sharon Ellis McCuistian says

      August 31, 2020 at 12:04 am

      Great idea for an unusual spot!!

      Reply
      • Jayne Westerholt says

        August 31, 2020 at 12:28 pm

        It was just wasted space before but now we have so much extra pantry storage!

        Reply
    18. Misty says

      September 01, 2020 at 2:31 am

      Jayne, I'm embarrassed looking at my pantry, LOL! I love these jars and the labels are awesome. Such a clean, organized look. I'm inspired!

      Reply
      • Jayne Westerholt says

        September 01, 2020 at 12:26 pm

        You don't need to feel embarrassed - did you see mine before lol?

        Reply
    19. Michelle | Thistle Key Lane says

      September 01, 2020 at 2:34 am

      Excellent organizing project and your pantry looks wonderful. So excited to feature your post this week on the Tuesday Turn About Link Party!

      Reply
      • Jayne Westerholt says

        September 01, 2020 at 12:25 pm

        I'm glad you like it Michelle and thanks so much for the feature!

        Reply
    20. Elizabeth Scruggs says

      September 01, 2020 at 9:22 pm

      Love this!
      Thank you, I pinned for later reference~

      Reply
      • Jayne Westerholt says

        September 02, 2020 at 10:46 am

        Thank you Elizabeth, I'm so glad you love botanical wall art too!

        Reply
    21. laura says

      September 02, 2020 at 1:57 am

      hi jayne, first I love the spelling of our first name. Second, I love the name jayne.

      Third, I love storage ideas! Great post! laura

      Reply
      • Jayne Westerholt says

        September 02, 2020 at 10:43 am

        Well, thanks, thanks and thanks again Laura! I love home storage ideas too!

        Reply
    22. Jennifer says

      September 02, 2020 at 7:43 pm

      Oh my gosh! I love those glass storage jars and labels!!! This looks amazing!!

      Reply
      • Jayne Westerholt says

        September 03, 2020 at 6:42 pm

        Thanks so much Jennifer!

        Reply
    23. Kimberly Snyder says

      September 05, 2020 at 3:57 pm

      so many great ideas! I can't wait to implement them in my pantry!

      Reply
      • Jayne Westerholt says

        September 09, 2020 at 4:10 pm

        I'm so glad to hear that my pantry organization ideas were helpful for you Kimberly!

        Reply
    24. Rachel says

      September 07, 2020 at 3:46 am

      Wow! This looks so nice. I need to use some of these ideas for my pantry. It is a small closet in our new kitchen. I know it can truly be a "workhorse space" if I work it right.

      Reply
      • Jayne Westerholt says

        September 09, 2020 at 4:09 pm

        Glad you like it, Rachel! Good luck with your closet, I'm sure it will make a beautiful pantry!

        Reply
    25. Barbara at Mantel and Table says

      September 09, 2020 at 7:02 pm

      Wonderful post Jayne - I'm totally inspired to redo a space under our stairs now! And thanks for the labels too! 😉

      Reply
      • Jayne Westerholt says

        September 09, 2020 at 7:44 pm

        You're welcome, Barbara!

        Reply
    26. Elizabeth says

      September 19, 2020 at 2:42 am

      This looks amazing!

      Reply
      • Jayne Westerholt says

        September 19, 2020 at 12:42 pm

        Thank you!

        Reply
    27. Pam says

      November 20, 2020 at 3:42 pm

      Great tips! My pantry looks very similar to your before picture... I have been wanting some of those jars! I pinned it, thanks!

      Reply
      • Jayne Westerholt says

        November 20, 2020 at 10:35 pm

        Thanks so much Pam! I just cleaned my pantry today, it's so much easier to do that now that all I have is the glass jars!

        Reply
    28. Sue at Blu says

      January 08, 2021 at 9:23 pm

      I too love the look of glass containers. I will be investing in some soon! making progress!

      Reply
      • Jayne Westerholt says

        January 09, 2021 at 1:16 pm

        I love that you can always see at a glance which ingredients you are running low on - saves so much time!

        Reply

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