You’re in and out of your kitchen pantry at all hours of the day: grabbing flour and maple syrup for your pancake breakfast, retrieving canned beans and jarred artichokes to top your salad, popping open a jar of salsa and a bag of tortilla chips for your afternoon snack, and snagging a box of pasta and jarred tomato sauce for a quick weeknight dinner. But when the shelves are cluttered with long-forgotten, expired goods and coated in a stubborn film of crumbs, dust, and other mysterious debris, opening the cabinet doors for all your cooking needs becomes a lot less appealing. There’s nothing more frustrating (and inefficient) than having to rummage through your stock to find the ingredients you’re looking for. Not to mention, just the sight of an overflowing pantry filled with leftover food particles only heightens the chaos inside your kitchen—and your mind.
Luckily, though, your kitchen pantry is not a lost cause. With a little guidance and a structured plan, it’s totally possible to transform the pile of disarray into a neat, orderly, crumb-free space. How? By following just a few simple steps, you can give your pantry the makeover it desperately needs and deserves. This home-improvement project is effective and also super easy to tackle—you’ll just need to set aside an hour or two to purge and restore your shelves. But since the secret to a tidy home is all about maintenance, we also have tips on preserving your new-and-improved space.
If you and your cupboard are ready for an overhaul, here’s exactly how to clean out a pantry—and keep it that way.
How to Clean Out a Pantry
Give your pantry the upgrade it’s been begging for by following this simple step-by-step guide.
Empty the Shelves
In order to declutter and deep-clean your pantry, you’ll first need to clear off the shelves. Remove any and all items sitting on the surface: baking essentials, canned goods, cooking oils, boxed ingredients, condiments—you name it. Group them together on your kitchen counter or safely on the floor, so you can more easily reach (and better banish) the dirt and debris that’s been collecting beneath them and, eventually, reorganize your collection.
Sort and Purge the Items
When unloading your shelves, be sure to check the expiration date on each item. If the object has surpassed its “use by” date, toss it. If it’s safe to consume but isn’t something you envision using one day, start a donations pile. Otherwise, set all the keepers off to the side in a separate group.
Deep-Clean the Surfaces
Now, it’s time for a thorough cleaning. First, clear the crumbs off the shelves with a handheld vacuum. Then, soak a microfiber cloth in a homemade vinegar solution or warm, soapy water, and wipe down the surface of the shelves, the walls behind it, and those hard-to-reach corners, spending a little extra time scrubbing the sticky spots. Once you’ve vacuumed up the debris, rinse the residue with fresh water, and dry it off with a clean cloth.
Wipe Down the Goods
Your pantry isn’t the only thing that needs a good wipe-down. The jars, cans, bottles, and containers that have been stored on the shelves (and that you plan on keeping) may have accumulated dust or picked up some of the gooey residue on the bottom. Use a damp cloth or disinfectant wipe to clean the surface of your pantry staples.
Add Non-Slip Liners
While placing a sheet of non-slip contact paper on your shelves is technically optional, it’s highly recommended! Lining your shelves will make a huge difference in maintaining a spick-and-span pantry by protecting the surface from damage and making future cleanings more manageable. Non-slip contact paper is affordable and easy to install, and the payoff is high.
Organize the Remaining Objects
Once the shelves and staples inside your pantry are decluttered and cleaned, now’s the time to reorganize. Sort and group the items by category, such as placing all the baking staples, canned goods, and bagged snacks in their own respective spots. For an especially orderly layout, pour pasta, cereal, and other grains in highly visible, clear containers, and put the snacks in accessible baskets. You’ll also want to place your most-used items on a lower, easier-to-reach shelf and any bulky, infrequently used objects on the higher shelves. Finish it off with any of these clever pantry organization ideas!
Restock It Strategically
Finally, take inventory of everything you have and any gaps you’ll need to fill. If you had to discard any expired staples, such as a bottle of olive oil or a bag of flour, make a note to replace them during your next grocery run. Need some help? Here’s how Ree Drummond stocks her pantry.
How to Maintain a Clean Pantry
Cleaning out and rearranging your pantry is only the first step. Once you’ve restored your shelves back to their original condition, it’s all too easy to let grime build back up again. But with some consistency and commitment, you can maintain the orderly system you worked so hard to create. Plus, you won’t have to do a massive overhaul again!
Follow a Consistent Cleaning Schedule
Cleaning your pantry on a regular basis will keep things running smoothly. While the specific timeframe depends on your individual usage patterns, as a general rule of thumb, give your pantry a quick cleaning every three to six months.
Keep Track of Expiration Dates
As your collection of pantry items grows, keep an eye on the expiration dates to reduce food waste and minimize the need to complete another major decluttering project. Place the older items at the front of your pantry (and keep the newer ones in the back) as a way to remind yourself to use them up first.
Use Airtight Containers
If you haven’t already done so, add kitchen storage solutions. Consider storing dried foods like sugar, flour, and grains in airtight containers to maintain their freshness and keep pests out. To go the extra mile, you can even label each container.
Consider Incorporating Dividers
Another pantry organization hack? Use dividers to separate similarly grouped items. You can also incorporate tiered organizers for canned goods and lazy Susans for sauces.
Add Natural Repellents
To deter pests from getting into your stash, try adding a natural repellent. Ingredients like bay leaves, peppermint oil, and cinnamon sticks are effective home remedies for repelling moths, ants, and mice. Place bay leaves in airtight containers, and spray peppermint or eucalyptus essential oils on the shelves.
Lilly Blomquist is the associate editor at The Pioneer Woman, where she writes lifestyle stories across a wide range of topics—including news, entertainment, holidays, food, and more.
