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Kitchen space is always sought-after. Even if you have a nice center island for prepping food and plenty of cabinets for holding cooking tools, there will almost always come a time when you have to do a cleanout in order to make more space and keep your pantry decluttered. But if you’re storing every type of food inside of its grocery store packaging, then you’re losing out on more pantry space than you realize.
An easy kitchen storage hack for more pantry space is to remove food from its packaging and store everything in airtight, stackable containers — preferably square containers, which align nicely for maximum space. Storing food upward will help more food fit in your pantry, and purchasing containers that are designed to stack means the food will sit comfortably, ensuring nothing falls over and spills out.
Other bonuses to this method are having a more aesthetically pleasing kitchen pantry and the ability to quickly see when food is running low. Make sure you add labels, so you can differentiate between ingredients that might look similar, such as flour types or bread crumb varieties. Most storage containers come with labels you can stick on, but you can also purchase reusable chalk board labels that are easy for switching out foods.
Ditch the store-bought packaging for more storage space
Make sure you’re purchasing airtight containers in order to keep your food fresh — especially for foods that don’t last as well in storage because the airtight seal is better at keeping air and moisture away from your food (this can be a big help for refrigerated items, too).
You’ll need to invest in the containers upfront, but you shouldn’t have to replace them for several years if you buy good-quality ones. Purchasing in bulk can help get you a better deal on the price per item; for example, KICHLY food storage containers are available in a 24-pack that costs double the price of the eight-pack, but you’re getting triple the storage containers — with labels included. If you have a bigger pantry space and need more container choices, consider the Vtopmart 32-piece storage set.
Restock the containers as often as you’d normally grocery shop. If you have a small amount of food left in a large container, transfer it to a smaller container to free up space for new items in that bigger container. You can potentially mix old and new food, but only if it’s the same type of food and you know you’ll go through it before the older food expires. For example, add new penne pasta to some leftovers when you know you’ll finish the whole container in little time.
