Join Us for a Kitchen Cabinet Makeover: Simple Steps to Better Pantry Organization

We’re back with another two-post feature inviting you to tackle a home project alongside us. Previously we cleaned out our garage and reorganized unruly closets. This time we’re focusing on one of the most common trouble spots in a kitchen: the cabinets. If you keep most of your food and kitchen items in a couple of large cabinets, you know how quickly they can become a jumble of mismatched containers, odd-sized boxes, and items that belong in entirely different places.

Between our two main double cabinets — which hold every non-refrigerated edible item in the kitchen — things have definitely drifted away from order. Cookie cutters sit next to couscous, lasagna noodles are misplaced while spaghetti lives elsewhere, and like items are scattered instead of grouped. That kind of arrangement makes cooking and meal prep slower and more frustrating than it needs to be.

This weekend we’ll pare things down, group like items together, and introduce practical organizing solutions that are easy to keep up. Our goal is not just a one-day tidy-up, but a sustainable system that reduces waste, saves time, and makes it obvious where everything belongs. If your cabinets are overflowing or if glassware, serving pieces, pots, and pans have taken on a life of their own, now is the perfect time to bring order to the chaos.

Here’s the overall plan we’ll follow, and you can use it as a checklist when you work on your own cabinets:

• Empty the Cabinets: Remove everything so you can assess what you own. Wipe down shelves and inspect for expired or damaged goods.
• Sort and Purge: Group like items together — baking supplies, grains, pastas, canned goods, snacks, spices, and baking tools. Toss expired food and donate unopened items you won’t use.
• Contain and Label: Use clear containers, bins, or baskets to corral similar items. Labels help everyone in the household return items to the right place.
• Create Zones: Designate cabinet spaces for specific categories. Place daily-use items within easy reach and reserve higher or lower shelves for less frequently used goods or seasonal items.
• Adjust and Maintain: After reloading the cabinets, live with the setup for a few days and tweak as needed. A brief weekly tidy can prevent clutter from returning.

We’ll share photos and a full rundown of our process in part two early next week, documenting everything from the initial mess to the finished, organized cabinets. You’ll see the containers and small changes that made the biggest difference, plus tips for staying organized long-term. If you want to follow along this weekend, set aside an afternoon, gather a few boxes for donations, some zip-top bags or clear containers, and a marker for labeling. If you prefer, invite a friend or family member to make the work go faster and more enjoyably.

Whether your pantry is a dedicated closet, a set of kitchen cabinets, or a mixture of drawers and open shelving, the same principles apply: declutter, group, contain, and label. The result is more usable space, less food waste, and a calmer kitchen that makes cooking and clean-up less of a chore. We can’t wait to show you the transformation and hope you’ll tackle your cabinets with us. Stay tuned for the photo-filled follow-up with before-and-after shots and practical product ideas for keeping cabinets organized for the long haul.