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There’s just something about a hyper-organized kitchen. Something ridiculously satisfying, almost soothing. And while it may seem a daunting task to get all your containers labeled and your shelves neatly arranged, an organized refrigerator or pantry can be the calm in the middle of the weeknight dinner storm. We asked 10 of our favorites how they stay so organized, and they shared tips sure to inspire you before the next grocery shop.
The Organizer: Minneapolis-based nail designer Sara Le (@withsarale opens in a new tab) could definitely have a second gig as a pantry designer. Not only is this space well-organized, it’s also gorgeous!
Spring Cleaning Tip: “Keeping my pantry organized is fun and simple when using glass jars labeled with a white paint marker. I have a clear visual when it’s time to restock my bulk items such as pasta, rice or cereal. I store produce in wire baskets so I can see what’s fresh and healthy snacks and canned goods in large baskets, so they are easily accessible.”
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The Organizer: Of course, stylist and photographer Katie Jacobs — @katiejacobsnashville opens in a new tab — has a picture-perfect kitchen in her Nashville home. And when it comes to dry storage, she is not messing around.
Spring Cleaning Tip: “Organizing your pantry with labeled clear containers just makes life more simple. It’s easy to see what you’re out of which makes grocery shopping a cinch, and the air-tight containers keep food fresher longer.”
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The Organizer: Ellen Charlotte Marie has an app called Effortlessly Healthy, and she certainly makes pantry organization look effortless as well.
Spring Cleaning Tips: “I like to use a combination of up-cycled jars from jams or olives along with screw top jars and hinged canisters to store my dry goods. Hinged top canisters are great for storing everyday ingredients that you need to access quickly and easily.”
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The Organizer: Amanda Le, a Los Angeles-based vegan Instagrammer and blogger who, as you can see above, has a very serious seeds and nuts storage situation. You can read all of her nuts and seeds storage tips on her blog.
Spring Cleaning Tip: “I typically buy nuts, seeds, beans, grains, etc. in bulk. I store what I’ll eat in the upcoming weeks or months in the pantry and the rest in the fridge/freezer. If they’re not stored properly, they‘ll go rancid or stale quickly. If you have enough fridge or freezer space, I would recommend popping them in there right away to keep everything fresh — you don’t have to worry about any food going to waste.”
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The Organizer: Bi-coastal blogger and Instagrammer Meera of Nutriliciously keeps an eye on the environment through bulk shopping and reusable storage.
Spring Cleaning Tip: “I like buying bulk items and storing in recycled jars (I also reuse pasta jars and glass jelly jars) and spices in vintage tins I collect while traveling. I love dried beans, nuts and granola from Whole Foods Market bulk bins for their quality, and I can buy the quantity I use regularly. This reduces package and food wastage.”
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The Organizer: Kristen Hong is a California wellness blogger opens in a new tab with some serious rainbow-colored refrigerator game.
Spring Cleaning Tip: “I pre-cut and stock veggies in clear jars so I can see exactly what ingredients I have on hand and when it’s time to make a run to the produce department. I also like to store my fresh herbs in water so they stay fresh longer.”
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The Organizer: South Florida-based marathoner and blogger Sanaz of S Runs for Cake opens in a new tab has a knack for getting her kitchen up and running.
Spring Cleaning Tip: “My biggest fridge tip is storing condiments on a lazy susan, which saves a ton of space and lets you easily get to everything with a turn of a finger.”
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The Organizer: Wellness blogger and plant-based cook Sapana Chandra, of Real + Vibrant opens in a new tab, is based in Seattle and she’s a huge avocado fan.
Spring Cleaning Tip: “Since I enjoy avocados on a daily basis, I buy enough for an entire week. While I store the avocados on my kitchen counter until they’re fully ripe, I move them to my fridge immediately after where they keep well for up to a week (sometimes longer)!”
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The Organizer: Wellness coach and blogger Caroline Ginolfi of Plant Based Blonde opens in a new tab lives in Philadelphia where she loves to eat her greens.
Spring Cleaning Tip: “I try to buy only organic leafy greens so I love that Whole Foods Market sells organic herbs — a leafy green that is often over looked. I keep them in a jar of water in the fridge to keep them fresh for weeks at a time!”
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The Organizer: Nicole M. is an Instagrammer and mother of two who finds the key to calming the chaos is planning ahead.
Spring Cleaning Tip: “I have a Sunday routine. Every Sunday, I wake up and go through my refrigerator and toss anything that's expired and make a quick grocery list so that I know what to buy for the upcoming week. Once that's done, I head straight to the store and pick up most of the produce I need for the week, as well as a few other items, such as yogurts, almondmilks, pasta, pasta sauces and the like. Once I come home, I move quickly. I remove everything from the refrigerator and place it on the counter. Then I clean the inside, and start putting everything back in, grouping like items together.
My top two tips for maintaining an organized fridge is to do a weekly clean out, so that you see what you have and consume it before it expires (always minimize throwing away food!), and second, only buy what you really need. Not only will you save money, your fridge will be less cluttered, and again, you will be less likely to throw away food at the end of the week.”
Bonus tip: While you’re organizing and prepping your pantry for meals ahead, take advantage of new lower prices on some items in our bulk bins and a new selection of buy-as-much-or-as-little-as-you-like nuts, dried fruit, candy, grind-your-own nut butters, grains, beans, trail mixes and more.
