A pantry is a coveted feature for many homeowners. Especially those come from small apartments or houses. No more stacking items like the Leaning Tower of Pisa or reaching back into the endless depths hoping to land on your favorite spice mix.

However, all the extra space can cause a new organizational problem - there’s so much that you don’t know what to do with it. If finding ingredients has become an aerobics exercise from searching them top to bottom each time you cook today’s article is for you.

Instead of tall jars opt for flat square stackable containers. By taking up more surface space and less height they can’t hide behind one another. Label each container so you know at a glance which is flour and which powdered sugar.

Take advantage of the space your pantry door provides. Install hooks to hang pans or lids down the length of the door. Or for a weekend craft project install a large magnet and put spices in little jars with metal lids. You’ll just want to make sure your magnet has a strong enough hold that all of your jars don’t come crashing down each time the kids inevitably slam the door shut.

For ultimate organization install a chalkboard along the inside (or outside) of your pantry door for an ongoing shopping list. Add a small lip to hold some chalk so anyone in the family can add on to the list when they finish up the last snack of the bunch. This helps cut down on time spent taking inventory of your home staples and which need to be restocked.

Take advantage of space below shelving in your pantry with crates. These are great for storing the aforementioned kid snacks, baking items and extra items you stock up on to stretch the time between shopping trips. Install wheels on the bottom to make them easier to pull in and out or into the main kitchen area.

Create zones throughout your pantry with items like under-the-shelf racks, stacking shelves, lazy susans, and clear bins. These not only help you keep like-items together but also to capitalize on the space you have. Label bins to help the rest of your family keep things tidy. Under-the-shelf racks are great for more delicate items like bread and root vegetables to stay up and out of the way from the threats of cans and jars.

Alternatively get creative and use a shower caddy or magazine rack hung from the inside of the door for your root vegetables and bread. Measure the space between the door and shelf when closed to ensure the correct depth or match the spacing between each so the height of bins matches that of shelf spacing.

Tag: Pantry