The 7 Best Pantry Organizers

For home cooks, having bonus storage space like a pantry can be a blessing and curse. While it's nice to have additional square footage to stash packaged foods and other ingredients, it can be hard to find a system that keeps multiple items organized and tidy. Between bagged snacks, cereal boxes, and canned goods, inevitably something gets lost or forgotten, leading to food waste and general frustration. The best pantry organizers solve even the trickiest storage problems, with the added benefit of bringing peace and order to this area of the home.

Before you start shopping for an organizer, scan your storage area and take some quick measurements of shelving depth and height. Your goal should be to maximize the space you have (however limited), so knowing just how much room you have will guide you as you shop for racks and containers. Vertical space is commonly wasted in pantries, but luckily, you can find solutions that stack or extend to take advantage of otherwise unused space.

A few helpful tips: Transferring packaged dry goods to clear, lidded containers will keep them fresh and easy to see. Jarred and canned goods can disappear behind taller items, so a dedicated bin makes them easy to locate and grab. If you have a free wall or a door, a hanging rack is an excellent low-profile solution.

Whether used alone or mixed and matched, the best pantry organizers can help you create a storage system that works for you.

1. The Best Lazy Susan For Pantries

• Dimensions: 10.5 inches in diameter with a height that can be adjusted from 8.9 to 11.9 inches tall

Forget what you think you know about lazy Susans, and check out this stacking, adjustable lazy Susan from YouCopia. The 10.5-inch diameter of the turntable will fit on most cabinet shelves so you can keep jars of spices, condiments, or other small items contained and within reach. The sturdy, rotating base has nonslip feet so it will stay stable while you turn it to find just what you need. Three clear bins are also included, and can be used on either level to corral small snacks or packets like tea bags. And since the organizer’s center post extends from about 9 to 12 inches high, you can customize it to fit tall items on the bottom level and really make use of your shelf’s full height.

According to one reviewer: "These have absolutely transformed my pantry! They are super easy to use and it is actually even more convenient than I thought that the bins come out like they do — make(s) it easier to stock."

2. The Best Pantry Organizer For Dry Goods

• Dimensions: These containers range from 3.75 inches to 11.75 inches in height

Boxed cereal, crackers, and other dry goods are some of the most notorious pantry space-hogs, and also the most prone to going stale. Plus, when you can’t easily view the contents, you never really know when it’s time to restock and you risk coming up short when making a recipe. This set of 14 BPA-free, plastic containers from Chef’s Path comes with locking lids which create an air-tight seal on your dry goods, keeping them fresh and visible. The tall, slim design allows multiple containers to be grouped together, and since the lids are flat, they can be stacked to maximize vertical space. The dishwasher-safe set comes with a pack of black chalkboard labels and a white marker for listing your containers’ contents, plus a set of measuring spoons. With such a variety of volumes and sizes (ranging from 0.8 liters to 2.8 liters in volume), you’ll have a home for everything from dried fruit to spaghetti and flour. And, best of all, these can nest inside each other when they're not in use to save space.

According to one reviewer: "My pantry has never looked better. The containers are attractive and the lids fit well and are easy to remove. I will most likely order this item or other ones from this company. Very nicely packaged. I was impressed by the quick service and the quality of the product."

3. The Best Pantry Organizer For Canned Goods

• Dimensions: 14 by 17 by 11.5 inches (height by length by depth)

You might normally store canned goods vertically so they don’t roll away, but you can fit a lot more on a shelf or in a pantry if you use a rack like this one from Simple Houseware. The three-tiered rack measures 17-inches wide, 11.5-inches deep, and 14-inches tall, and can fit an impressive 36 cans of various sizes in its relatively small footprint. Six adjustable plastic dividers are included so you can keep each row totally organized, whether you're storing canned sodas, soups, or jars. The sturdy coated-wire construction won’t bend or warp under the weight of cans, and is so strong, it can be stacked with an additional rack on top. Since the tiers are tilted forward slightly, a new can will roll to the front of the rack when a can is removed, making it easy to view how much you have of a particular item.

According to one reviewer: "I hated my pantry being unorganized with cans stacked on top of each other and cans would fall as I reached for cans in back. This has made my pantry easier to look and grab cans. Even my husband noticed it looked so much better."

4. The Best Hanging Pantry Organizer

• Dimensions: 51 by 17 by 5.25 inches (height by length by depth)

This versatile rack from Smart Design can be hung from the top of a door or mounted to an empty wall using included hooks and screws. Included with the rack itself are five mesh baskets whose placement can be adjusted up or down to accommodate the height of whatever you’re storing, and safely contain items when opening or closing the door. The mesh baskets are lightweight but sturdy, and can hold a mix of canned goods, bagged items, and other pantry goods that may not fit on your pantry’s shelves. The rack measures a total of 51 inches tall, 17 inches wide, and 5.25 inches deep, and minimal assembly is required to secure it to your wall or door to ensure it’s stable and weight-baring.

According to one reviewer: "I just moved into a new home with a small pantry that has a very narrow door. This was one of the few products narrow enough to fit my pantry door, and it works great! I use it mostly for spices, and it fits a lot of containers!"

5. The Best Under-Shelf Pantry Organizer

• Dimensions: 6 inches by 12.5 inches by 10 inches

These under-shelf basket immediately add extra storage to your existing pantry. These slip easily over shelf lips as tall as 1 inch in height, and are made of a durable and rust-resistant metal that can hold plenty of pantry staples. Each hanger also has light foam padding that protects your shelving. And, while this smaller shelf is available for purchase alone, you can also size up to a slightly larger under-shelf basket that comes in a set of two.

According to one reviewer: "Perfect size for under shelf pantry to store bars or alike. Having these allowed me to store more kid snacks and made my panty less messy looking! Best of all, I can utilize bottom and top shelf!"

6. The Best Clear Storage Baskets

• Dimensions: Large bins, 3.8 inches by 14.5 inches by 7 inches (height by length by width); Small bins, 3.5 inches by 12.4 inches by 6 inches (height by length by width)

These clear baskets can help bring order to even the most unruly pantry, without taking up a lot of room on your shelves. These come in a pack of eight bins, four small and four large, so there's plenty of variety you can use to customize your storage to the pantry space you're working with. The bins are made of BPA-free plastic that's durable (though, not dishwasher safe), and allows you to get a clear look at the items you have stored. Handles on either side of each bin are easy to grab and rotate or pull out when you need to get a specific pantry item.

According to one reviewer: "Great pantry bins! Sturdy and roomy. They really help to give my pantry a clean and organized look. Don’t hesitate, these are a great value!"

7. The Best Wire Storage Baskets

• Dimensions: 6 inches by 12 inches by 12 inches (height by length by width)

These wire baskets have convenient and easy-to-grip handles on each side, and make it easy to see all of the items you have stored away. These have a bigger footprint than the clear bins above, but they're still a super lightweight way to transport canned goods, snacks, or other staples in and out of your pantry when you need them. These come in a pack of two, and a range of sizes and metal colors you can choose depending on what suits your individual pantry.

According to one reviewer: "I love these baskets for organizing my pantry because they are sleek and sturdy, have a handle, and you can see what’s in them from all angles."