Pantry Organization Ideas: 15 Cheap Fixes to Get Ready for Holiday Baking

These pantry organization ideas are for anyone who has ever opened the pantry door in December and felt their heart sink. You need brown sugar for cookies, but first you dig past three open bags of chips, a jar of mystery spice and a stack of baking pans that crash to the floor. Holiday baking season is the perfect push to fix that mess. The good news is you do not need a big budget or a fancy walk in pantry. Glass jars, clear bins, a lazy susan and a few clever racks can turn even a tiny cupboard into a calm, happy space. Every idea here is cheap, simple and quick to set up in a weekend. Here are 15 easy fixes to get your pantry ready before the cookie marathon begins..

Pantry Organization Ideas for a Calm Holiday Season

Picture this: you open the pantry and everything for holiday baking is right there, in clear jars and neat baskets. No digging, no spills, no extra trips to the store for things you already had. That is what good pantry organization ideas do. They save time and money and make the kitchen feel calm again, even in the busiest month of the year. Start by emptying one shelf, wiping it down and putting back only what you really use. Which shelf in your pantry needs the most love..

You will need: Glass jars, clear bins, a lazy susan, a basket, a damp cloth and a trash bag for expired food.

How to make it: 1. Empty one shelf at a time and toss anything expired. 2. Group what is left into baking, snacks, cans and dinners. 3. Give each group its own container and its own spot.

Holiday Baking Station Basket

If you only try one of these pantry organization ideas this year, make it this one. Fill one big basket with everything you need for holiday cookies: rolling pin, cookie cutters, sprinkles, measuring cups and a whisk. When baking day comes, you pull out one basket instead of hunting through five cabinets. After the holidays, swap the cutters and sprinkles for everyday baking tools. It is simple and it really works. What would go in your baking basket first?

You will need: A large woven basket, a rolling pin, cookie cutters, small jars of sprinkles, measuring cups and spoons, and a whisk.

How to make it: 1. Pick a basket that fits your shelf with room to lift it out. 2. Stand tall tools at the back and small jars in front. 3. Keep it on an easy to reach shelf from November to January.

Glass Canisters for Flour and Sugar

Paper bags of flour and sugar tear, spill and attract bugs. Tall glass canisters fix all of that and look lovely at the same time. You can see at a glance when you are running low, so you never start a recipe and find out halfway through that the sugar is gone. Add a small chalkboard tag to each one and write the date you filled it. Thrift shops often have big glass jars for very little money. It is one of the easiest pantry organization ideas to start with. Do you keep flour in the bag or in a jar?

You will need: Tall glass canisters with lids, small chalkboard tags, a chalk marker and a wide funnel.

How to make it: 1. Wash and fully dry each canister. 2. Pour in flour and sugar using a wide funnel. 3. Tie on a tag with the name and the date you filled it.

Pantry Organization Ideas With Clear Bins

Clear bins are the backbone of almost all pantry organization ideas, and for good reason. They turn loose bags and boxes into neat groups you can slide out like drawers. Give each bin one job: pasta, snacks, baking mixes, breakfast bars. Because they are clear, everyone in the family can see what is inside and put things back in the right place. You can find them cheaply at the dollar store. How many bins would your pantry need?

You will need: Clear plastic bins in two or three sizes, plain tags and a marker.

How to make it: 1. Measure your shelves before you shop. 2. Sort food into groups and give each group a bin. 3. Tag each bin on the front so it is easy to read.

Lazy Susan for Oils and Extracts

Corners are where bottles go to hide. A lazy susan fixes that with one simple spin. Put your oils, vanilla, honey, syrup and food coloring on it, and everything comes to the front when you need it. It is especially handy during holiday baking, when you reach for vanilla and molasses again and again. A wooden one looks warm, but a plain plastic one works just as well. Which corner of your pantry could use a spin?

You will need: A wooden or plastic lazy susan turntable and a damp cloth for drips.

How to make it: 1. Measure the corner so the turntable can spin freely. 2. Put tall bottles in the middle and short ones around the edge. 3. Wipe it every few weeks so drips do not get sticky.

Tiered Riser for Cans

When cans are lined up in one flat row, you only see the front ones and end up buying more of the same. A simple step riser lifts each row so every label shows. Suddenly you know exactly how many cans of pumpkin, cranberry sauce and broth you have before the holiday shopping trip. Risers are cheap and expand to fit most shelves. It is a small fix that saves real money. Small wins like this are what make pantry organization ideas stick. Do you ever find three of the same can at the back?

You will need: An expandable three step shelf riser and your canned goods.

How to make it: 1. Pull out all the cans and check the dates. 2. Set the riser at the back of the shelf. 3. Put tall cans on the back step and short ones in front.

Tension Rods for Baking Sheets

Baking sheets and cooling racks love to slide and clatter when they are stacked flat. Stand them on their sides instead. A few spring tension rods placed upright inside a cabinet make instant dividers, so each pan has its own slot. You can grab exactly the one you need without moving the whole pile. It costs a few dollars and takes ten minutes. For more clever tricks like this, see these small kitchen hacks. How many baking sheets do you own?

You will need: Three or four spring tension rods, a measuring tape and your baking sheets, racks and muffin tins.

How to make it: 1. Measure the inside height of the cabinet. 2. Twist each rod until it fits tightly from top to bottom. 3. Slide pans and racks between the rods, one per slot.

Pantry Organization Ideas for the Back of the Door

The back of the pantry door is free space most people forget about. A wire rack that hangs over the door or screws in place can hold spices, extracts and sprinkles in neat rows, right at eye level. During the holidays you will love being able to grab cinnamon and nutmeg in a second. Look for racks with deep shelves so jars do not tip when the door swings. Is the back of your pantry door empty right now?

You will need: An over the door or wall mount wire rack, small glass jars and a screwdriver if needed.

How to make it: 1. Check that the door closes with the rack in place. 2. Hang or screw the rack to the door. 3. Fill each row with jars, putting the ones you use most at eye level.

Under Shelf Baskets

There is often a big gap between the top of your food and the shelf above it. Under shelf baskets slide right onto the shelf and hang down to use that wasted space. They are perfect for bags of chocolate chips, nuts and dried fruit, which are exactly the things you need for holiday baking. No tools needed, and you can move them anytime. Of all the pantry organization ideas here, this one may be the fastest. Where in your pantry is there empty space above the food?

You will need: White wire under shelf baskets and resealable bags or clips for open packages.

How to make it: 1. Check that your shelf is thin enough for the basket arms. 2. Slide the basket onto the shelf from the front. 3. Fill it with light bags, not heavy cans.

Magazine Holders for Foil and Wrap

Rolls of foil, parchment and plastic wrap always seem to roll around and get lost in a drawer. Stand them up in magazine holders instead. Each holder keeps three or four rolls upright and easy to grab, and the whole row looks neat and tidy. Parchment paper is a must for holiday cookies, so you will be reaching for it often. Magazine holders cost very little and come in plain white or wood. Where do you keep your foil now?

You will need: Two or three magazine file holders and your rolls of foil, parchment, wax paper and plastic wrap.

How to make it: 1. Clear a spot on a lower shelf. 2. Line up the holders side by side. 3. Stand the rolls up inside, longest at the back.

Over the Door Shoe Organizer for Packets

Small packets like gravy mix, hot cocoa, yeast and sprinkles get lost at the bottom of every pantry. A clear over the door shoe organizer is a cheap, clever fix. Each pocket holds one kind of packet, and because the pockets are clear, you see everything at once. Kids love grabbing their own cocoa packet from it too. This is one of those pantry organization ideas that makes people say, why did I not think of that? What would you put in the first pocket?

You will need: A clear pocket over the door shoe organizer and over the door hooks.

How to make it: 1. Hang the organizer on the inside of the pantry door. 2. Give each pocket one type of packet. 3. Put kid friendly packets in the lower rows.

Pantry Organization Ideas for Cookie Cutters

Cookie cutters are cute, but they are a mess when they are loose in a drawer. Pile them into a big glass jar instead and they become a decoration on their own. You can see every shape at once, so finding the star or the gingerbread man takes seconds. Keep baking cups stacked right next to the jar. It is a sweet touch that fits right in with the other pantry organization ideas here. How many cookie cutters do you think you own?

You will need: A large clear glass jar with a wide mouth, your cookie cutters and paper baking cups.

How to make it: 1. Wash and dry the cutters so they do not rust. 2. Drop them into the jar, big ones first. 3. Set the jar on an easy to reach shelf with the baking cups beside it.

Pantry Organization Ideas for Spice Jars

Spices come in every shape of bottle, bag and tin, and that is why the spice shelf always looks messy. Pour them into small matching glass jars and the whole shelf calms down. Add a simple tag on the front so you can read the name in a second. Matching jars also stack and line up much better in a small space. Shopping in bulk and refilling your jars is usually cheaper too. Which spice do you use most during the holidays?

You will need: Small matching glass jars with lids, a tiny funnel, plain tags and a marker.

How to make it: 1. Wash and fully dry the jars. 2. Use a small funnel to fill each one. 3. Tag the front and line them up in alphabetical order.

Open Shelf for Everyday Baking

Not everything has to hide behind a door. A short open shelf near the kitchen counter can hold the things you reach for every day, like flour, sugar and a cutting board. Keep it simple with a few glass jars, a bowl or two and a little greenery. It is useful and pretty at the same time, and it takes pressure off a crowded pantry. You can find simple shelf brackets and boards among cheap organizing finds at the dollar store. What would you put on an open shelf?

You will need: A wooden board, two shelf brackets, wall anchors and screws, glass jars and an adult to help with the drill.

How to make it: 1. Have an adult mark and drill the wall with the right anchors. 2. Screw on the brackets and set the board on top. 3. Add a few jars and bowls, leaving some empty space so it does not look cluttered.

Wire Baskets for Potatoes and Onions

Potatoes and onions do best in a cool, dark, airy spot, not sealed in a plastic bag. Small wire baskets on the lowest pantry shelf or the floor give them the air they need and keep them from rolling around. Keep potatoes and onions in separate baskets, since they spoil faster when they sit together. With holiday dinners coming up, you will be glad to know exactly how many you have left. It is a humble fix, but good pantry organization ideas include the floor too. Where do you store your potatoes now?

You will need: Two small wire baskets with handles and a cloth to line the bottom.

How to make it: 1. Line each basket with a clean cloth. 2. Fill one with potatoes and one with onions. 3. Set them on the lowest shelf, away from the oven and any heat.