1. Develop a meal plan and corresponding grocery list for the week before you get to the store.  Having a plan of action will keep you on track and minimize the “what’s for dinner?” stress.
2. Use a hand basket or the small shopping cart.  You’ll be less inclined to impulse buy on more items when you have less space to fill.
3. Shop primarily on the perimeter of the store.  Michael Pollan’s Food Rules book provides guidance on choosing real food, most of which is not found in the aisles.
4. Buy in bulk or stock up on non-perishable items when they’re on a good sale.  Having your favorite items in good supply at home means fewer trips to the store.
5. Use the self-checkout lanes.
6. Shop in the morning or late evening to avoid crowds.

• Use the shelves located from hip to shoulder height to store the items you use the most frequently.  
• Store most-frequently used items close to the door in your pantry, rather than in the back, to save time.
• Keep items you only use once per year out of the prime real estate, either high or low.
• Keep heavier items on the lower shelves.
• Adjust the height of your shelves to best accommodate the size of the items on your shelves.  Don’t waste space!
• Be sure that you measure your space and find the right product for your space.  
• Consider using standard size and color containers to store cereal, snacks and pasta.  This will help maximize the amount of space you’re using in your cabinets.
• Use clear plastic or glass storage containers to store your food items in the pantry.  Clear allows you to easily see what’s inside.
• Mount a shallow shelving system to the backside of your pantry door to increase the amount of storage space in the pantry.
• Store pot lids on the back of the door with a towel rack.
• If you keep overstock of foods, like rice, potatoes or flour, ensure you are storing the bulk in airtight/watertight containers.  
• Label your shelves or containers to make sure your system stays consistent.
• Explain your new organized system to other members of the household, so everyone can help maintain your pantry.

Have any tips or tricks of your own?  Share them with us!  And check out our Kitchen and Pantry boards on Pinterest for organizing inspiration.

Abilities:

• Use a barcode scanner or manually enter items to log inventory items in your home or business
• Keep records of your items, including which have been loaned out
• Create wish lists and gift lists, as well as shared shopping lists

Great for:

• Keeping track of your belongings (either personal or business), including items you have loaned out or checked out to employees
• Keeping track of items for insurance purposes
• Analyzing inventory by type or price

Cost: Free