A chaotic pantry has a way of turning the simplest task into chaos. You may find yourself digging through your pantry searching for flour, only to run into bags of pasta. You may find yourself staring at a bag of sugar wondering if it is salt or sugar. You may go out and buy bags of rice because you can’t seem to find the first bag.
Creating a labeling system for your pantry shelves can help make your life much easier in no time at all. If you have never tried to complete a DIY pantry label system before, you are in for a pleasant surprise.
Whether you have a small pantry or a huge walk-in pantry, you can follow along with these tips to create labels for your items. You’ll see that making a DIY pantry label system isn’t nearly as hard as it seems.
Labeling Your Pantry Makes It More Than Just a Pretty Picture
While a picture perfect pantry is something everyone wants, the truth is, labeling your pantry serves a more practical purpose. Using a proper labeling system will help you do all of the following things:
- Find items faster
- Prevent buying products you already have
- Reduce food waste
- Keep everyone involved organized
- Make meal prep easier
- Make your pantry look nice
When creating a DIY pantry label system, professional organizers recommend waiting until you have completed your organization system. You want to make sure the items labeled go along with your system and help you maintain it, rather than working against you.
Things You Will Need to Create Your Own Pantry Labels
One of the things we love the most about a DIY pantry label system is the freedom it offers. You can complete a label system on a budget and make the labels reflect your personal style.
Here is what you will need to create your own DIY pantry labels:
- Glass jars or clear storage containers (optional)
- Sticker paper or printable label sheets
- Vinyl stickers that are waterproof and long lasting
- Paint pen or permanent ink marker
- Scissors or a paper cutter
- Measuring tape or ruler
- Computer and a printer (optional)
- Label maker or cutting machine (optional)
Even if you don’t have the tools to make vinyl labels, you can still accomplish the task with paper labels or even hand written labels.
Step 1: Empty your pantry.
Begin by emptying out everything from your pantry. This allows you to do all of the following things:
- Get rid of expired products
- Donate any unopened products you know you will not use
- Clean your pantry shelves
- Take inventory of the items you have
After emptying your pantry, you should have a much better idea of what you need to label.
Step 2: Sort the items by categories.
After emptying out your pantry, you now have a much better vision of what you need to label. The next step is to sort your items into categories.
Some common pantry categories include the following:
- Baking Supplies
- Pasta/Rice/Grains
- Breakfast Foods
- Snacks
- Canned Goods
- Spices
- Tea/Coffee
- Nuts/Seeds
- Flour/Sugar
Organizing your pantry items into categories should be very straightforward. Once you have sorted them, everything else falls into place.
Step 3: Select the label style
It is now time to have a little bit of fun and decide on the label style you want.
You can choose from a variety of label styles including the following:
Minimalist
This is perhaps the easiest pantry label style. Use white or clear stickers with black letters for this style.
Farmhouse Chic
Use kraft paper labels and hand written words to achieve this label style.
Chalkboard Style
This label style is extremely useful if you plan on rotating the items you have in your pantry often.
Color Coded Labels
Use different colored labels to help you sort your items by categories, such as baking supplies, snacks, etc.
Whatever style you choose, ensure the fonts and sizes of your labels are consistent.
Step 4: Decide What Information to Include
Most of the time, it is best to make your pantry labels simple and place the ingredients on them.
For example, you could have the following pantry labels:
- Flour
- Brown Sugar
- Rice
- Oats
- Lentils
However, you can also make your labels informative by adding the following details:
- Expiration date
- Purchase date
- Instructions for use
- Measurement conversions
- Reminders for refilling
This is an excellent way to make your DIY pantry label more informative while also reducing food waste.
Step 5: Print or Handwrite Your Labels
If you are:
- Using a label maker, follow the instructions that came with the item to make your own pantry labels.
- Printing your own labels, ensure the text is large enough to read and that you use waterproof paper. It is also a good idea to print a test page to avoid wasting labels.
- Hand writing your pantry labels, it is a good idea to buy a fine tip permanent marker or paint pen. You should also practice writing on paper before putting them on your product.
Hand written pantry labels are an excellent way to make your pantry look more personal.
Step 6: Apply the labels.
The first step is to clean all your items. Wash the items with rubbing alcohol and make sure to let them air dry.
When placing the labels on the items, ensure everything is evenly spaced and that you press them on from the middle to the edges in order to remove air bubbles.
Pantry Label Ideas You Will Actually Want to Use
Now that you have created your own DIY pantry label system, it is now time to come up with some ideas for your labels. The best thing to do is create a list of everything you have in your pantry, and base your labels off of that. Some of the most common pantry label ideas include the following:
- Flour
- Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Powdered sugar
- Rice
- Pasta
- Oats
- Quinoa
- Lentils
- Coffee
- Tea
- Breadcrumbs
- Baking powder/soda
- Cocoa powder
- Cornstarch
- Popcorn
- Cereal
- Crackers
- Granola
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Dog treats
- You can also create labels for baskets with categories such as the following:
- Snacks
- Breakfast foods
- Lunch box items
Tips to Keep Your Pantry Organized
In order to make your DIY pantry label system work, it is important you follow the tips below:
- Ensure items are always returned to their labeled containers after use
- Remember to refill your labeled containers before they are empty
- Always check expiration dates
- Place items you use most often at eye level
- Store spare items in other places
- Check and replace your labels as needed
Most professional organizers recommend using clear containers because they help reduce clutter while also letting people know what is in the containers.
Common Mistakes When Making DIY Pantry Labels
Avoid the following mistakes when completing your DIY pantry label system:
- Labeling before you organize your pantry
- Using fonts that are too small or difficult to read
- Using small labels
- Putting labels on dirty items
- Failing to be consistent with your labels
- Forgetting to update your labels or the information on them
Remember, the purpose of your DIY pantry label system is to help you stay organized and make your life easier.
Final Thoughts
Now that you know how to make a DIY pantry label system, you can see how easy the process really is. With a few simple steps, a little time, a few basic materials, and attention to detail, anyone can create their own DIY pantry label system.
The best part about this project is that it doesn’t need to be very expensive or complicated. It is simply a matter of creating a system that works for you, and you can do that, no matter how experienced you are. You will find that with a little planning and organization, your DIY pantry label system can help you waste less food, get organized and maintain the organization for years to come.
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