How to Organize Canned Goods in Pantry – 13 Ways

Canned goods have made cooking and storing everyday food items a breeze.

Whether you want to make an easy tuna sandwich or a ready-to-eat meal, grab some canned food, and you’re all set. Besides being an easy food storage solution, canned food items have an extended shelf life, making them a preferred choice for many households. 

However, storing them in the pantry can be a nuisance.

Cans can take up a lot of space in pantry cabinets, leaving no room to store other food staples and items. Fortunately, there are several ways we will be sharing with you to organize canned goods in your pantry effectively.

1. Tiered Organizer

Like your labeled spice jars, store your canned goods in a tiered can organizer, sorting each type and placing them in different tiered containers. These containers can be placed on top of each other in the pantry cabinet or the shelf. 

Stackable racks can be considered for small cabinet spaces and can even be used to store cans on the sides of the cabinet. Tiered shelves like this one (link to Amazon) are another option if you want to use your pantry shelves while keeping the cans upright. 

2. File Holders

Portable magazines or file holders can be repurposed to organize canned foods easily. You can place them alongside each other in pantry cabinets or on pantry shelves for easy access. 

3. Door Racks

Here’s a simple solution if you cannot make space for adequate canned goods storage. Install a door rack (link to Amazon) inside your pantry and use the rack as a can storage space. 

Implementing this organization hack will aid in organizing cans and prevent you from stocking up on the supplies you already have. These racks are sturdy, metal-based, and have several tiers to keep cans organized. 

4. Using Drawer Space

Most pantries have drawers cluttered with lots of kitchen-related items that no one uses.

Start by removing everything inside and sort through these items. Keep what’s necessary and discard or donate the items you are no longer using.

Follow this decluttering routine, and you’ll have ample space to store canned goods. 

5. Placing Cans on Turntables

Turntables for drawers and cabinets are available if you want to completely separate your supply of canned foods. These turntables can be rotated to see the placed items. 

However, organization hacks like a turntable only work best for small-sized families as not many cans can be stored on it. Using turntables makes the cans more visible, so you can see everything stored with a spin.

Lower cabinets can use 2 -tiered or divided turntables. 

6. Using Can Dispensers

Pantries with limited storage or households purchasing food items in bulk can use can dispensers made of clear plastic to store cans. Conventional can dispensers are made of plastic or metal wires and hold dozens of cans simultaneously. 

These dispensers are also tiered, allowing easy organization and storage of canned goods. 

Newer models of cabinet dispensers can be installed in your pantry cabinets or drawers, making it convenient to store these goods safely. 

7. Rolling Cart

This is an excellent way to keep your canned supplies organized and accessible. Rolling carts have movable wheels, allowing you to place them anywhere in the pantry. Plenty of sizes and tiers are available to purchase. 

When organizing the rolling cart, place heavier cans on the bottom deck and the most used cans on the top level. 

If you have an empty lower cabinet, there are rolling cart sizes that can easily be tucked inside cabinets.

8. Built-In Organizers for Cabinets

You can get a built-in cabinet organizer to customize the size or shape according to your requirements.

This smart solution has a self-feeding system that prevents cans from piling up in the back of the cabinet. This system ensures you use the oldest cans first instead of picking up the ones you just recently placed. 

9. Wire Baskets

Using wire baskets (link to Amazon) is the most cost-effective organization solution you can use in your pantry.

Hit your nearest home supplies store or purchase them online to store cans. Buy several wire baskets and place your desired cans separately in these baskets.

Their size is not huge, making them a feasible option if you want to see them in cabinets or drawers. 

10. Skinny Shelves

Several types of canned foods don’t require much space to store.

If you already have full pantry cabinets, consider installing skinny shelves on the walls of the pantry. You can use these shelves to line up canned goods upright. 

11. Empty Soda Boxes

Another inexpensive way to store canned items is by repurposing empty soda boxes, decorating them with a monotone wrapping paper, and using several of them to organize canned goods easily.

You can place these empty boxes on pantry shelves or inside cabinets. Make sure to put labels on each of the boxes for better organization. 

12. Gutter Storage System

This creative idea lets you organize your canned goods in the most affordable manner possible.

You can mount vinyl gutters on the pantry walls to hold cans. However, these gutters can only have small to medium-sized cans. A single 10-foot section of a vinyl gutter is sufficient to store plenty of cans with no issue. 

13. Magazine Holders

Most file and magazine holders are wide enough to hold small to medium-sized cans effectively.

You can repurpose old magazine holders or purchase several from your nearby dollar store, and you’re all set. If you are buying new holders, ensure they are wide enough to hold standard sizes of cans.

Use holders made of clear plastic so you can easily see what’s inside.

Final Thoughts

The information presented here can aid you in organizing canned goods more easily than many store-bought professional organizational tools. 

Before rushing out to try out these methods, make sure you know your storage requirements. Try maintaining a minimalist approach to keep everything, including your canned foods, organized and accessible. 

Several methods of organization and storage can provide you with a lot of space in the pantry. Still, overstocking them when your usage is limited is never a logical move to make.

Recommended Reading:

• How To Organize Ziploc Bags In Pantry? 7 Tips
• How to Organize Cereal Boxes in the Pantry
• How Long Do Potatoes Last In The Pantry?