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Using bins to keep your pantry organized isn’t just for looks. Transferring dry goods into sealed storage containers can help keep food fresh longer, reduce food waste, and even prevent an infestation of grain-chomping pests.
But it’s not a one-size-fits-all situation. Container storage requires maintenance. “You have to ask yourself the realistic question: Do I have time to do this every time I go grocery shopping?” says Jessica Moynihan, owner of NEAT Method Boston.
To help you decide whether container storage works for you, we talked to some organizing experts to get their honest assessment. Here’s how to start decanting like the pros, along with the ingredients that work best—and also some info on what you shouldn’t bother decanting.
To decant or not to decant?
Before you start decanting everything in your pantry into storage containers, consider your eating and cooking habits. Zero in on items that tend to make a mess or go stale, whether that’s big bags of snacks or bulk ingredients like flour and grains.
“If people don’t know what their decanting personality is, I recommend starting with the baking items,” says Shara Kay, owner of SK Organizing. Because ingredients like flour, sugar, and baking soda are measured out instead of used all at once, and frequently come in bags that aren't resealable, they’re excellent candidates for decanting.
For Alison Cayne, founder of Haven’s Kitchen in New York City, the decanting habit took hold with her kids’ snacks. After too many times discovering a pantry stuffed with “bags of popcorn with four kernels left at the bottom, or empty boxes of Cheerios,” she shifted to container-based storage. “I started taking everything out of the box and putting it in an airtight sealable container so everyone could see it, and it saved me a lot of frustration,” she says.
Of course, beyond freshness, storing flours and other grain-based foods in airtight bins also keeps pests out. Pantry moths can nibble through cardboard boxes and plastic bags. If you’ve ever suffered their presence in your home, you’re probably a decanting convert already.
As a rule of thumb, “if you’re not going through the entire box in one meal prep, it makes sense to decant that,” says Moynihan. For smaller households, decanting pasta and other dry goods may be the right logistical choice, but for larger families who tend to cook a full pound of spaghetti in one go, it may be more efficient to leave ingredients like these in their packages. In this case, consider an open-top storage bin like the ones below to corral the packages in rows on a pantry shelf.
Spices are one category where it’s okay to skip the work of decanting altogether. Professional organizers agree that most of the time, pouring spices into matching containers is purely an aesthetic preference—totally fine for spaces where the jars will be on display or if you want a uniform look to your spice cabinet, but not necessary. After all, spices mostly come in airtight glass jars already. Decanting into new jars just means buying extra glass containers (and in the process of pouring from jar to jar you tend to lose some spices). One exception: buying spices in bulk or in plastic bags makes decanting a near-necessity to preserve freshness.
Make it visible
When you start the process of pouring ingredients into airtight containers, you can use the containers you already have on hand rather than buying matching containers. But, clear containers are the most useful for the simple fact that you can see what’s inside.
As for round vs. square and plastic vs. glass, it’s a personal preference. Mason jars are affordable and can go in the dishwasher, though they’re heavier to store on shelves. Round containers also don’t maximize space quite as well as square or rectangular options do.
Professional organizers laud the OXO Pop brand of containers for their easy-seal lids, stackable shape, and near-indestructible construction. “Anything that’s glass and in my son’s reach would be destroyed,” says Moynihan. And utilitarian, stackable Cambros won our product review of the best pantry storage containers—read the full review for more info.
Labels are your friend
No matter the containers you’re using, you should label them; this makes it easier to use what’s inside and keep tabs on when it’s time to restock. In addition to placing the name of the ingredient front and center, label each container with the ingredient’s expiration date. Using a label maker will make everything look very professional on open shelving. Or, go for wipeable, reusable labels. Of course, a roll of painter’s tape and a Sharpie do the job as well.
Cayne goes one step further and adds labels with the cooking time for grains like farro and rice on jars. Any information provided on the package can be included in this way, whether it’s cooking directions or a favorite back-of-the-box recipe. “Just rip it off and stick it on the jar,” she says.
