15 Must-Haves To Update Your Pantry

There are several reasons why it's an excellent time to organize your pantry. It's the space where you go to find what you need to clear the hurdles of each day, whether it's a holiday meal or the week's school lunches. Having all the necessities within reach and in plain sight will make your life run more smoothly and make you feel in control. Laura Cattano, a professional organizer in New York, tells The New York Times, "The experience of using your pantry should be intuitive, graceful and easy." She continues, "You want to open one cabinet or one drawer and have everything right there." Amanda Hesser, the former food editor for the New York Times and the chief executive of Food52, says that the pantry "should feel like your tool kit." This perspective can help with the motivation to start the pantry organization process. Hesser continues, "With that mind-set, it makes it much easier to clean it out, so you only have the stuff you really need."

Taming the chaos of your pantry might be just the boost of confidence you need to manage the mess in other areas of life. With so many organizational tools at your disposal, the project can be easy, fun, and rewarding every time you open that pantry door. Here are the products you need to update your pantry and simplify your life.

These Food Storage Canisters by Seseno are excellent for keeping food dry and safe from pests and pets. Selling for $39.99, the 24 stackable canisters come in four sizes that will store everything from cereal and pasta to nuts and sprinkles. They include four-sided locking lids, labels, a chalk marker, and a set of measuring spoons.

These two Wire Produce Baskets by AOZITA come with bamboo tops that double as cutting boards, and their wide openings provide easy access to reach what's inside. Priced at $39.99, the wire has a food-safe powder coating, ideal for storing items such as vegetables, coffee supplies, or baking mixes. Customize each black tag for an attractive display.

This Over-the-Door Pantry Organizer from Smart Design features six wide baskets that are removable and perfect for keeping necessities within easy reach. Available for $49.99, the organizer is made of alloy steel and includes hardware to secure it to a door or wall, with brackets that will keep it stable on a swinging door.

Beverages are often piled on the pantry floor, resulting in wasted space with no room to step inside. The Simple Houseware Soda Can Organizer will keep soda cans neatly stacked, out of the way, and within reach. A two-pack organizer is available for $14.87, and each container will hold nine 12-oz. soda cans.

These Pantry Storage Shelves by WOSOVO will free up a surprising amount of space. Priced at $29.99, these two rust-resistant shelves are made of alloy steel and can hold up to 20 pounds. They also include plastic liners for extra stability for smaller items. They are stackable or can be placed side-by-side for a longer shelf area.

Searching for a midnight snack just became easier. Illuminate your organized pantry with these Motion-Sensored LED Lights by BLS. Available in three strips for $34.99, these lights are powered by rechargeable batteries and feature motion-sensory modes. Attach the lights with the provided 3M adhesives, then easily remove them to recharge the batteries.

Simple yet ingenious, this Foil and Wrap Organizer from YouCopia creates order from a chaotic assortment of aluminum foil and plastic wrap boxes. It has three adjustable shelves that snap together easily, and it's set on non-skid feet. The small version of this organizer costs $19.99.

The Zevro Dry Food Dispenser features two containers with control knobs that measure the perfect portion of cereal each time. Priced at $32.96, this product makes it easy for children to serve themselves independently, and it eliminates the jumbled mess of cereal boxes. The dispenser can also preserve items like trail mix, nuts, or rice for over 30 days.

Prevent unwanted guests from visiting your updated pantry by placing Dr. Killigan's Premium Pantry Moth Traps inside. A package of six traps costs $16.12 and will protect your dry goods from the infamous meal moth. Stylish in appearance, these traps can be positioned in plain view without any suggestion of the potency inside.

If searching for the perfect spice gets you off track when cooking, then installing a spice rack will eliminate this hassle. This Spice Rack Organizer from X-cosrack offers five tiers of adjustable shelves, priced at $49.99. It's sturdy and will accommodate different sizes of jars and bottles to season your next pot of soup.

Another way to update a pantry is to organize the cleaning supplies that take up space. This ClosetMaid Broom and Mop Holder for $14.76 has eight wire hooks with two catches and holds up to 20 pounds. It's the perfect way to move brooms or mops off the floor and out of the way.

This Rolling Market Basket from 1Easylife can be moved back and forth from the pantry to the kitchen, making it easy to unload groceries, prep meals, and keep your countertops free from clutter. Priced at $39.99, the three-tiered metal wire baskets can be stacked or separated, and the two additional hanging baskets provide extra storage.

This Grocery Bag Storage Holder from Handy Laundry is available for $11.99, and it provides a simple solution to the collection of plastic grocery bags that accumulate in the kitchen. This vertical holder will also dispense bags through its convenient access openings for those times when a bag can be put to good use.

Never hunt for the right size of baggie again. This SpaceAid Bag Storage Organizer is made of bamboo and has a specific slot for each size of storage baggie: gallon, quart, sandwich, or snack. The organizer is priced at $33.98 and can be easily refilled by sliding the lid to the side.

With its clear window, zippered top, and carrying handles, this ProPik Gift Wrapping Paper Storage Bag makes it easy to find the roll of paper you need and store it neatly away when you're finished. This bag sells for $9.95 and can hold up to 24 rolls of paper that are 40 inches long.