'I'm guilty of it too' – why Jeremiah Brent's vital golden rule to 'edit, edit, edit' for pantry organization is the one thing you shouldn't skip

Fewer high-traffic places in the home present more of an organizational dilemma than the pantry.

Whether you opt for matching storage solutions, decant your items into glass canisters and bottles, or pop items straight in with their original packaging, this key kitchen storage area can often end up more of a mess than a masterpiece.

So, who better to advise us on pantry storage ideas than Jeremiah Brent? The interior designer and recent Queer Eye star is an expert when it comes to streamlining this tricky space. I spoke to Jeremiah about his golden rule and top tips for an enviable pantry.

Jeremiah Brent's golden rule for pantry organization

When it comes to pantry organization, Jeremiah is a seasoned pro, currently offering his services to give one lucky winner a pantry makeover, in collaboration with Almond Breeze*.

His number one rule? Decluttering your pantry. 'Edit, edit, edit,' he says. 'Editing, which is hard to do. That's the key to life, and it's something people don't do enough of. It doesn't cost anything, except for a little bit of time, and it goes a long way just in reorganizing, and continuing to edit and stay in front of your things.'

As for frequency, Jeremiah recommends a regular cadence. He says, 'Every couple of months, take everything out and go through everything. You'd be surprised at how much has expired.'

It goes without saying that expired food is one of the things experts warn to never keep in your pantry, so grab a trash bag, such as the Hefty Ultra Strong 13 Gallon Trash Bags available at Amazon, and start removing these items.

Jeremiah adds, 'Getting it out, reorganizing, and grouping things together in the same categories makes all the difference.'

Why it's important to edit your pantry items

In his time transforming numerous pantries, Jeremiah says he's most surprised at just how much people don't take the time to edit, neglecting pantry organization ideas and stockpiling items which never see the light of day.

'Listen, I'm guilty of it too,' he admits. ‘We were going through a move not too long ago, and I pulled out something that expired in 2020. And I was like, “How do we have a five year old can of something – what’s happening?”

‘The thing about pantries is you kind of put stuff in there and sometimes people just forget, so keeping it organized prevents you from doing that. That’s what I love about shelf stable products, like Almond Breeze. It’s the idea that you can put something in your pantry and not worry that it’s going to be gone, terrible or expired in two days or two months.’

And, when it comes to pantry storage ideas, Jeremiah is all about aesthetic glass storage jars, such as the Anchor Hocking Heritage Hill Glass Jars available at Walmart, which are also favored by the likes of Martha Stewart, with her old fashioned pantry storage method.

‘I would invest in glass jars,’ he advises. ‘I have them in my pantry for pasta or flour, and other items I keep in containers – great, inexpensive containers – that keep everything in their own space.

‘I don’t think you need to spend a ton of money. And, again, you can utilize the storage items for a ton of different things, but it goes a long way. Just the ceremony of how you keep things goes a long way.’

Indeed, Jeremiah shares that when organizing his refrigerator, he uses a ‘beautiful bowl,’ to store his eggs. ‘It sounds so simple, but it’s beautiful,' he adds.

As Jeremiah highlights though, not everyone has the option, or budget, to design a pantry that is custom or luxury. Instead, most of the time we're working with what we've got, inheriting the cabinets and space. Here, Jeremiah recommends making small, inexpensive adjustments, to utilize 'every square inch.'

Jeremiah is also realistic about buying new items to sort out your pantry, adding, 'You don't need to buy a whole load of stuff for your house. Nobody's got the time. Nobody wants to spend the money.

'So, I think things like adjustable shelves, or pull out shelving, which don't cost a ton of money but increase the square footage of what you're using go a long way.'

All prices correct at time of publication.

Pantry storage essentials

If you're in need of a pantry makeover yourself, contributing writer Natasha Brinsmead recently had a chef help her organize her messy pantry, and the results were stunningly streamlined.

*Almond Breeze's collaboration with Jeremiah, highlighting the brand's shelf-stable Almond milk varieties as pantry staples, runs alongside a sweepstakes to offer a pantry makeover with Jeremiah for one lucky winner. The sweepstakes ends tomorrow, and entry can be completed online via Enter Promo.