Imagine this...it's time to cook dinner, you're tired from a long day of work or play. You open the fridge, grab the mozzarella, then open your pantry, grab the pre-made crust and go to grab the last and much needed ingredient to make a homemade pizza....the sauce. Your eyes are scanning all around, you're moving items, frantically looking behind them because you just know there was a jar of marinara in there. It's then that you realize, you need to organize your kitchen pantry.

Is it a daunting task? For some. But let's discuss some useful tips and tricks to getting this done as efficiently and functionally as possible.

1.) Declutter. Sort all food items into three categories. 1. Expired, 2. Stale, 3. Unlikely to ever use. I suggest donating the food that is still useable to a food bank or post on a "Buy Nothing" group on Facebook.

2.) Inventory what is left after you declutter. Make a list of items you need to buy and what you need to use before it falls into one of the categories listed in number 1.

3.) Group like items together, such as canned goods, pastas, snacks, baking supplies and so on.

4.) Use baskets, bins or clear containers to place the items to keep them neat and tidy.

5.) Organize by how often you use something. For instance, place items that are used less frequently behind items that you use on a frequent basis. Or place items you use frequently at eye level. This makes it easier to grab what you need quickly.

6.) Utilize the back of the pantry door. Grab an over-the-door organizer to add valuable storage space to your pantry, creating more room.

With a little bit of time and effort, you can transform (and keep) your kitchen pantry an organized and functional space!