How to Organize a Pantry When You Have ADHD

Having ADHD makes things harder, especially organization. Here’s how to organize your pantry for your ADHD brain!

One thing I struggle with is keeping an organized pantry.

When I make my meal plan for the week, I try to check my pantry first to see what meals I can make from those items. But a lot of times, it’s cluttered with so much stuff I can’t see everything.

Having an ADHD brain is a pain, because we have a hard time with executive functions like planning and organizing. But it’s STILL possible, and I can help!

These are tips that I myself follow when organizing my pantry. Not all of them may work for you, but you might find a few new things to try. The best way to find out what works is to get started!

Break your to-do list down into small steps

People with ADHD struggle with executive function, which involves planning and breaking down tasks. So this is a common struggle for us.

The first step with any big task is to break it down into more manageable chunks. Having a solid plan is key!

My pantry is tall and has 4 or 5 deep shelves, so looking at the entire pantry at once gives me huge anxiety.

You’re not doing the whole kitchen, though! This is just a small piece of the puzzle.

I started with just one shelf at a time and made my way down. I pulled out all the foods from one shelf, threw out the unusable ones with an extra trash bag, and set the rest aside until I finished each shelf.

Here’s what a smaller-chunked list could look like:

• Pull out foods from top shelf
• Throw out expired foods
• Place similar items together (All pastas, all canned goods, etc.)
• Repeat with second, third, and fourth shelf
• Make a list of what you have
• Put everything back with the related items grouped together

These smaller steps make your huge task look more manageable.

Use time management techniques

I have huge problems with keeping track of time. If it’s a task I love, time just gets away from me. But if it’s a task I despise, I’ll try to put it off as long as possible. Delaying a task takes just as much time as actually doing it, unfortunately.

One thing that helps is setting a timer. I’ll set a timer for 25 minutes and see how much I can get done in that time, then take a short break afterward. This is called the Pomodoro Technique and is hugely effective in my life.

Setting time limits helps me stay on track and get more done, and actually gives me a huge sense of accomplishment.

Keep storage space in mind

You might have only a small area to work with, and that’s okay. You can find ways to stack items, or use clear storage bins to keep certain foods together.

When you have a small storage area, it’s also easier to keep less stuff. I’m all about having my space full of pantry staples, but I’ve noticed that more stuff can equal more stress.

Use clear bins and containers

I’ve actually become obsessed with buying clear food storage containers. We’ve had moths in our pantry before, which have gotten into our open boxes of dry goods. And I nope’d out of that situation by getting containers of all shapes and sizes.

These clear containers are perfect for pasta and small items like snacks, rice, and quinoa. And I also have small bins to hold our snack bars and other small snacks. These things have become my best friends for sure.

Use labels

Some of those containers above come with labels that you can stick right on. And I started using them; but honestly, I constantly change the type of item I put in each one. So labels don’t work well for me, but they might work for you.

You could use sticky notes (Which might fall off), or use a label maker. You can even use color coding to keep track of specific types of items. Sometimes we need that visual cue to get our brains in order!

Create a spot for everything

Every item needs a home. That’s one thing I’m working on in my house, and it helps prevent visual clutter and create a more calming atmosphere for me.

When you’re done cooking with pasta, for example, put it right back in the pantry. Otherwise it’ll clutter up the kitchen counter top, and it may become part of the background to where you don’t notice it anymore. Ask me how often that happens here.

Keep a pantry inventory

I laugh at myself when I talk about something like keeping inventory, because my ADHD brain knows I’ll forget to keep updating it.

Instead, what I did was create a list of items I WANT to keep in my pantry at all times. This could look like:

• 2 cans of black beans
• 3 boxes of pasta
• 2 jars of spaghetti sauce

And when I take one out, I’ll know to immediately add it to the grocery list for next week’s meal plan.

This still involves me actually remembering to add the item to the list, but it’s much more doable than updating a single list every week.

I call this a “low-maintenance pantry”. It’s an easy way to keep your pantry filled without the stress of constantly updating your list!

Put the items you use most up front

My pantry has really deep shelves, so food tends to get lost back there. And it’s a pain to constantly pull things out just to reach what I need.

I used to stuff my pantry full of food, but that got really overwhelming. Now, I’ve downsized a lot and moved everything more toward the front. This helps me see everything better and makes it more easy to reach.

And the foods I use most often are front and center. Believe it or not, I feel like I save time and energy because what I need is now right in front of me.

New items should go behind the older ones in a first-in-first-out pattern, so you don’t accidentally let some foods expire.

Incorporate Personalized Systems

Your family will have different needs than mine, so your pantry may need to look different.

For example: If you have small children, keep their snacks and other kid-friendly foods toward the bottom so they’re at eye level.

Or maybe you have space for lazy susans, which is a great idea because you can easily spin it to find what you need.

Get help

You don’t have to do this alone! Get your family members involved, too. Each person can have specific tasks or areas to work on. It’s really a great way to get the entire house involved and feel a shared responsibility for taking care of the house.

Maintain your organized pantry

Once you’ve got your pantry all organized, you have to keep it that way for next time!

Here are some ways to keep things tidy:

• Set a reminder to check in with your pantry once a month.
• Tidy it up, clear out expired items, etc.
• Check your inventory sheet to make sure you’ve got all the important items stocked.

It’s important to keep up with this, at least a little bit. Otherwise things will get out of control and you’ll have to start the process over again.

This does take a little extra time, but like I said above- set a timer to make things go faster!

Final thoughts

The goal here is not perfection! The most important thing is making progress and doing your best. My pantry still gets cluttered from things I bought but never made, and that’s okay.

Do what you can. Set reminders. Have your family help. In the long run, your kitchen and pantry will start to feel more peaceful and manageable. You can do this!

Other ADHD Friendly Kitchen Organization Guides

• How to Organize Kitchen Drawers
• Snack Bin Ideas
• Organized Coffee Station
• How to Organize Your Fridge