Genius Dollar Tree Pantry Organization Ideas
If you’ve ever taken on a pantry organizing project, you probably know that all of those pretty clear bins at the store can really add up quickly.
I, specifically, remember being pretty shocked when I was leaving Walmart after spending nearly $90 on airtight clear bins for our pantry cabinet a couple of years ago. And that was buying budget-friendly ones at Walmart! It would have been even more to buy similar items at a fancy organizing store.
So if you want to get your pantry organized, but you’re not willing to spend a bunch of money – I have some great Dollar Store organizing ideas for you! By using things from Dollar Tree for your pantry, you can save a ton of money.
These inspiring women kept things budget-friendly in their pantry spaces. From plastic containers of different sizes to magazine racks used differently – there are so many simple ideas here.
These kitchen pantries on a budget are sure to inspire you to find the perfect solution for your own pantry space at Dollar Tree!
If you’re anything like me, the importance of having an organized pantry is key to keeping things stress-free in the kitchen. The last thing I want to do is dig around for what I need when I’m in the middle of cooking dinner for the family.
I also want to make sure my kids learn some independence so that means that need to have easy access to the things that they would grab from the pantry and they need to understand exactly where things go, so they can help out when putting items away. Can I get an “Amen” to that one?
Want even more cheap organizing ideas? Check out these Dollar Tree Organization Hacks!
This roundup of Dollar Tree pantry organization ideas contains affiliate links, but nothing that I wouldn’t recommend wholeheartedly. Read my full disclosure here.
Other Pantry Ideas
I’ve been talking a lot about pantries lately, I know! I just think they are one of the best places to start if you want to get your kitchen more organized, so I wanted to share a range of different ideas with you!
Here are some other pantry-organizing articles that you’ll also want to check out:
- 25+ Pantry Shelving Ideas To Try
- No Pantry Solutions For a Small Kitchen
- Upcycled Entertainment Center Turned Into Pantry
- Modern Spice Labels (that can also be used in your pantry)
Ok, without further ado – let’s jump in and take a look at these creative Dollar Tree pantry organization ideas!
Dollar Tree Pantry Organization Ideas
Budget-Friendly Pantry for Less Than $50
Lauren totally hit it out of the park with this budget-friendly pantry makeover! She found a way to do this entire pantry for less than $50.
She figured out how to create a gorgeous pantry using plastic bins from Dollar Tree, along with some recycled boxes and repurposed baskets and bins. The handy clear containers with the gray lids and the containers with pourable spouts were both from her local Dollar Tree. She cut out labels using black cardstock paper and labeled them with a white chalk marker. So simple!
She kept things super frugal for her kitchen pantry makeover by using old diaper boxes covered with paper that looked like weather wood planks. The other baskets were found elsewhere in her house, which is a great way to save money on your pantry project - shop your house!
Small Pantry with White Bins
Need to get your pantry shelves more organized? Check out these white locker-style bins that Carrie found at Dollar Tree. Here they are used to corral different food items - like breakfast foods, tortillas, snacks, nuts and dried fruits, and more.
Although Dollar Tree has carried these locker-style plastic baskets for years, they don't always have them in neutral colors - like these white ones.
Usually, they have bright colors, so if you see something like white, black, or another neutral color - just do yourself a favor and grab the whole stack of them! You'll find a use for them - I promise. She even mentions that she uses them for other things in her house - like storing toys and craft supplies.
She also added a wire basket organizer to the back of her pantry door, which is perfect for canned food storage of various sizes. You have to click over and see the full makeover so you can see the impressive before and after pictures - this space came a long way, even with a tight budget!
Small Pantry with Cheap Organizing Ideas
Lora has a small pantry, but she was able to make a huge difference with some paint, shelf liner, and cheap baskets from her local dollar store (the light blue baskets shown in her pictures).
One great idea that I saw in her pantry was the use of a glass mason jar to hold paper cupcake liners, which helps them keep their shape. She was able to fit 4 different sets of liners in one mason jar, instead of 4 bulky boxes taking up valuable storage space in her pantry. You can, of course, get glass mason jars like this at the Dollar Tree!
Reach-in Pantry on a Budget
The before picture of this pantry space was a mess with tons of random boxes and jars cluttering the shelves - a familiar sight, I'm sure. With a couple of hours and the investment of simple organizing systems (new baskets and bins from Dollar Tree), it looks great! She was very intentional about how she put things back into the pantry here, creating a zone system (which she labels in her photo shown here).
Here we see those locker-style bins from Dollar Tree again - this time in blue, which fits right in with her color scheme.
Genius Dollar Store Pantry Organization Ideas
Joy's intention behind her pantry makeover was for it to help with the meal planning struggle. She mentions "My current little life mission is to be a better meal planner. It feels like more than half the time, I’m about to leave for the kids after school activities and I’m scrambling to figure out dinner… or I'm picking up takeout. Trying to remedy this dinner planning struggle has inspired some fresh organization, especially in the pantry!" I'm sure you can relate, right?
It is totally true that getting your pantry more organized will allow you to more easily see all of the different items you have at your disposal when planning your meals for the week! It can also be helpful for the kiddos to have easy access to their snack foods.
Joy used so many great products from the dollar store in her pantry - the glass containers for baking supplies, the greenish blue bins for pantry staples (AGAIN the locker-style bins for the WIN!), the large tub for opened bagged items, the fruit baskets on the wall (attached with cup hooks), and the wire baskets on the bottom shelf for potatoes and onions.
Baking Cabinet Organized with Dollar Tree Items
oy didn't let the Dollar Tree fun stop at her pantry, she also gave this baking cabinet a makeover using dollar store finds - the glass canisters and plastic baskets!
She ordered the glass jars online at Dollar Tree and picked them up in-store. Did you even know that you can order online at Dollar Tree?? This forces you to order a minimum quantity, but sometimes it can be tricky to find exactly what you need in store for an organizing project like this, so that is good to know that online is an option!
Black and White Pantry with Wallpaper
Even though Amber didn't have a large walk-in pantry, she made the best of what she had! She completely transformed their pantry by installing peel-and-stick wallpaper on the back.
Once the wallpaper was up, she redid the organization in the pantry using Dollar Tree black baskets. She mentions that the baskets are really sturdy! They really help get rid of the visual clutter of the pantry items and help keep like items together for a super functional pantry.
Dollar Store Storage Containers for Organizing Pantry Shelves
Storage containers don't have to cost you an arm and a leg. Maria shows us in her pantry that the Dollar Tree bins and containers can be just as cute as the expensive ones!
She incorporates glass containers with airtight lids for snacks, plastic storage bins with holes so you can see what's inside, and wire storage baskets that kind of look like small trash bins. The wire baskets are great for storing things that need some airflow - like onions, garlic, and potatoes.
One thing that is evident when you look at all of these cheap pantry organization tips is that baskets and bins are the best way to make your disorganized pantry more functional and maximize space. They help organize things like dry goods, boxed food, canned food, and bottles of jars and sauces.
The best part is baskets and bins are one of the things that can easily be found at the dollar store in just about every shape, size, and color.
Genius Storage Ideas for Corner Walk-in Pantry
Chas has an amazing walk-in corner pantry in her kitchen, but she didn't want to spend a ton of money organizing it. After a trip to her local Dollar Tree, she incorporated several great finds into her pantry!
She keeps her aluminum foil, plastic wrap, and boxes of Ziploc bags in long rectangular plastic bins that can be stacked together and put on the shelf in her pantry. These same rectangular containers also help organize tea bags. Magazine holders are used to corraling each family member's travel cups and water bottles, which is absolutely genius.
I think my favorite idea from her pantry is the shoe rack hung on the back of her pantry door, which gives her tons of vertical storage space for baking supplies, seasonings, utensils, snacks, and more.
Canned Food Storage Idea with Wire Baskets
Kristin admits that feeding a family of 5 gets pricey, so when something goes on sale she stocks up. This means that her pantry space gets really full, really fast. When she found these wire baskets at Dollar Tree, she took them over to the canned food aisle and figured out that they fit both the large and small cans of food - score!
All she does is put the baskets lined up on her pantry shelves and set the canned food on its side. She also added some labels to the shelf under each basket to keep things organized. These are simple and effective and would be a great addition to your pantry if you're struggling with how to organize canned food!
Wow! There are so many things you can do in your pantry using things from the Dollar Tree, right? Hope you found some of those spaces inspiring. Maybe they even motivated you to get to work in your own pantry!
How To Shop At Dollar Tree for Pantry Storage Solutions
I’ve found that the best way to get inspired is to start with a trip to your local Dollar Tree to see what options they have locally. Start by checking out the organization and storage sections, but don’t forget to take a walk around the entire store. Look out for multi-purpose items or things that can be used in different ways (like magazine holders to store water bottles, like one pantry shown above!).
Keep in mind that while colored plastic bins can help kind the clutter by masking what is inside, transparent bins will help you easily identify the contents and quickly be able to scan your pantry to see what is running low.
But don’t forget that you can also buy things from Dollar Tree online. Usually, there is a minimum quantity for each item, but when you’re organizing an entire space like a pantry, you’re bound to need multiples. In some cases, the minimum is only 4 or 6, while in other times it is 24 or 36. And remember you’re only spending $1.25 or so per item, you can probably use the other 3-4 baskets in the case somewhere else in your house!
Great Products for Organizing Pantries at Dollar Tree
Below I’ve rounded up some of the items that I think would be great for pantry storage solutions. Just click the picture to go check it out and look at the minimum order quantity.
Don’t forget to also look at the measurements of each container to make sure they find on your shelves and in your space.
Are you ready to get your pantry organized on a budget??
Related Reading – Check out these other articles for kitchens!
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- Genius Dollar Tree Pantry Organization Ideas
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My husband bought a wire ‘closet maid’ shelf at Home Depot and he turned it upside-down and mounted it to the lower shelf in our pantry. I can stack many cases of can goods on it. We left space under it for the tiny cans. we put a small 1×1 piece of wood at the front of the shelf to keep the wire shelf leaning back so the cans dont fall off. The shelf does not have dividers so I can change the types of cans I want to stack. tomatoes, sauces, and veges. etc. I keep it full at all times. We buy cases of canned goods to store in our tiny pantry. I covered the back wall with pioneer womans flower self stick paper, in my all white kitchen. I bought plastic lids for mason jars to store in also.
Those are such great tips. Thanks for sharing with us Daun!