The Genius Way To Store Messy Pantry Ingredients For A Headache-Free Kitchen

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Anyone who's ever had to scrub a splash of the good balsamic or red wine vinegar from the bottom of a cabinet or a pantry shelf has balked at the ornery task that should have been prevented by their caps, but somehow wasn't. Some pantry staples, including not only the aforementioned duo, but also things like honey and olive oil varieties just seem to want to leap out of the bottle, creating a textural nightmare of a mess. But you can apply the same preventative measure that you use to keep your coffee table free from rings to your kitchen shelves: just use coasters.

Placing all those salad ingredients, sweeteners and condiments on coasters will prevent those drips and drops from spreading to more permanent surface areas. When the coasters do get slick or sticky, you can just pop them out for cleaning, rather than embarking on a whole darn weekend project. Plenty are even dishwasher safe for nearly unbelievable ease.

The best coasters to keep your cabinets tidy are the ones you'll only ever think about once they need a wash. They should be made from a non-porous material so they don't soak or stain, and absent any raised texture or detailing to best approximate a flat cabinet shelf and eliminate wobbling. A rimmed versus a totally flat surface is a matter of personal preference, but the former's slightly raised edges will prevent any errant spills from seeping. Barvivo's silicone coasters fit the bill affordably and come in sets of eight.

There are also, in general, coaster households and non-coaster households. So if you don't already have them lying around and you aren't interested in adding them to your cart, then lesser-used plates are the obvious swap. Use small ones for individual jars and bottles, or cluster a bunch on a dinner-size plate to keep those pesky spills contained. Even leftover disposable tableware can do in a pinch, provided it's made of plastic or another waterproof material. This mindful method also goes an extra step toward keeping your pantry or cabinets less cluttered.