The pantry: that bottomless pit of food storage that is so full you can’t get anything in it, but the family says, “There’s nothing to eat in the house!” For those of you without an actual pantry, for the purposes of this article we’ll define the pantry as that cabinet where you store your dry goods. Where the spaghetti noodles go.
If any of the following apply to you, it’s time to clean out the pantry:
- You don’t know how old a lot of that stuff is
- You’ve have boxes or cans in the back corner for YEARS!
- You have 6 jars of peanut butter because someone keeps putting it in a different spot
- When you go shopping you buy more just because you don’t KNOW if you have anything
- There’s been that spill on the shelf for a year and you keep mopping up the bottom
- Or maybe it’s just a mess and you just can’t find anything
It’s time to clean out the pantry!
#1 – Pull Everything Out
Clear a LOT of space on your kitchen counters or in the floor.
#2 – Clean the shelves
This is a great opportunity to get rid of dust and unknown greasy or sticky spots.
#3 – Throw away things that are out-dated
Check dates as you pull things out. If it’s old, just get rid of it.
#4 – Give away things you won’t eat
Maybe you bought some things on sale or just thought you’d use them but you won’t. Maybe you’re going on a diet and need to get rid of the cake mix. If you are really not going to use something (and it’s not old and out-of-date), there’s bound to be someone who CAN use it.
#5 – Put things back in an organized fashion
Never underestimate the power of a label. Or a Post-it. Label what each shelf (or that side of the shelf) is for so that things are easily found and easily put back where they go.
The Organized Pantry
An organized pantry allows you to stop over-buying items because you can easily see if you have something you need. It reduces waste. It makes you feel less stressed about cooking. If you’re interested in more organizing tips, check out the Organized Life Series of articles.
