Having an organized pantry is great, but maintaining that organization is a different story. Perhaps you have overhauled the pantry cabinets in your kitchen before, only to discover that the orderly aesthetic you tried to enforce fell to pieces. That is okay. It is unrealistic to believe that the pantry in your house will always look organized. Life happens from time to time, and whenever it does, you simply need to get things back in order (rather than throw your hands up).
If chaos has sieged in your pantry, try using one of the methods below to restore order (and retain it moving forward):
To Bypass Overcrowding, Check Things Out Every Week or Month
Familiarize yourself with the things inside your pantry. Designate a specific day every week (if not every month) and do a full walk-through. Have a look at labels to see if anything has expired. Take note of anything that is overstocked. In doing so, you will know what not to buy the next time you go shopping. This should take 15 minutes or less to complete. Incorporating a full walk-through into your routine can minimize overcrowding of the pantry cabinets – particularly when it is filled up with overstocked and expired goods.
Suggestion: after the walk-through is finished, make a note of any items set to expire, or ones you have a surplus of. From there, Google those ingredients to see what kind of recipes they can be used for. This can prevent food from being wasted – you will be provided with fresh meal ideas without needing to visit a grocery store.
Clear Out Seasonal Items
As tempting as it may be to stretch your Halloween candy all the way to Thanksgiving, your pantry needs all the shelving space get. Don’t hold onto any seasonal items, especially if you lack the room for them. Such items will end up going bad without you realizing it. This is also applicable to things that you consume once in a while – perhaps strawberry gelatin in the summer or coca packets in the wintertime. If you have such items on your pantry cabinets, get rid of them. Open up space for whatever you currently need to shelve. Consider donating foods that are non-perishable to a food bank in your area.
Make Things Easy to See
Containers are essential for a dream kitchen. Whether they come in the form of bins or baskets, sorting and categorizing items in your pantry into containers will go a long way. If keeping things properly organized is something you have difficulty with, don’t use wicker or fabric containers. You should have the ability to see what’s inside of them. If you don’t see something, you’ll forget about it, and clutter will come about. You might even buy something you already have. The solution is to use transparent plastic containers. You should have the ability to see whatever is being stored on your cabinet shelves.
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