Hello! It’s hard to believe we’re almost to the end of January. Today we are tackling the job of decluttering your pantry. So let’s look at some tips that you can use to get this done.
Decluttering Your Pantry Tip 1 – Remove Everything from the Pantry
You won’t get really far if you’re trying to organize the pantry with everything still inside. To begin the process, everything needs to be removed from the pantry. Remove all of the cans, stored items, and food, along with any types of storage baskets or bins you’ve been using.
Decluttering Your Pantry Tip 2 – Clean Everything Down
Now you want to clean it down. Grab the items that you love using and wipe all surfaces down inside the pantry. Corners and shelves often accumulate dust. quickly. Leftover crumbs can bring in unwanted pests.
Based on the length of time some of the food was stored in the pantry, it might be a good idea to also wipe it down. Canned goods often become dusty. Although the contents won’t be damaged, the dust won’t add to its appeal. So use your disinfecting wipes to wipe them down.
Decluttering Your Pantry Tip 3 – Go Through Everything
It isn’t uncommon for you to discover something in the pantry that was pushed back and has expired. Spices and canned goods also will expire. They just last longer than the fresh ones.
You want to check all the dates and toss anything past the best-by date. Canned goods and spices are common culprits. However, everything is going to expire sometime. So, you want to check the products carefully, setting aside those that are expired.
It’s also possible that you are going to find something that is still good but it’s something that you’re not going to eat. This can be given to the local food bank, so set those items aside.
Here’s a helpful article about how long pantry staples last.
Decluttering Your Pantry Tip 4 – Organize Contents into Piles of Similar Items
Before putting everything back into the pantry, you want to take inventory and see what you’ve got. When you group things that are similar together, you are able to see the amount of that item you have. This will help you with planning better storage and spacing solutions.
If there are only a few canned goods, the pantry’s going to feel and look really different than it did when it was stocked with canned vegetables. This is something you should remember when you’re going to your next step.
Decluttering Your Pantry Tip 5 – Get the Right Solutions for Storage
This isn’t always a critical step. However, in a lot of situations, they’re able to make a big difference when you want to organize your pantry. Baskets, hooks, bins, racks, lazy Susans, containers, and racks all can be used for keeping items together, neat, and organized.
When you are deliberate about those storage solutions you’re investing in, you are going to place yourself in a great position for keeping the space organized. It’s really simple to really go overboard with solutions when you watch shows on Tv where a pantry is similar to a display in a store. Be sure that you’re purchasing storage that will work in your situation.
You don’t want to do this so that it looks picture perfect. You want to do this so that it’s easier for you.
Decluttering Your Pantry Tip 6 – Remain Organized Using Labels
A helpful thing to do when you are organizing the pantry is to use labels. This is particularly true if you’re using some containers without any labels on them.
When you’ve decided where you’re going to put different items, what shelves are going to hold which items, and what bins and boxes items will be going in, you want to make everything official.
Labels are going to make it a lot easier for you to locate what you want to find. They’re also going to help everyone know where things go when you come home with groceries.
These are 6 tips that you can use for decluttering your pantry. Don’t forget, we offer junk remova services. If you are interested, request a quote here.
