Groomed Home Smarter Living
The pantry closet is a place that is often frequented by every person in the household. Because of this, you really have to get it in order and keep it that way so that everybody knows how to find what they are looking for.
Unclutter | Organize | Maintain | Checklist
Unclutter
A pantry is the heart of any kitchen. It’s where you go when you need an ingredient for baking or you child goes to get an afternoon snack. In order to keep the heart of the kitchen beating you have to make sure that everything inside of it is useful.
The first step to uncluttering is removing all expired foods. Most perishable foods are good for years, but you’ll be surprised at how foods can get tucked away for long periods of times. Do a thorough inspection of the foods that you have to make sure that they are still good.
If you have a surplus of foods that you know you may never eat consider donating it to a charity or local food pantry. This is the time to be really honest about how much food you actually need or will use before it expires.
Of course, remove all empty cartons or bits of trash that may have collected over time. Wipe down shelves and completely remove all items from the pantry in order to start the next step which is organization.
Organize
Organization is key when it comes to creating a tidy pantry closet. There are a few simple things you can do to make the organization simple while also increasing usability.
Storage
Storage in a pantry is different than any other storage options. For instance, in a pantry you should consider implementing see-through bins so that you can easily see what is being stored. Storing items on the door is another great way to find items that you use pretty regularly. You can take a plastic cover that is placed over the door that has various bins included. It looks very similar to a shoe rack, but it has smaller compartments for food.
Carts
Carts are another great way to store away items that perhaps do not fit into a pantry. A cart can easily be placed into the pantry closet if you have room or it can be set just outside in the kitchen area. There are a number of carts that are beautifully crafted that look great and get the job done.
Label, Label, Label
A pantry is certainly a place you want to label. It helps to keep similar food items together and can make it easy to see what you need to purchase at the store.
Keep Inventory
Inventory is a great thing to keep for all of your household goods, but especially for your pantry goods. This makes shopping for what you need a breeze and ensures that you never run out of what you need at the worst possible time.
Maintain
Maintaining your organized pantry is going to be a group effort if you live with other people. However, if you create an easy-to-follow system that groups like items together and is clearly labeled you have a much better shot of keeping things operating at its best. A great trick is if you use the last of something that you add it to your shopping list immediately. This reduces the need for checking things over and you can simply keep it in order as you go.
What are some simple ways you have found to organize your own pantry?
