This summer I had an opportunity to organize a kitchen and a brand-new pantry! Not sure who was more excited me or my client. Organizing a kitchen is a bit like a Pandora’s box as there are lots of hidden treasures and spots for…well just about anything. Oh, the things I have found in kitchens LOL!! 🤫 Today I thought I would write a blog on organizing your pantry as that seems to be a quick and easy place to start. I will do it in steps for you to follow along and you will want to allocate 1-2 hours depending on the size of your pantry.

STEP 1

Take EVERYTHING OUT and put it on a table or the floor. I mean every last thing… (believe me this will work!)

STEP 2

Clean it, wipe off the shelves, vacuum out the baskets, dust the top of the cans. (It will make you feel better)

STEP 3

Separate food from kitchen objects like bowls, popcorn makers or cake decorating kit etc.

STEP 4

LOOK at all expiry dates on food. If it is expired open cans, jars, bottles and throw contents out in the garbage then recycle the containers. If it is expired DO NOT try and eat it, for whatever reason you did not get around to eating that food, so it must go…lesson learned do not buy it again.

STEP 5

Go through the rest of the food and BE HONEST with yourself. Are you really going to eat it? If so, put it on your menu to eat within the month. (It might make for some interesting meals) LOL

The food you will not be eating please take to your local food bank or start a food drive in your neighbourhood and ask for a volunteer to take all donated food for you. Maybe your grocery store has a food bank box where you can place your items when you go grocery shopping, or lastly over the holiday season most churches, schools, women’s shelters or men’s mission will be collecting food.

STEP 6

Sort out all the kitchen objects…gadgets, small appliances. Ask your self

“When was the last time I used this?”

If you don’t remember but you want it then write the date on a sticky note and place it on said object so when  you go and use it you will know how long it has been not in use. If it sits there for a year without anyone touching it… then out it goes. It does not matter if it was a wedding gift, a present from your loved one or a great sale item. It is wasting space and cluttering your mind. (Believe me it is in there and as soon as you let it go you will feel free and you will thank me!)

Now the stuff you know right away that you do not need get it out!!! Put it in your car and find a place to accept your donation:

University students

Women’s shelters

Men’s mission

Resell shop

Church rummage sale

Goodwill

Value village to name a few. DO NOT keep it in your home, DO NOT drive around for months with it in your car either!

STEP 7

Okay, now that it is all clean and you have removed everything that was expired,

you will not eat, or you do not want then you can start organizing. The things you use most often should be at eye level and easy to reach.

Then, the things you use less but want available will go up high and the things you use more but not everyday will go on the bottom.

STEP 7.5

While you are putting the food away organize it so all similar goods are together:

beans

pasta

cereals

root vegetables

and while you are at it…write them on a piece of paper so when you are sitting down to do your meal planning for the week, you can look at the paper and use up the food in your nice clean pantry!

STEP 8

YOU ARE FINISHED!! Well done, I knew you could do it!!

But if you are still needing help or you are reading this and think “what 8 steps to an organized pantry I can’t do that “. then I am here to help. I am just a phone call away.

Good luck and have fun.

Peace Sarah