Pantry Decluttering: How Can I Easily Declutter My Pantry?
Pantry Decluttering: How Much Money Are You Losing?
Do you trip over things when you go into your pantry? Did you buy several things at the store, only to discover you already had all the items? We start our month focusing on the kitchen. Today on Clearing the Clutter Inside & Out we are taking the pantry to the task and getting it decluttered and organized! If you are ready to have a pantry where it’s easy to locate everything you need, listen for tips to keep your pantry in tiptop shape!
Check out part 2 of our blog on organizing your pantry later this month.
First, every second Saturday in May the USPS collects items for a local food pantry. If you have not decluttered and organized, now is a great time. This gives you a built-in deadline with an easy way to clear the clutter: You simply have to walk to the mailbox to donate unwanted items in your pantry! Are you up for the challenge? Let me know if you tackled your pantry and how it went.
Please do not donate any expired food. You can find out more information at: https://about.usps.com
Pantry Decluttering Tips
First, most pantries’ have a lot of clutter and can be a dumping ground.
Remove EVERYTHING in the pantry. Everything on shelves, on the walls, underneath the shelves-completely empty it. Take the time to dust and sweep.
After you have cleaned, sort what you have into categories-you need to sort by how it makes sense to you, but here are some suggestions:
- Dry Goods such as Coffee Cornmeal Dry Milk Flour Pasta Rice Oatmeal
- Baking Supplies including Sugar Baking Powder Baking Soda Chocolate Chips Condensed Milk
- Spices Basil Bay Leaves Bouillon Cubes Chili Powder Cinnamon
- Canned Goods like Chicken Broth Soup Tomatoes
- Condiments BBQ Ketchup Mayonnaise Mustard Olive Oil
- Bread Bagels English Muffins Buns
But, it must make sense to you. My salt, baking soda and baking powder are with spices, but for someone else, it might make sense to have with baking supplies.
You want to sort for your lifestyle. Snacks might be a category that you need and could include applesauce, chips and granola bars. You might also need an area for pet food. We keep our cat food in the pantry.
Organizing The Pantry
Now that you have sorted all your pantry items, it’s time to organize the pantry.
- Organize pantry shelves with food items grouped by categories that you created. Utilize space. We put a huge rack on the back of the door where we have spices, tea and oils. We also put a shelf where we have wet cat food. We have one area dedicated for cleaners and pet supplies.
- You may want to consider containers for cereal or pasta. If you eat a lot of something and buy in bulk, this can help keep it fresh. We have a pourable container for each of our cats.
- Think about what you use often and try and keep that within easy reach. Bulky or heavy items, such as cleaners or bags of pet food, might be better underneath the shelves.
DIY Options to Clear Clutter
Purchase Julie’s books on how to clear clutter from your life: https://www.amazon.com/Julie-Coraccio/e/B07JGGL7ZL/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
Subscribe to Clear Your Clutter Inside & Out Podcast https://reawakenyourbrilliance.com/resources-concierge-services/podcasts/self-help-podcast/
Check out more of my decluttering tips and how to get organized on my YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/user/SeibertRadio?feature=watch
Julie is an award-winning professional life and end of life organizer, author, and certified life coach. She hosts the popular self-help podcast Clear Your Clutter Inside & Out and is the author of 10 books including the Got Clutter? 365 Journal Prompt Series. Find out more about her at https://reawakenyourbrilliance.com/
Originally published at https://reawakenyourbrilliance.com on May 4, 2020.