Let’s face it, pantry cleaning is not exactly our favorite activity… That’s why we have brought you some simple tips to follow so that you don’t have to face the situation during a major cleanup where the items no longer fit in the pantry and the highest shelf is slowly collapsing under the weight of accumulated things.
Consider your shopping
During bulk shopping, we often make the mistake of buying an amount of products, especially during sales, that we can’t actually store properly. When shopping, always consider and think about what you really need and the quantity that can fit in the pantry without overcrowding the shelves and leaving no space for anything else. This oversupply usually applies to groceries, such as when we accumulate multiple jars of jam without having consumed the previous ones.
Labeling
Always label each and every jar you place in the pantry. Not because we can’t remember what’s in each jar, but simply to make it easier to overview. When entering the pantry, we should know exactly where everything is and what we need to look for. Moreover, it’s also helpful to group similar food items together for easier packing.
Storage containers
It’s worth getting both smaller and larger storage containers where you can store spices, pasta, rarely used cooking utensils, and small kitchen appliances. For pasta and spices, it’s advisable to use transparent containers so that we can always see what and where to find. Always label the storage containers visibly and clearly.
Expiration dates
Sometimes we carefully pack the pantry with groceries, but forget about checking their expiration dates. It’s recommended to spend at least an hour occasionally to check the expiration dates of food items and get rid of any expired ones. This check can be scheduled during major cleanups, but if we’re already busy with other tasks, it’s a good idea to dedicate half an afternoon to comb through the pantry every three months. If you took pasta or spices out of their original packaging and store them in a transparent container, it’s advisable to use a label that can be rewritten and always indicate the expiration date of the food inside the container.
Sort through
Does everything in the pantry have its place? Do you recognize the situation when unused or long-forgotten items in the house end up in the pantry without a proper place? Whether it’s a small toy car, unused travel suitcases, or a tired small table, let’s not put everything into the pantry. If you use the pantry for food storage, make sure that only food items go in. If the pantry serves as a storage area, try not to stack objects on top of each other but rather find the most space-saving arrangement for them.
