Sarah* has a disorganised pantry that is slowly creeping further out of her control. She has three young children who keep her hands full most days and any spare time is spent working at a local café.
She is the first to admit that her home maintenance has slipped and is overwhelmed at the process of regaining control.
How can Sarah organise her pantry in a timely and efficient manner?
The first place to start is in front of the pantry with a garbage bag and a ruthless attitude.
Sort through all items inside the pantry and dispose of out of date products; it’s amazing how quickly these can pile up. Also place aside any items of food that you will never eat and consider giving these to family and friends.
Place all remaining food items onto your kitchen table to evaluate.
Plastic containers are a lifesaver in the pantry. Not only do they keep everything neat and tidy, but airtight containers also keep food fresh longer.
Assess the food you have placed on the table and what you will need to purchase containers for. If you already own airtight containers get them out of the cupboard quick smart.
A handy tip is square containers for biscuits; tall oval containers for cereal; small oval containers for lollies and sweets; and long cylinder containers for pasta.
Remember to measure up your pantry before heading to the shops if you need to purchase containers. There is nothing worse than finding out your new containers don’t fit in the required space.
Whilst you’re shopping, grab some labels too. Reusable ones are fantastic because you can change them when you have different food items or pantry storage needs.
Also consider using a whiteboard marker to write the expiry date of packaged food onto the label as you sort and store.
After you’ve sorted all your food items into their new containers, stand back in awe at the space you’ve saved and how quickly you’ll be able to grab midnight snacks from the pantry.
All it takes is one afternoon and some hard work to create an organised pantry.
For time poor people like Sarah, this is a productive and effective solution.
Just remember to fill up your containers when you go grocery shopping to ensure your new system stays in place.
Happy sorting!
*Sarah is a fictional character
