Maybe you don't know what's in the back of your pantry? Or you don't have room to put away what you just bought? And maybe it seems like food items you don't even eat anymore are taking up more space than the items that go with your current meal plans. And is it possible expired food is taking up valuable space? Do you frequently buy things you didn't realize you already had plenty of? If any of this is true for you, schedule in some time to do a Pantry Reset....and develop a system for making sure you only buy what you need and have space for.
Empty your pantry. I know this might seem like too much work. But it might actually be faster than reaching behind and moving things back and forth. It will also allow you to put things back in a way that allows you to properly categorize and allocate the right amount of space per category.
As you are removing each item, throw out expired food, and place items in piles by category. Consider how/when you use each item. Categories can be unique per household, but here are some ideas: Breakfast, Hot Drinks, Cold Drinks, Baking, Snacks, Chips/Crackers, Grains, Canned Fruit and Vegetables, Proteins, Sauces/Condiments, Overstock (per category)...
Consider what foods you don't think you'll eat, or you have too much of and give them to someone else to enjoy.
Need any storage containers? Maybe you want some matching bins to keep multiple items per category together. Maybe you want to decant certain items into attractive containers.
Organize/return items to your pantry, starting with most important to least important categories. What items have an obvious spot? Which items need to be easily accessed? What items are used infrequently? Make sure you leave space for items you are currently using and don't have on hand. You don't want to ruin your newly organized pantry and cause frustration after your next trip to the store (or after that next amazon order shows up).
Run out of space? Can you make any adjustments in your kitchen to free up more space for a category or two? Is there a closet nearby? Or extra space in your laundry room or garage? Or room for a rolling cart or piece of furniture?
Label time. There are lots of great options for labels: label maker, stickers, printables, bin clips, hanging tags...
Maintain. a. Identify items that you always want to have a back up of. Place those in your "overstock" area. Have an ongoing shopping list in a convenient location, and make sure all members of the household know to write items on the list as they are used up (or close to it) or when the "back up" for an item is taken from back stock. You can also make a master list of the basic items you like to always have on hand and use it to check what you already have vs. what you need, before you go to the store. Or you can just scan the pantry (fridge and freezer too) before you head out, making a list of the items you are in short supply of. These methods will help you avoid guessing and buying what you don't need and don't have extra room for.
b. After shopping make sure to put things away in their proper place, placing newer items behind older ones. And take this time to do a little tidy work, if necessary. See something you don't need anymore? Give it away.
If you desperately need a pantry reset but don't have the time, energy, or inspiration to tackle it alone, I am here for you. I LOVE working in pantries. Reach out!
OR, if you took my advice and tackled this on your own, let me know! I'd love to share in your joy.
All my best,
Randi, Simply Inspired
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