Cleaning Out Your Pantry

Today is one of my favorite decluttering days in this challenge because it is one day when we can really help others with the items we find to declutter.

Today’s assignment is decluttering your pantry (and if you don’t have one, no problem!  Clean out two cupboards where you store food!)  (Have you missed any of the other days in our 31 Days Of Decluttering In December?  No problem, you can find everything you need right here!)

Before you begin, grab your grocery list!  You might also want a piece of paper so you can make an inventory of what you have in your pantry.  As you go through your pantry,  write down what grocery items you need to buy.  Also make a list of what you have duplicates of (and could you spare with a few to donate to your local food pantry?)

After cleaning out the refrigerator yesterday and organizing the pantry today, you should have a great idea of what you need to buy at the store this week!  (And tomorrow we’ll be doing the freezer if you want to wait for one more day before shopping!)

When I declutter my pantry, I always like to begin with a clean space.  I take everything out so I can wipe clean the shelves and then begin wiping cans and any other items that may have gotten dusty.

The next step is sorting similar  items together.   I like to group all the pasta in one place, canned veggies in another, snacks in one area, and cereal in another. This way when I need something, I know where to look and can usually see what I am low on when the like items are grouped together.  If you have a label maker, this is a great organizational tool for sorting your items as well.

As you are decluttering, be sure to check the expiration dates on the food. If it’s expired, throw it out! If it’s about to be expired, add it to your meal plan and use it up. If you have bought some items on sale that you know you won’t be using, consider donating to the local food pantry. Our church also collects food to give to people in the community who need it.

Check your spices if you store them in your pantry (mine are stored in a different cupboard). Spices also have an expiration date.

The last tip I have for you is if you need to buy some storage containers for your pantry, write them on your list. Would it be easier to store your pasta or chocolate chips in an airtight container? If so, add that to the list. I love Lock & Lock Storage Containers.  My mother-in-law got me addicted to these for storing my flour, sugar, powdered sugar, lasagna noodles, etc. I’m not saying that you need to invest a lot of money into items like this but it may help you. It certainly did with me!

Can you add storage to your space by adding a shoe organizer to the back of the door to hold spices or small packages of food?  Would a lazy susan help with items that get messy such as honey?  Can you use a basket or small bin to put all of the kids’ snacks in?

That’s it for today!  I hope you enjoy a clean and decluttered pantry!

Have you enjoyed what you read here today?  Do you have friends or other women you know that could benefit from this resource?  If so, please do me a favor!  I have included the links below to share with other intentional women!  They’ll be glad you did!