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An unorganized pantry leads to wasted time and unnecessary stress in the kitchen. But have no fear - with some simple, inexpensive organizational hacks, you can transform that chaotic space into a functional, orderly haven. What most people fail to recognise, however, is that organising your pantry should be done according to seasons. Here's why.
The key to a smooth cooking experience is an organized pantry. When all your ingredients and supplies have a designated spot, meal planning, and prep becomes effortless. No more digging to find that jar of oregano or bag of flour buried under everything else. Proper storage and labeling ensure you'll be able to easily see and access whatever you need.
This becomes especially important during season changes, when it is likely that items pushed to the back of your pantry shelf will likely get spoiled, or worse, lead to issues like food poisoning on accidental consumption. So, cleaning out your pantry every season and reorganizing it properly is a must.
Presenting the tips to organise the pantry for summers.
Assessing The Current State
The first and most crucial step is taking stock of your current pantry situation by identifying the storage options and any challenges. Look at the shelves, jars, containers and boxes you already have and note their quantity and any issues like expired or disorganized items. Next, analyse your cooking habits and make a list of staple ingredients you use frequently so those can be given prime storage real estate.
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Decluttering and Sorting
Start by removing everything from the kitchen - all food items, containers, equipment, etc. As you take inventory, get rid of any expired or duplicate items, especially rarely used containers and gadgets. Give away anything usable that you simply don't need. Once the pantry is empty, do a deep clean of the entire space using soap, water, scrub brushes, and clean clothes to wipe down shelves and surfaces.
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Categorizing Items
At this point, you should choose categories for your pantry. These categories will be unique to every home based on your and your family’s eating habits. However, here are some general pantry categories that you can consider- lentils or pulses, pasta, dry goods, wet ingredients, healthy snacks, breakfast foods, spices, and canned goods.
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Labelling The Containers
After you have made categories for your pantry, you should make labels for each of the containers with the ingredients or food items you are storing in them. You can either purchase vinyl labels at your nearest craft store or make your own!
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Shelf Space
The best way you can maximize small spaces in your pantry is by adding risers, shelf dividers, or additional shelving units. Try using more vertical space by using rotating racks on top of your shelves. You can also add organiser racks to your shelves. This would make it easier for you to see everything and find what you need at a glance.
FIFO System (First In, First Out)
The concept of the FIFO system is quite simple: the oldest items that you have bought are put at the front of the pantry, where they are easily accessible, and the newly purchased items are placed at the back. The FIFO (First In, First Out) system is a highly effective method of pantry organization through which you can ensure that nothing expires before you use it completely. You should use the FIFO system, particularly if you have items that have shorter shelf lives.
Meal Planning and Inventory Management
An organized pantry has a range of huge advantages, including positive effects on meal planning, inventory management, and grocery shopping. When you have every ingredient neatly arranged in your pantry, meal planning becomes super easy. Plus, it encourages you to try new recipes, as chances are you already have all the required ingredients on hand.
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Maintenance and Regular Refreshing
It is only natural that your pantry gets disorganized after some time of use. But you don’t need to beat yourself up about it. However, you must keep in mind that only maintaining it regularly will help you sustain an organized pantry. An organized pantry is the only way that you can reduce food waste, prevent impulsive buying, and lead a sustainable lifestyle.
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Keep Cleaning Supplies Separate
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Following up on the previous point, you already know how important it is to regularly clean and maintain your pantry. As in the previous point, if you are scheduling a cleaning of your pantry twice a month, you might feel it is best to keep your cleaning supplies close to your pantry. However, this would be counterintuitive.
