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9 steps for clearing your pantry

9 steps for clearing your pantry

You are certainly not the only one who has been thinking about how to best redecorate and organize your home during this entire pandemic. And where better to start than in your pantry? After all, it is one of the places you visit most in your own home. Then you want everything to be organized in such a way that your favorite things are not on the top shelf or behind all expired items. So follow the next steps to get your pantry tip-top again.

1. Get everything out

You may not think of a big cleanup when you think of food, but clearing out your pantry is an important step in seeing what you're working with and whether you're really using everything. You can give away any products that are still in their original packaging when you bought them months or maybe years ago. In addition, you can resolve to use up everything you still have little bits of while cooking in the coming days. That will save a lot of space!

Read also :'5 products you should always have in stock'

2. Throw away anything past its date

This step speaks for itself. When you empty your pantry, do you notice that some of the products in the back rows are past their expiration date? Then don't think too much about what can still be used, but throw away everything that is bulging or can become sour. Do you have any jars of food that you think will last for years to come and still look great? Then trust your nose and keep everything that still smells good and looks good. After all, it is such a shame to throw them away…

3. Place products in transparent jars

Storing your produce in clear jars not only saves you space (sometimes there is as much air as food in a package), it's also a handy trick to clearly see what you have in your pantry. It makes it easier to see what you need for your next shopping trip. In addition, it is also visually very satisfying. Choose sealable jars to keep your stock fresh for as long as possible.

4. Use matching pots

Do you choose to store your products in glass jars? Then purchase entire collections in the same style. Buy pots, dishes, bottles and containers of the same color and material to create a visual unity. This will immediately make your pantry look tidier and more organized.

5. Only keep what you really love

Are you one of those people who keeps 20 jars of vegetables because they might come in handy on a rainy day? Then stop that immediately. Food that doesn't inspire you will stay in the cupboard for a long time and you can probably throw it away at the next cleanup job. Therefore, choose to really only keep the items that you love and that you know you will use soon. It might be smart not to stuff your entire cupboard full of candy 'because it will run out quickly'.

6. Only buy things in space

Do you have a small pantry? In that case, do not store products for a year, but rather look a week ahead. To achieve the ultimate visual result of a tidy pantry, we recommend filling 80 percent and leaving 20 percent open for any other products. Of course, that doesn't mean you should immediately go shopping for additional products. This system ensures that you do not have an overflowing pantry at all times (and therefore more peace of mind!).

7. Choose a place for extras

Can you really not do without the extras of certain products? Then don't put these behind your other products, but choose a specific place where you can store extras. For example, a drawer or basket on the bottom shelves of your closet might work best. Be careful that when you make your shopping list you do not write down products that are already in your baskets with extras. Check your stock!

8. Look beyond just the kitchen

Not everyone has such a huge walk-in closet for their stock. But that shouldn't stop you from organizing the space you do have well. Are you short of space in your pantry? Then don't keep stuffing it undisturbed, but find a place further down in your house where you can store some more products. For example, you can hang shelves in your dining room where you can put baskets with stock products. Not only is it handy, but it also looks nice!

9. Keep track of your closet

Turn yourself into a stocker of your own pantry. Before you go shopping, check what you still have and don't need. After shopping, it is important that you clear everything via the FIFO system. That means first in, first out † In other words, all your oldest products should be moved to the front of the shelves so that your new stuff can go behind it and you use up the old one first. Let's get organized!

Source: Realsimple.com