A messy kitchen pantry may flourish for months, even years before grabbing our attention. It is often hidden behind a door allowing the "out of sight, out of mind" reflex to kick in, and we move onto to something more visually urgent like dishes piling up in the sink. But I will argue that organizing your pantry is the project that will have the most impact on your kitchen, consider the following benefits:
Reasons to Clear the Pantry
- Saves money by identifying what you're using, what you're not using, and what you've bought in duplicate (or in same cases, triplicate).
- Allows you to take stock of your cooking habits. I once got ambitious and bought a small amount of saffron, which as most cooks know is very, very expensive. That saffron sat in my pantry and moved with me, unopened, to 2 different apartments. When I finally tossed it, I realized I was still in the beginning stages of home cooking and only bought the saffron because I thought I should own it. If you go out on a limb and buy a new product, commit to using it that day or week. If not, it will only be taking up room in your pantry.
- Tells you what you should and should not buy in bulk. I make oatmeal daily for breakfast so I buy a mason jar full once a week from Whole Foods. I realized when clearing out my cabinets that I could actually stock up and buy a month's full. Pasta however, was languishing at the back of my pantry. From now on, I'm only buying pasta when I plan to make it that day or week for dinner. (Read more of my personal organizing strategies in Help Me Organize!)
More About Kitchen Pantry Organization:
- 25 Ways to Organize Your Kitchen
- How to Organize a Kitchen Pantry
- 5 Best Kitchen Storage Solutions
- How to Choose and Install Kitchen Pantry Storage Solutions
- How to Maintain Kitchen Pantry Organization
- How to Declutter Your Kitchen Pantry
- How to Organize Your Kitchen Pantry by Grouping Like Items
- How a Magazine Editor Organizes His Kitchen Pantry
- Pictures of Super Organized Kitchens
- Kitchen Pantry Resources
