Organize Your Pantry

Well this week is the half way point for the Organize Now Challenge!  This week we are focusing on Week 24 in the book, Organize Now! a week-by-week guide to simplify your space and your life.

Organize Your Pantry

This week I am featuring Jennifer of Motherthyme (wait until you see her adorable printable pantry labels!)

Here is a snippet of Jennifer’s post:

To have a efficient pantry that is utilized, make sure you can see everything in it. If you have cans stuffed in the back, chances are you won’t see use them. Group staple pantry items together and label it. I cook a lot with tomato sauce, paste, crushed tomatoes. Have that stuff all in one basket, or bin. You can pull the bin from your pantry when cooking to get the staple ingredients you need. This also helps when you are making your grocery list to check bins to see what you need. Even if you don’t use bins, group common ingredients together so you can easily see what you need. Some common groups would be snacks (chips, bars), breakfast foods (cereal, rolled oats, steel-cut oats), lunch items to help making lunches easier.

Create bins for each meal for the week. This will make busy weeknights easy after a long day instead of looking through the pantry for the ingredients. If you are making Black Bean and Rice Enchiladas, have the ingredients in a bin, so you just grab the bin and cook. You could even take it a step further and have the spices already measured out an in little jar(s) to toss in when the recipe indicates. Prep once after grocery shopping, and making dinner during the week will be that much easier.

Utilize space on the door. If your pantry has space on the door, place an over the organizer to hold more items, even for your storage bags, foil etc…

Make a pantry checklist. Keep a list of your staple items you use often. When you are running low or need to add it to your grocery list you can note it on your checklist. Add this to the inside door of your pantry so you can easily check items off your list.

Don’t buy items you don’t use, even if they are on sale. I am one that always is looking for a good bargain. Even if I stack a coupon with a store coupon and can get the item for free, why do I want to waste the real estate in my pantry if it’s not going to be used. Sure its free but it is costing space in your pantry. Only buy things that you are going to use.

Stick with one brand at a time. Do you really need 4 open boxes of cereal? Stick to one or maybe even two in the pantry. Use it up before replenishing with more.

Keep healthy snacks for the kids on lower shelves. Kids are more likely to grab what they first see. If they just see cookies and chips they will tend to go for those items first. Keep trail mix, fruit, veggies and other healthy after school snacks where they can grab those. Keep the cookies on higher shelves for the occasional treat.

To read the rest of Jennifer’s post and to see pictures of more ideas click here

Read how our other 3 ladies organized their schedule this week:

Linda DeFalco of Tapas Lifestyle

Bonnie Donahue of House of Grace

Michelle Murphy of Eamich

Here is a video of my pantry.

How does your pantry look?  Please post a picture for us here.

Contest!  Go to each of the blogs listed above and comment on their pantry post.  Then let me know here that you did so and you will be entered to win a copy of my book Organize Now! your money, business and career.  Post a photo of your own pantry for an extra entry.  Good luck!

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