Happy New Year! January 1st is upon us, once again, and we have no doubt all of those resolutions are getting kicked into high gear. Although most of us are fixated on adjusting our diet and exercise regimes, Order in the House is looking forward to assisting you with the health of your home. Over the next month, every nook and cranny will be tackled with pointers and references to slim down the stuff that has been serving no purpose. Some challenges may feel more daunting than others, but we’re always available for a little Q and A through our Facebook feed.
One of the most overpopulated cabinets in our home is the pantry, and since a lot of us tend to promise ourselves improved eating habits for the New Year-we figure it’s a great place to start.
Suggested Time: 1Â Hour
Supplies Needed:
 -Smaller liquor sized boxes
-Warm soapy water and wash cloth
-Large Ziploc bags
Steps:
1. Start going through items shelf by shelf. Check expiration dates. If they are expired-toss- if not place in another pile. Remember to keep like with like. All soup cans together, all spices together (so on and so forth). Just take it shelf by shelf to avoid feeling overwhelmed.
2. Go through your piles of unexpired items one more time. If you have seven cans of cream of mushroom soup that are simply not being used, place them in your boxes. Do this with all of your sorted items and remember to box all non- perishables for a food bank donation. If you see you have three bags of opened cookies with only a few left in each, combine them into one to save yourself the space. You can apply the same concept to cereal, pastas, and crackers. Large Ziploc bags are great for combining multiple opened items.
3. Take your soapy water and cloth and give that pantry a good clean out. Crumbs and spilled syrup have a way of attracting unwanted critters! Be sure to wipe down any bottles of oil or vinegar that need it as well. Make sure you dry it out thoroughly before placing any food back.
4. Finally, start to place items back into your pantry within the groups you’ve created. Use the baskets you’ve purchased for soup and spice envelopes, or smaller items that would benefit being placed in a smaller container such as baking supplies like sprinkles and food colouring. It’s often easier to designate shelves by purpose. For instance, a baking shelf, cereal shelf, or snack shelf. Whatever works best for you is the right way to organize.
Feel free to tackle this in stages. If you only want to focus on one shelf a day, that’s okay too! The important part is that you’re getting it done. Try to take some pictures so you can share your progress with us! We would love to see how you’re doing!
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