Household Hacks: Pantry Spring Cleaning

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Organization. It’s some people’s forte and others’ bane, but it certainly can help make life much easier, especially in the kitchen. One of the most important assets to a kitchen is its storage or pantry, and there are many different ways to keep a pantry in ship-shape.

Reduce Unnecessary Messes

Some messes, but not all, we make could be prevented with a simple solution. For example, putting drippy and sticky products like honey or powdered sugar on a lazy susan or shelf liner could reduce the mess they make. Both a lazy susan or pantry liner can be easily taken out of the pantry to be cleaned when a mess occurs.

Organize Items by Similarity or Use

Grouping items commonly used together could reduce the time it takes to search for items. Children’s snacks, for example, could be grouped together. Dinner ingredients, breakfast ingredients, boxed desserts, etc. could be grouped together, too. Make your pantry suited for you and your family.

LABEL LABEL LABEL

For all types of personalities, labeling items in a pantry could be very beneficial. If you keep your flower in a different container, label it to avoid confusion with similar powdered substances like baking soda or powdered sugar.

Contain the Mess

America is the place for new inventions, and people have really taken that to heart, especially with cool gadgets for the kitchen. Many of those include expertly designed plastic and ceramic ware that would help organize foodstuffs in a pantry.

Be Willing to Throw Things Away

From personal experience, I know this is a tough skill to master. Thrifty and practical people like to keep things around just in case they could become of some use, but, at times, it can be thrifty and practical to throw things away, too. Work on letting the less useful items go more often.

Unwrap Excess Packaging before Putting Storebought Items in Pantry

That box of gummy snacks for the kids? It could be broken down, and the packages could be put in a hanging basket on the pantry door to reduce space. Try thinking “outside the box” to reduce wasted space created by bulky cardboard packaging. A few extra seconds of work could save you half a shelf of space.

Make It Your Way

Personalize your pantry. Color code labels, put most often used items at eye or hand height, etc. Coming home from a long day at work can feel much better if you can open up your pantry to your favorite design or color and grab your favorite snack before making dinner. Do it your way.

Bask in Baskets

Using baskets as a way to organize a pantry could truly help the organization process, and it may not be in the way you expect. Try hanging baskets from the pantry door or stacking them on top of lower pantries.  

Be Aware of the Pantry Moth

Pantry moths are a dangerous kitchen force. They are small and can easily get into loosely sealed food items. Know how to check for them and prevent them:

  • If you see a small moth that is reddish white flying around your kitchen, there’s a good chance you have pantry moths. They are usually spotted during the night. Also, webbing on food items or the corners of the pantry is an indication.
  • To clean, follow these steps: remove all items from the pantry. Throw away infested food. Vacuum out the pantry – even under liners on shelves. Scrub pantry with soap and hot water – remember hinges and corners. Wash all containers. Dry everything thoroughly. Take the trash outside. – especially the ones with the infested food and vacuum bag.

Good luck on your pantry spring cleaning!

Grace Baldwin
(Bethany) Grace Baldwin has an Associate Degree in Journalism from Angelina College and is working on a double major of English and Journalism at Stephen F. Austin State University. She thoroughly enjoys reading, writing, and has an indelible passion for words.

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