Curious to know the basics of what goes into organising a pantry? Well, here it goes…
1. First, it all starts with the realisation, that you are not totally happy with how your pantry functions and looks. Interestingly, we could go on for a long time without noticing that we stray away from order and lose our surroundings’ aesthetic appeal. In my opinion, the best-case scenario is when we suddenly “awake” from negligence and realise that our space is not serving our happiness anymore.
2. Next up is getting into action mode! You create a plan to make the change. This plan considers your time budget, musing over the possibility of leaving the pantry mostly as it is after reorganising, or upgrading some aspects of the space or the whole lot. I would recommend at this point to take a before photo, so you could compare your work when finished, and see the difference.
3. All right, now you are really drilling into your little project by sorting through what you have in the pantry and removing all food and other items. In many cases, your pantry is the home not only for your food and small appliances, baskets, but wine bottle collection, etc. It is essential to clear out as much as possible. Checking expiry dates, consciously deciding what is an absolute must to stay, whether essential food item, functional or decoration item in your arsenal.
4. Once you have a clear pantry, clean the shelves and wipe down all the food containers. It can be pretty shocking how much dust can be accumulated behind jars, other containers, and the mess. Not to mention the other living creatures that might use your pantry as their temporary campsite.
5. The best practice is to dispose of all the food that has expired. It is common sense to pay attention to the manufacture’s use date. They put heaps of time and resources into the creation process, from the conceptual idea to the bean conserve in a tin on yourself. Trust me, they know what they do. We have to follow their recommendation.
6. Organise your pantry playfully, placing everything back in a logical order making it attractive, practical by using see-through containers. This step can be a quick one, using what you already have at your disposal, or you can go above and beyond and use your pantry as a fresh canvas and create something unique. There are heaps of excellent solutions when it comes to containers of all shapes and sizes. The variety of labels that you have at your fingertips are endless. Just let the creative mind take over. You will surprise yourself with how much joy you can have during this process, not to mention the satisfaction of creating something outstanding. This latter approach is how I like to work, but by all means, chose one that suits your needs and circumstances. At the end of the day, you do it for yourself. So, pay attention to what is important to you.
7. Now, you are done! Take a step back, pull out your camera, and take plenty of after photos. Comparing with the before pictures and admire them later. Remember to show off your beautiful work to your family and friends!
You deserve a massive cheer for your brilliance!
You are a shining star!
You took action and did the best you could have! One small step at a time will take you a long, long way in life!