Kitchen

[Carmie]

 Have plastic baskets from the dollar store in my pantry.  I use them In My pantry to organize.  One holds oil and vinegar, another syrup, another soy sauce and other sauces, etc.

when I want something, I just grab it out of the basket or even remove the basket to look through my things.

I store my flour in  the freezer.  I only keep a small amount of flour in my pantry for immediate use.

I use the same type of baskets in my freezer.  I love this system or organization.

this looks simular to my pantry, but it is not mine.

[Sooner]

We have tons of canned goods:  Tuna, sardines, chicken, salmon, LeSueur peas and green beans, kernal corn, tomatoes (like Forest Gump here: diced, whole, sauce, paste, stewed, Rotel, puree), beans of all sorts, peppers, olive slices, and on and on!

Also we have several kinds of flours and rices, and baking "stuff" etc.  It is amazing how much stuff we can collect!  Then there's pasta sauce, dried beans and peas, tea and soup, 

[ECBG]

@Sooner 

Don't feel bad at all!  Yesterday, I threw out some open boxes of items I had used in Christmas baking!

I just "looked through them" when I went into the pantry!

Pantry shelves aren't one of those all consuming thoughts!

[homedecor1]

A few weeks ago I just couldn't take it anymore -- excess open 1/2 used things, Lock N Locks (10+ years old) dingy didn't seal properly anymore...you get the idea!

Both pantries are a pleasure to look in...everything organized😃

Then tackled my spice cabinet ... tossed all spices no longer using...put new baking soda, powders, etc. in jars.  

I invested in new OXO containers and really like them.  I'll see how well things stay...although, no more BOGOs or stocking up for me. 
My spouse hardly eats and I just do salads or lite dinners -- just too hot.

[Sooner]

@homedecor1 WOW does that look good!  I admire your organization skills!

You are right!  I have to pare down and limit the kinds of rice I have, don't buy so many extra pickles, etc.!  

[deeva]

I buy my spices and baking products at stores that have self service bins. So I get just the amounts I need. Don't have to worry about having lots of expired food. 

[haddon9]

I agree...the pandemic made storing pantry goods worse!  I bought more items that I needed and have to clean it out too.

[DiAnne]

I have a small kitchen without much storage that worked perfectly until the pandemic.  Now I have way too many pantry items that I need to use up.  

[Nick and Nora]

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@Sooner wrote:

Have you done this recently too?  

Whew!    I cleaned the pantry of flour, oatmeal, cereal, dry goods and sorted out all the oils and vinegars yesterday!

What a mess!   But it looks much much better!  Our trash is picked up Monday, so we always clean the fridge on Sunday, but the pantry had quite a bit of flours and oils out of date.  

I think the pandemic made it a worse mess than normal.  But it looks so good, and now next week:  The dreaded canned goods!  

So is this late spring cleaning?  Or early "seasonal" cleaning?  Or just "sick of looking at the mess" cleaning? 'Ya think?  

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Some of all the above?  😉

We've been doing this all year...clothes as well...just for something to do.

PS: I'm jealous of anyone who actually HAS a pantry!  

[Sooner]

@Nick and Nora We moved for a pantry, office and nice laundry room.  I will say if I had to only keep one it might be the office. 

Before we moved papers seemed to drown us.  Ours, my parents, work, personal, etc. etc.  We just could not keep them contained and we couldn't find anything.  I'd say this has made the biggest difference.