Clean Out Your Pantry

Is your pantry unorganized and in need of a bit of refreshing? Or maybe you simply don’t have room for all of the food items you’ve accumulated. Rent homes often have limited storage space, especially when it comes to kitchen cabinets and pantries. Take an afternoon to clean out and organize your pantry – you’ll be so thankful every time you reach into it!

EMPTY THE SHELVES COMPLETELY

Although it might seem like a lot of extra work, the best thing to do is completely empty your pantry shelves before beginning. This step makes it much easier to thoroughly clean the space from top to bottom.

TOSS EXPIRED PRODUCTS

As you transfer items from the pantry to the counter, check the expiration date on each one. Throw away everything that’s expired. It’s also a good idea to toss any practically-empty boxes of food and spices you’ve had for longer than six months, too.

DONATE EXTRA CANNED GOODS

If you have more canned food than you can store, your local food bank will more than appreciate any donations of extra canned goods. Dust them off, pack them up and donate to a good cause. You’ll be glad you did!

WASH AND DRY THE SHELVES

Wash down your pantry shelves with warm, soapy water. If they seem to be especially “crumby,” you might want to vacuum them first. Tackle sticky spots with baking soda and a warm rag.

USE BINS FOR ORGANIZING

Plastic bins are very affordable – you might even have some lying around already. These are great to use for organizing smaller loose items like snacks, spices, etc. Labeling each bin makes things even easier!