Keeping an organized pantry in your Grand Junction rental home can seem to be a massive task. It is essential to figure out where everything should go and how to keep things fresh and still neat over weeks (and years) of use. To be sure that your food supply is fresh and uncomplicated to access, keep these simple pantry organization tips.
1. Create a System
Some people approach pantry organization with a rather uncomplicated system: grouping similar items together. Though this is an appropriate approach, it’s not always the only measure to organize a pantry. Look into placing items that you consistently use together near to one another, such as pasta noodles, and sauce or baking essentials. But take note, there are other methods to group your pantry items.
You might take into consideration how often certain things are used, and place repeatedly used items in the easy-to-reach spots. A further option would be to designate zones or stations in your pantry, grouping food items according to function or the time of day they are commonly used. Examples of this would be a coffee station, a bin with after-school snacks, or a shelf for breakfast. Doesn’t matter what system you prefer and use, it should reflect your routines and how you use your pantry every day.
2. Rotate Your Storage
One neglected strategy for pantry organization is a consistent rotation of food items. It is all too typical for food items to get shoved behind others and forgotten, or for purchased items to sit unused for months at a time. To hinder and keep from throwing out expired food, it’s imperative to develop a first-in, first-out system for your pantry items. Once restocking each shelf, set new items behind older items. Therefore, make certain to take the time to regularly check the expiration dates of your pantry items and clean out anything that has expired. Consequently, you can always keep and have your pantry food items fresh and ready for use.
3. Choose Proper Storage Containers
It doesn’t really have to be very expensive or lovely (although it can be), but definitely, one most vital tactic to keep food fresh in your pantry is to make it a point that each item is stored properly. Unlike canned food items, which might be stacked neatly right out of your grocery bags, other food items will have to be removed from the original packaging and stored in airtight containers.
To make certain to keep long-term freshness, decant flour, and other grain-based food items by simply taking them out of the bags they come in and placing them in glass or plastic containers with tight-fitting lids. The rationale for why you shouldn’t put flour, cake mix, or similar items in their original bags is that not only will it go stale relatively quickly but, on the other hand, the bags can possibly be hiding insect eggs and other nasty problems. The last thing you want is to find out that your pantry is infested with bugs!
It’s likewise necessary to observe a small number of manageable guidelines with regards to grouping your pantry items. Some foods shouldn’t be stored with other foods. If you stockpile both onions and potatoes in your pantry, you should take care to separate them. If you don’t, the onions’ strong odor can permeate the potatoes and get them to spoil faster.
One final matter, when picking storage containers for your pantry, it’s necessary to use containers that not only fit your shelves but, at the same time, additionally permit you to track and access the contents immediately. Mason jars might certainly be an excellent option for storing rice and other items, although the jar’s narrow mouth can make scooping difficult. Additionally, pick containers that you can label with the name of the contents and the expiration date. Deem investing in removable labels to effortlessly update each container’s information each time you refill it.
4. Size Matters
Lastly, as you organize your pantry, it’s relevant to not only group small items, in particular spice jars, in an orderly fashion but to make room for bigger items moreover. Venture to add smaller shelving or trays to keep little things together and systematic. Preferably, make some taller spaces for cereal boxes, bottles, or other tall or oddly-shaped items.
In the end, with a little innovation and some careful planning, you can easily develop a tidy and functional pantry designed to help you always keep your food supply fresh and ready for use.
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