Have you ever opened the door to your pantry and wondered, “where is the spiral pasta? I know it’s here somewhere.”
We’ve all had that moment where we spend more than 10 seconds casting around for that pasta.
For most folks, staring into the abyss of your pantry – or their fridge – is a sign it’s time for a clear-out and to reorganize.
If you’re preparing to sell your home – or even if it’s already on the market – you should act sooner rather than later.
Why? Because storage is an essential item on buyers’ checklists.
Messy cupboards, wardrobes and pantries give the impression of insufficiency. And we want folks believing the storage in your home is more than adequate.
While you should now go and check out your wardrobes and kitchen cabinets to see if they need a clean-out, here are eight tips for sorting through your pantry:
Get inspired: Only store in your pantry items that will inspire you to cook. Why would you store anything else?
Take stock: Remove all items and place in food groups, or cans and jars. Check the “use by” stamps. Throw out anything that has expired. Anything you are unsure about should go, too.
Wipe down: Spend time cleaning the pantry shelves. Muck and dust may have built up over several years. You’ll see stains and marks that you should try to clean with heavy-duty cleaning solutions.
Unwanted items: Don’t keep any items that you’re not going to use in your cooking. If you’re not a lentils person, why hang on to them?
Stockpile strategy: If your household really loves a certain item – let’s say black beans – then you should make space for a plentiful supply.
Can the can: While food in cans will last a long time, watch out for dents, swelling and rust. And do not buy dented cans because the lining may be broken. Bacteria such as Clostridium Botulinum, which causes botulism, can contaminate the food. That is lethal, potentially..
Go glass: Decant packaged food and put them in glass containers so you can see how much you have easily. It’s useful for lentils, rice, chickpeas and so on.
Make space: Always leave some space for items you were not expecting to store. This way, your pantry reorganization has a better chance of lasting more than a few weeks.