Cleaning and organizing your pantry are some of the simplest ways to prepare meals more quickly and for less money. Making food or a weekly meal plan is simple when you can see the ingredients you have on hand. A tidy pantry prevents you from overspending on items you already have and will also save you from squandering money on things you forget about.

Not only will cleaning and organizing your pantry make mealtimes a lot simpler, but it will also move you closer to a healthier, happier family.

Why Cleaning the Pantry is Important

Some believe that the pantry doesn't require cleaning, but it's a great practice to give it a thorough cleaning at least once a month. By doing so, you'll be able to manage the food in the pantry and cut down on waste. Routine cleaning is also essential to prevent pests like mice and weevils.

How to Clean the Pantry

STEP1. Provide space to hold your pantry stuff.

Emptying your pantry is the first step toward organizing and cleaning it. Therefore, make a spot to hold whatever you've been storing in your pantry. Using your clean kitchen countertop is an option, but if moving items, there will take a lot of walking and slow you down; lay a mat on the floor.

STEP2. Divide food stuff into four piles.

KEEP- Food you and your family enjoy! Food that you have recently eaten up and might see yourself consuming again. All the fresh stuff that you just bought in the grocery.
DONATE- Included in this pile are any foods that are still edible but that you are not planning to eat. Put it here if you have something you bought for a recipe but never used and don't want to use. Put everything in a box and deliver it to the food bank in your area.
TRASH- Expired food items and open containers must be put in this pile. Do not think twice! If it is too old to consider eating, appears off, and has a foul smell, throw it away. If you are not going to consume them now or soon, it is better to dispose of them now.
COMPOST- Any food item that fits the "trash" pile but is compostable and not rotten. Find a compost collection nearby or compost at home. If you can't compost for a while, you can store it in a closed container in the freezer.

STEP3. Dust and sanitize the shelves.

It's time to address the actual space. Put on your best cleaning gloves, grab the all-purpose cleaner and some rags, and start cleaning the shelves where the existing food supply will stay. You only need to wipe them down to remove dust and grime, and it won't even take long.

STEP4. Repackage your dry goods.

It's not just for Instagram; you should store dry goods like pasta, cereals, and other items in clear containers. Protecting your food from home pests, which may multiply and eat down paper and even plastic, is also essential.

To prevent pests from entering your containers, make sure they lock or seal tightly. If you wish to use labels, go with opaque types if you like being able to see what's inside them quickly. Additionally, square, stackable containers are preferable to circular ones if you have a tiny pantry because they take up less room.

STEP5. Make strategic shelving.

You divided the items you regularly use from those you only occasionally use when taking items out of your pantry. It's time to put things that you frequently use in one collection. If you often bake cookies, keeping your baking ingredients close to the sprinkles and chocolate chips will save you a lot of time. Maintain a relative distance between the pasta and canned vegetables if you love to make soups.

A helpful organization tip is to arrange items on the pantry shelves according to how frequently you use them. As an example, consider this:

Top Shelf: Food and other supplies for special occasions or seasons.
Eye-level Shelf: Foods you frequently use, arranged by purpose like baking ingredients near your cookie cutters.
Easy to Reach Shelf: Healthy snack options you want your children to choose, as well as less regularly utilized foods with a long shelf life, such as canned goods.
Bottom Shelf/ Floor: Items that are too risky to put on higher shelves. The bulky and heavy ones must be placed on the lowest part.

Additional Pantry Cleaning and Organizing Tips:

Make a master list to record what you still have in the pantry and what ingredients you need to replenish.
Repel annoying moths by putting up muslin bags with fresh bay leaves, mint, lavender, or cedar.
Keep the food in sealed containers, and be sure to mop up spills or crumbs right away to stop pests like bugs from entering your pantry.
If your pantry has deep shelves, try installing pull-out shelves so it will be easier for you to access the food items at the back.
Maximize your pantry by utilizing its door. Install door shelves to hold small containers or jars like spices and condiments.