How organized is your kitchen pantry? Here are some money saving tips you can try around your home.
Come clean — do you know what’s hiding in your pantry? Up until a couple of months ago I certainly didn’t know the full scoop. But then I took on the dreaded task of clearing my pantry out, cleaning the shelves and re-organizing everything. It was enormously rewarding, as these kinds of jobs usually are. It took about three hours to do it all properly, but by the time I had finished, I had actually discovered plenty of food I didn’t even know I had.
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Kitchen Pantry Organization: Why You Should Organize Your Pantry
And this is the whole point of getting in there and having a clear out in the first place. During those three hours, I discovered several things about the process that I’d like to share with you here. I have managed to save money as a result of having that clear out, and here are some more good reasons why you’ll benefit from performing this exercise and organizing this part of your home.
1. I re-discovered things I didn’t know I had. If you have ever done this you’ll know how amazing it can be to unearth some long-forgotten items in your cupboards. Well, it can be amazing or it can be startling (if you’ve got perishables in there). In my case, I came across a good discovery. I forgot that I had flavored noodles in the pantry so the next day, I did a stir fry with them. It gave me ideas for different recipes.
2. I reacquainted myself with all those essential pantry ingredients I had forgotten about. I am referring to things like herbs, sauces and so on. Once I found a few bottles, I started using these ingredients and ended up with some different meals as a result.
3. I found things that were about to expire. It’s a good idea to do a regular cleaning or check of your pantry so that you can spot things that have an expiration date and that need to be used soon to avoid getting wasted. Re-organize your pantry to ensure that those items that have an expiration date are positioned front and center; this way you’ll tend to consume these things more quickly.
4. I was able to cross things off my shopping list because I found out I already had them. I was amazed by the number of things I was about to go and buy that I already had. I just had to tidy things up a bit to find them all.
5. I was able to reorganize my ingredients so that similar things were grouped together. This made it easier for me to keep track of what I already had and what I needed to buy. For example, dried pasta, rice and spaghetti all sit in the same place. Whenever I want to make lasagna or some other pasta or rice dish, I know exactly where to look for what I need. By being more organized, I can pace my shopping in a way that is most efficient and that saves me money.
You can see how beneficial it can be to keep one’s stock room and pantry in order. I did have to get rid of a few things that had been forgotten and were long since out of date. The wasted money on those things did annoy me, but it has taught me a lesson as well.
Moral of the story? Don’t forget those things you’ve put in storage. Here’s one place where you can avoid wasting money simply by being aware of the stuff you buy and bring in from the grocery store. I cook a lot more now than I’ve ever done before, so I’ve got a better idea of what I need to have in my pantry all the time. I am now less likely to waste or forget about anything, and I enjoy a lot more versatile meals as well. With a plentiful supply of staples like pasta, rice, spaghetti, herbs and sauces, you can’t go wrong!