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Your belovedgrains and chipsare stuffed behind the treat you snagged yesterday at Whole Foods.
Sabrena Khadija
Theres a half-eaten bag of popcorn that you last munched on…when, exactly?
And how manyjars of marinaraarereallyburied back there?
Getting a handle on organizing your pantry can streamline your snacking habits and meal prep, sure.
But how you store (and take care of!)
your food can go a long way in making the experience of feeding yourselfand othersmore pleasant and enjoyable too.
That said, achieving a Pinterest-worthy pantry is daunting in and of itself.
Who has the time for an hours-long organization project?
And who wants to make a total mess voluntarily, only to have to clean it up again?
We tapped RDs and organization experts for their tips on keeping a tidier pantry.
Theyre worth the valuable real estatewe promise.)
Remember, your pantry needs to work for you, not the other way around.
Consider who uses your pantryand what they use it for.
Acknowledge this from the get-go.
Check and chuck what you no longer need.
Review your contents, then toss the unnecessary and expired.
Then, it’s possible for you to categorize and curate.
Depending on the size of your pantry or food cabinet, this shouldnt take you more than an hour.
Opt for transparent storage solutions.
For Jacobs, this means removing some foods from bulky packaging and placing them into transparent storage containers.
The Home Edit Large Clear Canister (2.5 qt.)
The Container Store
OXO Square Pop Container Short (1.1 qt.)
Amazon
4.
This makes it easy to find what Im looking for and keeps the food fresh.
No more reaching for a can and not knowing which one youll grab, Jacobs says.
A three-tier shelf allows you to get a clear view on each item.
A simple shelf riser can also do wonders here.
you’ve got the option to find everything with the spin of a finger, she says.
Nothing gets lost in the back of the cabinet.
I run my household with my 10-minute task rule, Bouganim explains.
I take 10 minutes to clean out any given space and move on.
And remember: It doesnt have to be perfect; good enough is good enough!
We also donated the unopened items from our photoshoot for this project toNew York Common Pantry.
