Seattle Closet Organization: Organizing Your Pantry

In groceries all over Washington, people are wasting time, money and fuel, driving to the store, shopping, and paying for groceries they don't need. Why? Because they're already in the pantry, hidden behind cereal boxes, under the bag of rice, or behind the army of water bottles. A messy bedroom closet is a stress-maker, but people don't buy new clothes because they can't find their jeans in the clutter. A disorganized pantry, however, costs extra money every week, not to mention the time you spend standing in that long line behind the woman with thirty price checks!
Getting Started
First, set aside several hours. Decide what you need: a better use of existing storage shelves, or a complete pantry remodel? Do you have a small pantry, or do you stock months' worth of food at a time? Take time to envision what you want your pantry to look like, and make a list of what you'll need.
Next, empty your pantry completely and give it a good cleaning. If you find items you'll never use, but which are still good, put them aside to donate-any Seattle, Tacoma, or Bellevue food bank will appreciate them. Toss expired items, excessively dented cans, rotten potatoes, and check goods like flour and rice for bugs. Before vacuuming, check your pantry floor for evidence of rodent infestation. Wipe down shelves and replace contact paper if necessary.
Organizing the Pantry
Next, replace the items systematically. For example, place cereals together, organize soups by type; stack all canned vegetables together, also by type. Stack cans to use all space, but be sure your storage shelves are strong enough to hold them. Keep baking supplies together, as well as boxed dinners. If you make certain dishes regularly, group those ingredients together-for example, spaghetti, canned mushrooms, and spaghetti sauce. If you keep spices in the pantry, group them by type-dessert, Italian, Hispanic, etc., then alphabetize. Keep large spice containers separate-it's hard to find that little jar of cloves behind the giant bottle of cumin. Try to place goods you use often at eye-level. Put heavy items on the floor. Once your pantry is restocked, you should be able to see everything easily, with no searching. If you find you have too much, relegate some items, such as soda, to garage storage, and others, like spices or oils, to cabinet storage. Finally, make a list of food you frequently buy. Laminate it, and hang it inside the pantry door with a dry-erase marker. When you run out of something, mark it. When market day comes again, your shopping list is ready!
Storage Systems
Perhaps you're not content with the shelves in your pantry. You need something larger, or a better arrangement. There are many storage systems available for your pantry, ranging from baskets, plastic bins and can dispensers to the same systems you use to organize your other closets. You can find easy-to-install closet organizers in any home improvement, Seattle closet organization or container store. Don't have a pantry? You can install a pull-out pantry to replace cabinet storage. These vary in style, function and price; consult a Seattle closet organization specialist to learn more. After all, a pantry is simply a closet for food, and in Seattle, closet organization means more time for family, fun, and you!

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