An organized kitchen is what we all desire and want. The kitchen really is the hub of the American home and when the kitchen is in chaos, our entire lives can feel that way too. I could write many blog posts on getting and keeping your kitchen organized simply because there are so many different areas in our kitchens. We have our storage for dishes, pots and pans, food, memo/phone corner, cookbooks, refrigerator, etc. Some families even keep a full desk and supplies for children to do homework with inside of their kitchen. Like I said earlier, the kitchen is the hub of the home - where everything happens.
For this blog I'm going to talk about the pantry and the refrigerator and give you a few storage tips and tricks to keeping it all running smoothly.
Let's talk about that pantry. Depending on the size you have here, the pantry is not only a good spot to store your unrefrigerated food items but it is also a good place to tuck those appliances, platters and other food preparation items that you don't use frequently. My pantry has a set of shelves off to one side and I use those shelves and the floor space under them to keep my larger countertop items that I just don't want out all of the time. The back of your pantry door is often an unused space that can give you a lot of storage if you take advantage of it. Look online for a kitchen storage rack that attaches to the back of your pantry door. Canned goods, plastic wrap and aluminium foil can easily be stored in these shelving units. I also recommend see through containers with labels on each for the shelves in your pantry. you can have one basket for pasta and rice, one for snacks, one for drink mixes, one for baking items etc. Customize your baskets to fit your needs ,but use baskets so that other members in your home know where to put items when they are helping you bring in the groceries.
The way I maintain my refrigerator is to do a mini clean-out of it each week before I go to the grocery store. I remove any leftovers that collected during the week and then toss anything that has gone bad. About once a month or as needed I take out shelves and clean them off. Doing this just before a trip to the store helps me complete my list of what we need and gives me the space I need to put things when I come from the store.
Some families like to keep a running grocery list inside their pantry door so that as things are used up each family member can add that item to the list. Personally I do a quick inventory before I head to the store. Based on what I plan to cook for dinner the following week I look in the pantry at what I have and make a note of items I don't have for a particular dish. Before I leave I also ask other members in the home what they need me to pick up for them. This system has worked for me for years. The trick is to find a system that works for you and manage it each week.
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