How to Bust the Clutter: Refrigerator and Pantry

In the land of plenty, we have plenty of clutter--including food! With packaging sizes and amounts unheard of in Grandma's day, mainly from those warehouse stores we love, our refrigerators and pantries are filled to overflowing. Here's how to bust the clutter in those kitchen areas for maximum food storage and minimum waste.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• a stack of rough and smooth rags
• a shopping list to note any replacements needed
• after taking inventory of your goods, you may want to purchase turntables (large and small), wire-coated shelves, and bins.

1. Before your next shopping trip, set aside some time to thoroughly empty and edit your refrigerator and pantry. First, if it's a warm day, pour lots of ice in the sink and set your perishables on top. Then just pull out every box, can, jar, and bag and spread them out on kitchen surfaces. Go as quickly as you can.

2. Take a rough rag, wring it out in a solution of warm water, a shot of dish liquid, and baking soda, and vigorously wipe down all surfaces in the refrigerator and pantry. In the fridge, don't forget side panels and under drawers. It's darn thorough to take out the removable parts, but you don't have to. Just slow down a little with anything that jiggles so you don't chip or break it. Finally, take rough rags and dry everything as thoroughly as you can.

3. Address the freezer first. You have three options with any thought-I-would-use-it-but-I-guess-I-won't items: cook them up, give them away, or throw them away. If you have vegetable odds and ends, add a can of beans and bouillon and make some minestrone. Fry those fillets. Make a strawberry puree for yogurt. And make sure you don't buy iffy stuff anymore.

4. Secondly, deal with the refrigerator. Merge products or throw them out. For instance, if you have two tablespoons of margarine in one container and another full one, condense them. See Tips. Obviously you want to throw out anything spoiled, practically empty (buy a replacement), expired or a mistake, i.e., a gallon jug of salsa too hot for hubby. See Tips. Finish editing your refrigerator items this way, then move on to the next step.

5. Take a smooth rag, wring it out very well in the warm cleaning water, and wipe jars and containers down as you replace them in the fridge. Do rough categorization as you go--sauces and dressings here, dairy products there, root vegetables below, etc.--so you can make up your shopping list for replacements more easily. Tip: Buy the largest turntable you can find to corral small jars of pickles, sauces, condiments.

6. If there are other mistakes (like the salsa), but unopened, collect them in a sturdy bag or box and donate them to a shelter or food pantry in your area; search for them through organizations such as Feeding America (see Resources). Sometimes the Post Office, local schools, and supermarkets host canned and boxed-food drives--store your excess until a drive rolls around and donate the goods then.

7. Now it's time to restock the pantry (or your cupboards). You'll need to keep like items together in a logical way. If you're not logical, try to think like a stock boy. Make categories on your counters then put the food away. Keep items you use the most at eye-to-waist level and toward the front. Lightweight items can be stored high; heavy items should be stored low.

8. Turntables, bins, and plastic-coated wire shelves are great for maximizing space, if you think you can keep up with it. (See Warnings.) If you're going for it, measure those items you'd like to store on shelves or turntables, or in bins. For instance, if you buy pasta by the eight-pound bundle, make sure you get a bin with enough depth, width, and height to accommodate it all. If you buy canned goods by the eight-pack, get turntables or racks they'll all fit on. See Warnings.

Tips & Warnings

• Using wrung-out rags to clean is more time-efficient than using paper towels and spray, but use paper towels if you prefer.
• If you like to save jars and plastic containers, put hot sudsy water in the sink or dish pan, and put empties in there as you go to clean. It'll soften up their labels for removal, too.
• So you have a gallon jug of unloved salsa. Well, buy a bag of corn chips and donate the lot to a youth group or bring it to work. Or throw it out. But in your fridge, it's just clutter.
• If you know someone who's struggling financially (like a student holding down college credits and a part-time job), give that person your excess food--such folks can be touchingly grateful for the help.
• Turntables, bins, and plastic-coated wire shelving are only to be used by people who like them. To thine own self be true: if you're a grocery shover, don't kid yourself. For you, just leave open areas on shelves where generally the pasta stuff goes, where generally the baking stuff goes, etc. Then name of the game is categorization, so you don't wind up thinking you need more olive oil when, in fact, you have two extra bottles behind the slow cooker.
• If you tend to buy more food than you have space to keep it, you have two choices: Stop buying so much at a time, or set aside ONE area in your home where the overflow goes--the garage, a closet, or under the bed. But the first option is better. If you only eat soup once a week, there is no need to buy 16 cans. Just buy three, and when one's left standing, buy two more.

Resources

• Feeding America (formerly Second Harvest)

[hnatalieann]

on 7/28/2009 Great useful article! 5* and rec!

[Barry331]

on 3/16/2009 Excellent-Youre a great writer

[crazycatlady]

on 3/6/2009 Great article! I do buy a lot of items at a warehouse, so I really need to heed your advice.

[Vanillatte]

on 3/6/2009 Excellent information on how to bust clutter in your refrigerator and pantry. I need to do this! 5*

[veryirie]

on 3/4/2009 One of the best how tos I've read in a long while; the way it should be. Excellently done! Good tips to get a clutter free refrigerator and pantry.