Smart Container Shopping

Who doesn’t love to wander the aisles of organizing stores (ok, maybe that is just me). The dreams of fitting all of your belongings into neat packages is appealing but gets very expensive. So before you go and spend money on more containers, really take the time to think about your organizing project.

Before buying any new containers, answer these quesitons:
What is my entire organizing project?
What needs to be contained?
Do I really need to keep and contain those items?
Do I already have a container that will hold these items?

If you decide you still need to purchase containers:
Do a scouting trip first. Go to your favorite storage container store and shop around for what kinds of options are available.
Create a plan for where the new containers will go and take measurements.
When ready to purchase, make a list of the items you need to purchase and on the list include what will go in them so you remember while you are shopping.
Last, keep the tags and receipt in case anything needs to be returned.

Buying a container doesn’t mean you’ll suddenly become organized, it is just a tool. You’ll need to make sure that the containers are used as part of a system and do not just become more clutter.

Spring Cleaning Your Pantry

Each season, it is a good idea to clean out your pantry. Think about it, do you really want to hang on to that Egg Nog Pancake Mix you got as a gift during the Holidays? The pantry closet and cabinets need sorting and cleaning frequently. Get a garbage bag and sort through all of your food products. Everything has a shelf life and if you can’t remember when you bought it or what you bought for it should get tossed out. Clean out the spices. Dried ground spices only last about 6 months, whole spices, like a cinnamon stick, last a year. Toss out the poultry seasoning, because you’ll need a fresh jar next Thanksgiving. Once you’ve cleaned out the shelves, wipe them down and put the remaining contents back according to similar use. This would be a great time to stock up on common pantry items. Most cookbooks have pantry lists of what to always have on hand so that you are always ready to prepare a meal.