How was the kitchen organization? Of course, the kitchen is a space that is used on a daily basis and things are constantly getting rearranged, moved to the side or pushed to the back, especially with multiple people in the family using the kitchen or unloading the dishwasher. Sometimes, something gets thrown in a random place because someone just doesn’t know where it goes. It happens. Especially in our house and it’s exactly why I needed to complete the 10 days to an organized clutter fee home challenge. (post contains affiliate links, see disclosure)
DAY 6 – ORGANIZING THE PANTRY + FRIDGE
Today, it’s all about the pantry and food storage. If you have a walk-in pantry, I am so jealous! Our pantry is small, tall, deep, and completely unorganized. It needed a lot of work. I honestly don’t think I have cleaned it out since we moved in. Which would explain why we had canned goods that had been expired for three years!
Our pantry is deep and a lot of things get lost towards the back. I knew the organization had to be improved. Full disclosure – I’m sharing real life photos. While I wish they were Pinterest worthy, they are not. This is real life y’all!
BEFORE + AFTER
I assigned each section of the pantry for baking, canned goods, snacks, water, etc. Because the pantry is so deep, I added shelf risers towards the back for double the stacking space. The less frequently used items are stored at the top and heavier items like water bottles and beverages are at the bottom. I dream of the day I can have pull out drawers and matching organized containers for everything. One day, one day. Until then, I’m just going to keep it organized!
This same method can be applied to walk-in pantries too or upper cabinets. Use items like baskets and stackable shelves to maximize the storage space. Use a dry erase marker to put expiration dates on food items that are transferred into storage containers.
BEFORE + AFTER
The fridge and freezer were also unorganized and needed to be cleaned out. I removed all the food, shelves, and drawers from the fridge and cleaned it out from top to bottom. Remember the smaller storage bins I originally had in the bathroom? They were the perfect size for the freezer and storing frozen burritos, breakfast sandwiches, etc. Shopping at Costco, we have a lot of big boxes that don’t fit in the fridge. Taking the food items out and storing in smaller containers keeps everything more organized. I use a dry erase marker and write the expiration date on the plastic bin.
TASKS FOR TODAY
- Clean out fridge and freezer, toss expired food
- Assign each shelf specific items – dry goods, canned goods, snacks, meats & cheeses, beverages, etc.
- If desired, purchase or DIY pull out drawers, baskets, containers, etc. to maximize storage
Shop below for any products I’ve mentioned and some of my favorite organizational tools. Once you’ve completed your tasks, let me know! Leave a comment or share with me on Facebook or Instagram – I’d love to see it!
DAY 5: THE KITCHEN | DAY 7: CLOSETS + DRESSERS
