Ew, mice!

It is still spring-cleaning time. So, what will it be this week? The other week,  cleaned out my pantry and trashed anything expired. I wish I had done the “Pantry Challenge” like my friend Clair, then I wouldn’t have expired items. The “Pantry Challenge” is to clear out your pantry by eating what you have and you should do it at least twice a year to avoid food expiring.

This begs the question…How do you clean out a pantry. My pantry not only has dry goods, canned goods, my daughter’s snack bin, but also zipper bags, tinfoil, dog food and small kitchen appliances (Hello, Cuisinart!).

“The first order of business is to take everything off of your shelves. Whether you have a small cabinet or a walk-in pantry, it's important to spread the contents before you, which ensures you'll get a full look at what you're working with. If you have an extra-large pantry, unload it in sections so that you don't end-up surrounded by too many piles that can easily become overwhelming. Then, once everything is out of your pantry, clean it.” — The Home Edit, Martha Stewart If  you already follow The Home Edit on Instagram or watched their Netflix series, you know that clear air tight bins that are labeled are the way to go. This way you can easily see what you have and how much. They even use clear bins to organize drawers (So smart!).

To clean the pantry vacuum or sweep first the shelves and floor. Then wipe it all down. If needed, put down shelf liner or tiered stand for cans or Lazy Susans. Then you can begin adding back your items, checking dates decanting to bins what you need to (and labeling the bins) and sectioning off like items like baking, snacks, canned goods, etc. Keep in mind where you want to put items, like kids snacks on a low shelf so they can reach for them on their own, and dry dog food in a rolling bin on the floor.

Think pantry cleaning is only spring cleaning? Think again…”You might think you don’t need to clean your pantry, but it’s a good idea to give it a good clear-out once a month or so. This will help you stay on top of the food you’ve got in your pantry and help reduce waste. Regular cleaning is also important to keep pests like weevils and mice away.” — ProHpuseKeepers No one wants mice and/or bugs.

Ok, so last week, we cleaned out our closet and this week, we tackled the pantry. Whatever you are spring cleaning or just cleaning, it is important to do it thoughtfully and remember that large projects can be broken down into many smaller projects done one-at-a-time. This last one is my favorite way to clean my dresser— one drawer each day for a 6 days.

Happy cleaning!