How to Declutter Your Pantry

If opening your pantry makes you want to close your eyes and search blindly, it might be time for a reset.

And before you buy a single organizing bin, you may not need as many things as you think.

First, decide what your pantry is actually for.

Is it food only? Are paper towels allowed? Extra pans? Foil and storage bags? There’s no right answer, but decide where the buck stops before you start putting everything back.

Then work in this order:

1. TOSS

Expired food, stale snacks, things nobody is going to eat. Also move anything that doesn’t belong in the pantry at all.

2. DONATE

Things you bought with good intentions but know you’re not going to use. Someone else might.

3. KEEP

Now you can actually see what you have and organize it based on how you use your pantry.

Only after that should you think about containers and bins. Because sometimes the best way to organize a pantry is to simply have less in it.