Declutter Your Refrigerator, Freezer, and Pantry

by Susan McCarthy

Everyday practice: Schedule regular time to sort through your refrigerator and pantry so food doesn't go to waste.

Your refrigerator, freezer, and pantry are some of the most straightforward locations in your home to declutter and organize. So, why might you avoid decluttering these areas? You may find yourself facing good intentions that fell to the wayside – food for the diet you were going to follow, the healthier meals you were going to prepare, the attempts to be more adventuresome.

And, while many other items around the house may tempt us into saying, “I might use this,” food has an expiration date that prevents us from holding onto it indefinitely. So, how can you psychologically deal with the embarrassment or disappointment of purchases that end up in the trash?

Instead of flipping the item into a trash bag as quickly as you can so to hide the evidence, hold the item for a moment and consider what you got from making this purchase. Was it the thrill of finding a bargain? Was it the feeling that you were making positive changes in your diet? You got that feeling by buying the items, not using them; so, in a way, the items served a purpose.

That thought probably doesn’t improve the frustration you feel from wasting money or resources by buying food that you didn’t eat. Use this knowledge. In the future, allow yourself no more than a single new- or unusual-for-you food item a week and make yourself use the item within a week (before it has a chance to slide to the back of the pantry).​

How to Clean and Organize Your Refrigerator, Freezer, Pantry, or Spice Rack

Before you start, you’ll want a few things on hand. Grab a cleanser and cleaning cloths. Have a trash barrel (and a back-up trash bag) handy. If you wear reading glasses, have them or a magnifying glass on hand so you can see expiration dates.

1. Empty the space.
2. Wash or wipe the area with a mild cleanser.
3. Check the expiration date of each item before you return it. If you can’t find an expiration date, can you remember purchasing the item? If you’ve been using an expired product without any issues, you can decide if you want to continue to use. If not, toss. Also, toss condiment packets.
4. Before returning an opened item to the space, consider if it is something you or family members will never again use and toss it if you won’t use it.
5. If the item has been opened, check that the item is in good condition. Are there bugs taking up residence in the one-third full box of cereal? Is there mold growing on the surface of your grape jelly?
6. Set aside unopened, unexpired items that you won’t use for your local food pantry.
7. Group similar items together so you can see what you have in stock. Put the oldest items (with the soonest expiration date) up front so they get used first. When you make new purchases, always put the new items to the back. I’m fond of alphabetizing spices (not that my husband has noticed that I do this), but I don’t bother organizing other food items this way.
8. Add to your shopping list products that you use. If you use brown mustard but the product expired months ago, buy the smallest size possible. Yes, it may cost more for each ounce, but what’s the cost of food that you end up throwing out.

Note what types of food you threw away. If fresh fruit and vegetables spoil before they get used, consider purchasing frozen fruits and vegetables, purchasing smaller quantities, or only buying these items when you’ve planned a meal.​

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