Monday's Household Assignment- Spring Pantry Organization

Spring is coming or already here for some of you. It's time again to clean out, de-clutter and restock your pantry with items for spring and summer.  I find that my cooking changes from season to season. When spring hits, I'm ready for grilling and lighter foods. Gone are the stews and hearty comfort foods I tend to make during the winter. This week I'm going to take the time to clean out any expired foods and reorganize my pantry putting the dried beans and items I use is heavy soups and recipes on bottom or top shelves and put the items that I'll use for the next few months in easier reach. Plus, after a couple of months it just looks messy and is hard to find things. It's been driving me crazy but with the wedding, I didn't have time to do it. So this week get into your pantry and get it in shape.
Here's how I  clean and organize my pantry.

• To start with, I get a large trash bag and a folding table. I set up the folding table right outside the door and the trash can next to that. I start at the top of pantry and work my way down.
  
• Remove everything from the top shelf and place it on the table.

• Wipe down the shelf and then sort through the items you removed, checking dates and contents. Anything that has expired throw away, combine other items if you have a couple of half containers.

• Place the items back on the shelf with the oldest items in front so that they'll get used up first and the newer ones behind those. Place the items you won't be using as much on a top or bottom shelf.

I arrange my pantry by categories. Baking Ingredients, Cereals, salty snacks, sweet snacks, canned fruits and all juices, Nut butters, jelly and honey, Pasta and sauces, rice and beans, Asian, Drink mixes, and condiments.
HINT: Try using baskets and bins to keep smaller items together. For example; I have a plastic shoe boxes for chocolate chips and baking chocolate, one for nuts, coconut and baking candies.

Try using large bin for pastas, a bin for rice and beans, a bin for condiments, and a bin for dry seasoning. None of my bins match but it's my pantry- who cares!!

One thing that I find really handy, I have an airtight tub that I keep all of my bread making ingredients and bread recipes in. That makes it easy to pull out and have everything that I need to make a batch of bread with.

Have a great week.