Wednesday 11 June 2008

How To Organize A Kitchen Pantry Closet - 7 Must Know Tricks

It doesn't require the skills of a gourmet chef to appreciate the fact that a well-organized pantry closet has more than a token import on the quantum of work in the kitchen. With all necessary ingredients within one's reach, cooking is a snap. You can find things, sort them out and even stock them within minutes.

No Olympian Effort Required

The presence of more things calls for more order in the way they are arranged. Contrary to popular perception, this is certainly not a Herculean task. Here are eight effective steps that'll answer your how to organize a pantry closet dilemma perfectly:

The task begins with a clearing exercise. Take out all the items from the closet and lay them on the table or the countertop. And please do not hesitate to get rid of all the foodstuffs that have outlived their utility.

Ensure that the shelves are squeaky clean.

Make a quick assessment of the stuff that has been laid out. It's about time that you enlightened yourself about the stuff you owned, and their precise quantities.

Now we are ready to sort out the items into different groups. Like, all snacks are grouped together, all breakfast cereals are categorized into one cluster, and so on. The number of groups depends, quite naturally, on the number of items that the closet is peopled with.

Creating sub-groups is sure to put your organizing abilities to test, but it's worth the effort. Here, all items with some similarities are put together. Canned fruits, canned soups and vegetables can be the various sub-groups.

It's time to eschew your affinity for those unsightly food packets. Investment in boxes or containers is sure to come as a breath of fresh air. Trays, bins or baskets help in maintaining a clutter-free closet. Their services will be highly appreciated when you replenish your stocks.

Now comes the part that requires you to get creative. Spare a thought to the most judicious manner in which all the items can be arranged. Here's a clue- keep all breakfast cereals on one shelf, preferably on the lowest one, so that they can be easily accessed by the kids. But the opposite holds good for those crunchy snacks. Items that are used frequently must be kept right in front. Now, that's common sense.

Just in case you have to contend with limited space, bring home a stand-alone shelf to placate all those extra items.

Isn't it a pleasure to see a pantry closet that is neat, tidy and clutter-free? Setting up a pragmatic storage system isn't that hard at all, as long as it espouses values of easy access and uncomplicated maintenance.