Pantries come in all shapes and sizes, but clutter is inevitable.
Ryan Bent Photograhy
Here are ten things you should look out for next time youdeclutter your pantry.
Some may be obvious, while others you might have overlooked.
Credit:Ryan Bent Photograhy
Come back to this list and use it as a guide each time you clean out the pantry.
Expired Items
Expired foods can be easy to overlook when you’re organizing in a hurry.
Use the same strategy with things you bought multiples of and cant use up before they go bad.
Check for quality when you bring up the package, as many dates indicate freshness, not safety.
Stale Items
Just because a food hasnt technically expired doesnt mean its palatable.
Toss less-than-fresh cereal, chips, and crackers.
Consider turningstale breadinto breadcrumbs, stuffing, or croutonsbut check formoldy slicesfirst.
Anything Questionable
When going through the pantry, youll likely come across a few mysterious items.
The same goes for things without an expiration date if you cant remember when or where you bought them.
If anything looks or smells suspicious, avoid taking risks and get rid of it.
As with stale items, be proactive in the future and adequately seal and label anything without original packaging.
Rinse out spoiled oil bottles andrepurpose them as stylish storageor decorative accents around your home.
Boxes or bags of sugars, flours, and powders should all haveexpiration datesprinted on them.
But some decor, such as icing and sprinkles, might be a mystery.
Sure, they can last years due to their high sugar content, but use your best judgment.
If it smells or tastes off in any way, let it go.
The same can be said for nuts because they contain high-fat levels like oil.
In the future, considerstoring nuts in the freezerto keep them fresh longer.
Rebuild your spice collection by starting with favorites you will actually use.
Its better to have a dozen well-loved spices than a pre-made set full of ones youll never touch.
Dented Canned Goods
A small dent from dropping a can of beans isnt a big deal.
Bulky Packaging
Your pantry could be unnecessarily cluttered from items stored in bulky packaging.
Even if yourpantry has deep shelves, large boxes and bags are still a waste of space.
Broken Appliances
Many peoplestore small appliances, such as the slow cooker orwaffle maker, in the pantry.
Gravely, Marianne.Before You Toss Food, Wait.
Check It Out!USDA.2013.
Is food in damaged cans dangerous?USDA.
