10 Steps to a Clean Pantry

It's a new year and with that comes a fresh start. So why not carry this philosophy over into your home! I like to start the new year with a clean slate and this means a clean pantry! If you're anything like me, then you might put off cleaning your pantry because it can be quite time consuming. Once the job is done however, it makes life a lot easier! I have found that cleaning out your pantry doesn't have to be hard or time consuming if you follow a few simple steps. So that's why I decided to create this 10 step guide, which I hope will help you on your way to a cleaner pantry and fresh start to the year!!

Step One: Empty your entire pantry

The first step to cleaning out your pantry is to remove everything that's inside! This makes it easy to see how you can best utilise your space. It also gives you the opportunity to really see how much food you have in there! I guarantee there will be items you have completely forgotten about!

Step Two: Clean it out!

Before I reorganise my pantry, I make sure to give the inside a good clean! This means vacuuming the floor (if you have a walk in pantry) and wiping down all the shelves. I love to use this delicious smelling spray & wipe!

For more inspirational kitchen goodies, I have written an entire post on Toxin Free kitchen products here!

Step Three: Check all expiration dates and throw away bad foods

This is an important step because so often we forget to check the expiration dates on pantry items. I found a packet of tea bags in grandmas pantry that had expired in 1988. But spreads and condiments are often the worst offenders! Once you have separated all the good food from the bad, throw anything away that can't be eaten.

Step Four: Donate any food that you don't plan on eating

What better time than now to rid your pantry of any unhealthy foods? Let's start 2016 on the right foot! If you do this, consider donating any non perishable foods to your local food bank. If you're wanting to avoid BPA one of the worst culprits is canned tomatoes, the acid in the tomatoes can allow the BPA from the can's lining to leach into the food, swap to bottled tomatoes instead!

Step Five: Take inventory of what you have and make a list of what you need

Now that you've cleaned out anything you don't need, it's time to make a list of what you do! For me personally, this year I am making a conscious choice to drink more filtered water. I've even written a whole blog post on the benefits of alkaline water if you're interested!

The Waters Co Ace 1.5L Alkaline Water Filter is a really handy water filter jug that removes up to 99% of fluoride and other chemicals in your water. However, if you would prefer a water filter that can be fitted to your tap and that doesn't remove fluoride (just the other nasties) then I would highly recommend The Beauty Chef Innerbeauty Water Purifier. It removes pollutants from your tap water and promotes healthy skin and gut health.

Step Six: Organise your food items into categorised sections

When putting your food items back into your pantry, I recommend organising them into categorised sections. This will help you locate what you're looking for so much easier, which saves time when you're cooking! Another great tip is to face all your labels outwards so you can immediately see what you need.

Step Seven: Utilise door and wall space

If you have any available wall or door space in your pantry, why not use it for hanging! This ensures you are using every available space. You could use this wall space for a spice rack or to hang reusable shopping bags... the possibilities are endless!

Step Eight: Consider making a kid friendly shelf

If you have kids at home, then you will know how often they venture into the pantry looking for a snack! That's why I recommend creating a kid friendly shelf filled with healthy snack options at their level of reach.

Step Nine: Stock up on the healthy foods you don't have

Now that you've reorganised your beautiful pantry, it's time to refer back to your list and stock up on any health items that you still need! At this time of year, I like to kick-start my health by including more superfoods into my diet.

Here on Nourished Life we have an amazing range of superfood supplements that I use and love. Amazonia is a great brand that really focuses on our inner health and wellbeing. I take their Amazonia Raw Prebiotic Greens powder because it helps my digestion and is packed full of leafy greens and their Raw Fermented Paleo Protein which is ideal for exercising! I also wrote this blog on the paleo diet

Power Super Foods is another company that stocks a large range of superfood products from chia seeds to acai powder, so are perfect for any health lover! I love the Power Super Foods Goji Berries because they can be added to almost everything! Eat them straight from the bag or add them to your favourite smoothie!

If you're a tea fanatic like me then the Matcha Maiden Matcha Green Tea Powder will become a pantry staple! It's full of antioxidants, vitamins and nutrients. Plus, it tastes amazing!

Step Ten: Keep it up!!

The final step to cleaning out your pantry, is keeping it that way! Making sure to maintain your pantry's cleanliness allows you to keep track of what you have and don't have. It also means you won't have to clean it out as often!