On yesterday's post, Margaret mentioned being organized. Being organized can save a lot of money! IT IS TRUE! You need to know exactly what you have and where it is - so you don't needlessly go out and haphazardly buy more. Sure, more can be great - but if you need to be concentrating on another area of your preps - then you don't need to spend money on things you already have a plentiful supply of.
We have all had the best laid plans!!!! Get everything all neat and organized - then we for a big shop, or we get in a hurry and stuff just gets stuck somewhere and BOOM, there we are all disorganized again!
I tend to organize my pantry according to the type of inventory. I try my darndest to keep fruits, veggies, soups, baking items, meats, pastas and rice, condiments, etc. all grouped together.
Does it always work? Nah - I get lazy sometimes. BUT, I try!!!!
It makes it much easier to find things and to restock inventory when needed.
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I keep my home canned items all together and by item. Spaghetti sauce, soup starter, salsa, pizza sauce, jellies, pickles, etc. Not only does this simply my life - it makes it easy to know where things are, in case I need to help someone else out. I know where my groceries are. I am NOT like the store - and do NOT rearrange all the time!!!!!!!
My freezer - I try to keep frozen veggies together, chicken, fish, pork, beef..... in areas together. This is one of my downfalls for sure. I get it all cleaned and organized, and in no time, well, it is a mess again. My frig freezer has items for weekly use and I tend to keep my containers of leftovers in there, so that I never forget them, and I can grab and make a quick meal.
It isn't just groceries. I have my books sorted by type. Cookbooks, self help, old classics, fiction, crafting, how to.........
I have a sock and undie drawer, my health & beauty supplies all have a place, bed linens, extra blankets, etc. Now, does this mean my home is all perfectly organized - HECK NO!!!! NOT even close!!!!!
I will be the first to admit that I have waaaayyyy too much stuff. Still working on needing to get rid of things. There is so much stored in my basement, and it truly needs to go and bless someone else. My craft room stays a mess! UGH!!
The struggle is real!
What are some of the tricks that you use to stay organized. I guarantee you that we can all use tips and help in the endeavor. I don't think most of us are minimalists - so we all have extra stock of all sorts and we are just preparing and hedging ourselves what might be.
Throw out your best tips and ideas.
I can't wait to hear from you all.
She looks well to the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness
Proverbs 31:27
I have a beverage cabinet for coffee, teas, cocoa, mugs, etc. I have a baking cabinet for all of my baking items like baking soda, baking powder, sprinkles, chocolate chips, etc. One cabinet with jelly, maple syrup, canned goods and jars of beans, rice. One cabinet with tomato products and jars of pasta. One cabinet for crackers, chips, popcorn, etc. It helps me keep an eye on how much I have and to know where to put things when I buy them.
ReplyDeleteGood for you. It is nice to be able to keep things seprerated. I agree, keeping like items together sure helps keep track of inventory.
DeleteLove it. Thanks
Excellent Scripture! I'm afraid I have been eating the bread of idleness lately. ha! Just so much to be done and I have trouble deciding what to "do for the best", as my sweet mommy would say.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, I can't tell you how many times we have repurchased something because we thought we didn't have it. I found some things that I was sure were gone by searching for something else. I always say when I survey all our "stuff" that we are abundantly blessed. My little brain gets sad when things are not organized and in order, although if you could see my house now, you would have trouble believing that. ha! I detest searching for something that wasn't put back in its home. I'm looking at you, Urban Farmer! ha! The spices are organized by category. That seems to work the best. We also have some spices that are used to make the elderberry drink that we have twice a day to boost our immunity. The freezers seem to be our downfall. So hard to keep order when you are looking for a spot to stash a package.
I think we can probably all say we are 'eating the bread of idleness' often. It happens.
DeleteI like when I put something away for safe keeping! It is often real safe, because I can't remember where that place is!!!!
It is nice to have a system that works. We each do things that works for us! Love that.
Freezers are just soooooo hard!
Well, Cheryl, moving helps. LOL! My sister is the family organizer. It comes naturally to her and her pantry is actually alphabetized. I try to keep like things together as you do. I think one reason I've put off the remaining boxes in the shed is because I'm not sure where to put everything. Our house (at this early point) is very uncluttered. That's not going to last once I tackle those boxes, but I will say I've gotten in the habit of making regular donation drop offs. That started before our move and continues now.
ReplyDeleteThe chest freezer in particular is going to be a challenge. I've always had an upright before, but we had space in the kitchen for a small chest freezer, so that's what we bought. Meats and veggies (as we all know) aren't nice and flat and evenly shaped. I'll look forward to suggestions there!!!
For those who have a Safeway store in their area, USDA beef roasts of boneless chuck, cross rib, bottom round, top round, eye of round and sirloin are $3.97 lb. this week. Pork chops, shoulder steaks and country ribs are $2.99 lb. Red delicious apples, red or Yukon gold potatoes, broccoli crowns and tomatoes on the vine are 99 cents lb. Bananas are 39 cents lb. Signature Select (store brand) ice cream is $1.47 each 48 oz. carton w/digital coupon, 1st two. Nothing much else at what I'd consider good prices.
--Elise
When I had a chest freezer I used a lot of baskets. Plastic bins kept things separated. Bags of veggies together or sausage rolls, or hamburger packs. I smash things as flat as I can when I vacuum seal so they take up less room.
DeleteThose are some really good deals. I only have one Safeway around any more, and haven't been in there for years.
If you bulk buy something put all of that in the bottom (Mom always did the ground beef in the bottom).
DeleteDid you chest freezer come with baskets? If so, that's an easy place to toss al the frozen veg. Basket for chicken, basket for pork....ect
If yours didn't come with baskets, could buy woven 'strapping' baskets and organize by project type.
This is one of the reasons I went upright. Shelves are easy to organize. I stand up stuff as much as possible. In the bottom basket I stand up any meat purchases: gr beef, salmon, chicken.
I do think containers are the only way to go in a chest freezer but maximizing space use is a challenge.
https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Household-Portable-Sundries-Fruit-Basket-Multifunction_1600478145091.html?spm=a2700.7724857.0.0.70546475arTwBw
Thanks Elise great tips
DeleteThank you, Elle! It only came with two small, upper lift out baskets. I'm going to be take measurements and see what I can find to fit/stack in the freezer cavity itself.
Delete--Elise
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteI have to confess to not being organised, I try but I am not good at it.
ReplyDeleteMy freezer has to be the worst, I bought a chest freezer because they are supposed to be more energy efficient, but honestly I really regret it, every time I want something I have to empty it. I do try, I mean the open packets are all in the rack, cooked sauces, soups and meals are together and extra herbs and spices are stored together, but it just doesn't work. I wouldn't mind half so much, but the upright freezer it replaces was beautifully organised and really worked for me! We live and learn.
I am also trying to be more organised with my clothing, starting with my underwear, even here I am struggling as I want to keep sets together, but that doesn't seem to be available. I am currently trying to adapt a hanging shoe store, but I don't know if I can make it work yet.
Freezers are tough. I have had problems with both chest and upright. Just can't keep them in order.
DeleteGood for you with the clothing. That is another struggle for me. I tend to throw underwear and socks just in the drawer and then have to dig for what I want! You sound like you have some great goals!
Cheryl, have I got a sock tip for you! Put pairs together with rubber bands. (Safety pins seem like a good idea but have ruined some of my good wool socks). Take off the band to wear the socks, put it back on when you take off the socks and toss them in the wash. Matching socks are kept together 100% of the time that you aren't wearing them.
DeleteWell, I have way to many cook books and just regular books for that matter. Too much yarn, but is there ever tooo much? Just to much stuff. But I hardly ever have to buy much. My pantry is doing really good. I just need to organize things. But that is for another day. Right now the sun is still shining and I'm still planting things. I finally got my herb garden going, I have thyme, flat leaf and curly leaf parsley and a sage plant. I plan on transplanting a basil plant but waiting a bit till I harvest some to take to my daughter. And I need to check to see how hardy the plants are in my area, we usually don't get many freeze days. But that can change! Better safe than sorry.
ReplyDeleteOh I have way too much stuff too. Totally get it. That is why I don't do yard sales any more - I need nothing!
DeleteWow, you are still planting? Neat. I just blows me away that your area of the country stays warm enough to do that. Once we get a freeze or two - stuff is done here for the season. I wish you great success with your herbs. Love that!
I've gotten rid of my chest freezer, and use only the fridge freezer, with two drawers. They are both divided, In the bottom drawer I keep frozen veg and perogies on one side, meat on the other. The upper drawer has bread products and frozen waffles on one side and leftovers or other items I've frozen from the garden (They're smaller packages and tend to fall out of the bottom.)
ReplyDeleteMy daughter has a chest freezer and recently we purchased dollar store bins to organize the items. She's separated items by type (beef, pork, chicken, etc), a bin for frozen veg, one for yoghurt tubes and ice cream. When she wants something she still has to pull out items to get to things, but now at least, they're easier as they are in bins and not individual items.
A trick I learned from a real estate agent for my closet: Separate clothing by type, short sleeved blouses/tops, long sleeved, dresses, jackets, pants...and then each category is hung by color lightest to darkest. It probably sounds odd, but it really works not only for finding that item you're looking for, but your closet will look tidier. I have a decent sized dresser so have separated clothing in the drawers as well. Sadly, the drawers tend to be messier than I'd like - I'm guessing I have too many t-shirts and jeans. :)
P.S. I don't think craft rooms are meant to be organized. At least mine sure isn't!
That is a good system on the freezer drawers. That is a lot of what I did when I had a chest freezer. Those bins are nice and do help a lot.
DeleteNeat tip on organizing clothes. I am afraid my clothing is not that organized!
I kind of agree on craft rooms. That is one of those spaces if all cleaned up - I don't know where things are!!!! LOL
A Dollar Store stop is now on my list. :-)
Delete--Elise
In one of my bedrooms, 1/3 of the closet is shelving. I group my already expired food items on one shelf by category. I look to this shelf first when I need something. The next shelf, again arranged by category, is for items set to expire this year 2022. And third shelf holds items that expire next year or later.
ReplyDeleteI arrange my spices by cuisine. All my Italian spices like basil, garlic, etc sit together. Mexican like cumin and cilantro the same. Baking spices like cinnamon, nutmeg also together. I have a 2 tier lazy susan in the cabinet so my most used spices are on the bottom within easy reach and the top tier is for less used spices or my homemade spice blends. Since I buy mine in bulk I have a separate cabinet where I keep the bulk bags.
I have purchased cases of canned goods I use often. I keep those stacked in that bedroom too but no need to remove them from their boxes to the shelves until they're almost gone.
I keep bulk bags in food safe 5 gallon buckets and refill jars. I have an odd ball counter across my kitchen that isn't
much space but I realized a few months ago it is enough space to store jars of my often used items like grains and beans. The filled jars actually look very nice lined up there! I was never really sure what to do with that counter before because it's pretty useless otherwise. It's more of a cubby surrounded on all 4 sides by cabinets. I don't know why they didn't make the whole thing cabinets.
I have all my saved boxes, bows and gift wrap with tape and scissors in a bedroom corner on a little bookshelf. I keep categories of books together. Cookbooks are all in the kitchen on free standing shelves. My religious books are together. My craft books are in the crafting area.
It's definitely a work in progress. I never lack for an organizing project. One, I have many areas that are just constantly unorganized and two, I often "update" something or somewhere I already organized because I thought of something even better.
The unorganized areas become magnets for even more "stuff". In the next week or so I will be targeting one of those magnet areas. My kitchen counter closest to the front door used to be magnet for stuff until I cleared it of all MY STUFF. I keep the bare minimum on it. It's been that way for years now. If something lands there that doesn't belong it's easy to see that and deal with it. (I kid you not my family used to shove their stuff UNDER my stuff on that counter. Stuff they didn't know what to do with.)
I find that keeping like items together is not only helpful in organizing but it looks nice too! That really motivates me!
I know I've run on here but one story. Yesterday my husband was looking for something and asked if I had it and I immediately knew where it was and pulled it out. Then he asked for another item that you would use with the first item and I pulled that out of the same place. He just looks at me and says with a twinkle in his eye, "You think you're something don't you!" Well, it does feel nice to be organized! lol.
Today is a rare free day so I will be spending today organizing and decluttering around the house. This will be much more enjoyable free day than say going shopping! LOL. I will get to enjoy the fruits of my labor on into the future and not have to pay a bill for it!
~Margaret
Margaret, I think I need to hire you! Want to make a trip to the high pine mountains in AZ? :-)
Delete--Elise
WOW - that is my main thought!!!! Indeedy, you sound organized. I like to think I am - but heck no - compared to you!! You have a great system going on.
DeleteI don't worry about dates at all - but do try to keep the newest stuff to the back. Rotation is important.
Your hubs - realizes he has a gem with you! Great job.
I agree with Elise - if you want to travel, we probably all can use some help. Organize around America!
Elise & Cheryl, you're so sweet! Organizing and decluttering is more fun with a buddy. Plus as I told my MIL helping someone else with their stuff is usually more fun than doing your own! LOL. Years ago, with littles around I started with small goals. The first one was the dining room would be neat and uncluttered. It's the first room you see and I didn't want clutter to be what everyone saw first. It took a while but now it's basically set. On the rare occasion something ends up there, it's not there long because it sticks out! The next 2 rooms I added were the kitchen and the master bedroom. The bedroom is easier than the kitchen because the kitchen is so central to life. But if I'm ever feeling overwhelmed or that I haven't accomplished much I clean or neaten up the kitchen! The bedroom is like the dining room now. If something is out of place it's noticeable! And usually, it only takes a few minutes to straighten up the room. I don't like my husband to come home and have to face a cluttered bedroom. Over time I was able to go smaller with cabinets and closets. I figured out what would help me be less stressed and more efficient in my day. I am currently working on the bedrooms that my children vacated. They did leave stuff behind that I have to decide what to do with it.I have ideas for those spaces that I think will make this house more livable. When all the kids were here years ago we thought briefly about remodeling/adding on. Now I'm glad we didn't spend or go into debt to do that. I'm having fun "down-sizing" without moving!
Delete~margaret
Plastic baskets keep our freezer organized most of the time. See the word MOST!
ReplyDeleteThey helped with my chest freezer - but I am not as good with that in the upright. Just seems like not much in the way of baskets fits. I bet you are one of those that has all packages nice and flat and the same size. That would work for bins. I love that you can keep it organized. Good job!
DeleteMany years ago I had a catastrophe with a chest freezer... something fell behind it and knocked the plug out of the wall. We lost everything. Now I have only the freezer over my little fridge and it is so small everything *must* be organized and in stacking containers or nothing will fit at all. When my nephew comes to visit I have to work to make a place for the icecream! :D
ReplyDeleteMy canned goods (the stash, not the current use) is in an old cabinet belonged to a friend. I try to keep the older stuff out front and on top so it gets used first. Also, I mark the top of each can with magic marker - the best-by year: 22, 23, 24. There's not enough room for the catfood so it just has to go on the floor near that cabinet. I'd love to sort everything by year, but there's not proper shelf space.
Too much clothing - some of it is *old* but still useable and I keep wearing it but it doesn't wear out fast. Mostly I'm in "rags" when I'm home or gardening, and it's surprising how long they hold up. It was different when I worked all the time, but part time really cuts down on how much decent looking clothing a person needs.
Fortunately I have a big old cabinet for out-of-season clothing. I agree with the closet organizing: shirts together, skirts together, etc. I keep the unworn clothing on one end of the closet, and stuff that isn't ready for laundry on the other end. For many years I really washed my clothing too often, big waste of soap and water. There's a hook on the closet door where I can hang worn clothing to air out before going back into the closet.
The whole thing is a huge challenge.
Yikes, that novel above is from MaryB....... ;)
ReplyDeleteMary it sounds like you stay very organized. That is wonderful. You have a good system. I had a lot of clothes when I worked, but now I am jeans, t-shirts and sweatshirts kind of gal. I have a couple dress up things, but that is it.
DeleteSounds like you have the food storage very well organized. I know many people are very concerned about dates - and you have a good answer for that. I am not worried, but many people do mark their food. I love that we all have a system.
Clear bins (shoebox sized) in the 10cf chest freezer along with the 3 baskets it came with. Try to keep like with like. Clean out, defrost, and inventory twice a year. Open packages and leftovers in fridge freezer. A place for everything and everything in its place in the refrigerator.
ReplyDeleteA small pantry for canned goods (on the floor), then a shelf of pots & pans, a baking goods shelf, pasta & oils and foil, plastic wrap, etc. shelf, and tall stuff (oatmeal) on the top shelf. Overstock is on shelves in the utility room and in open cases under the beds. Since the utility room is our entry, I cover the shelves with curtains to keep anyone from seeing the extent of our preparations. Small spice rack on the inside of the pantry door w/overflow in a small basket on a shelf. I use a binder clip to clip clean used ziploc bags to the spice rack. Toiletries, OTC meds, and paper goods are in bins on shelves in the utility room.
We don't own a lot of clothes and even fewer shoes. I wear clothes to near rags before I break down and use newer pieces. I have a chest of drawers for t-shirts, sox & undies, new clothes I'm not wearing yet, extra towels. Everything is folded. Coats, jackets & jeans hung in the closet. I wear my clothes for a number of days before washing and hang them over the laundry basket at night to air. Closet has a bin of quilts, bulk boxes of incontinence supplies, 3 bins of baking supplies (flour, sugar, mixes). The bottom of an old kitchen hutch serves as my nightstand and holds bed linens and blankets, with hats and gloves in one of the drawers.
My sewing room is very small and has to be well organized. I use large bins for my Project Linus fabric, sorted by color. Yarn is also in 3 large bins, sorted by color. All these bins are in my bedroom or and seldom-used ones are in the shed due to lack of space. Bookshelves line one wall. One holds crafting/DIY/cook books and magazines, school yearbooks, photo albums, another set of shelves holds genealogy notebooks and folders (alpha by family) and CD boxes of music CDs. Then a set of shelves for sewing supplies in bins (thread, notions, etc). Completed blankets are in bags under the sewing table, and full bags are behind the TV stand in the living room. Two small file cabinets are under part of the sewing table. More file cabinets are on another wall under shelves holding paperwork to be filed, computer supplies, grow lights, and other misc. One plastic 3-drawer bin on wheels holds ready-use sewing supplies and another holds small office supplies with larger office supplies on shelves in the tiny closet. Cutting mat slips between a file cabinet and the wall.
Most of my books are in my bedroom on two short stacked shelf units. They are sorted by genre and author, and history books are sorted by era and location.
My organizational weakness is the sheds, and even there things are organized generally by type. I really need to clean them out and thin out the stash of wood, home repair items, etc. Maybe next spring...
The mud porch has a large wire shelving unit for tools and small home repair supplies. These are organized in shoebox sized plastic bins and labelled (Electrical, Plumbing, Hinges, Drywall repair, etc.) Screws and nails are mostly in their original boxes, but odds and ends are sorted by type and purpose (wood screws, machine screws, etc.)
All this is in a less then 900 sqft trailer with no basement or attic. Hope this gives someone some helpful ideas.
WOWZA - again, another person who would have accommodations if you ever decide to travel!!!! LOL. Geesh girl, you can come and work on my house.
DeleteIt sounds like you truly have it together. Wat to go.
I love the ideas you use and I am sure those will be helpful to others.
You gals who seem to have it going on - are way ahead of the game. I am floored at the level of organization you all seem to have. Impressive.
At one time, I actually thought about becoming a professional organizer. However, I am much too blunt to be able to do the psychological finessing required to get people to purge their stuff.
DeleteYou as for doing the job - you would be great. Yep, the people part wouldn't be fun!
Deletewow Frances that's inspiring! I love to get tips from people who live in small spaces.
Delete~margaret
Frances, we have lots of similarities, but I don't do it as well as you do! The one thing I have done that has really helped is to add a second shelf in every closet, about a foot above the one that is already there. I have a walk-in closet in the master bedroom with U-shaped shelves. I added a shelf on both sides and just left the single shelf in the back to store taller items. I bought wire shelf dividers that slip over the wood shelf and act like cubbies. I don't have a linen closet so these additional shelves are just the ticket for storing extra blankets and such. We put them up with plain white brackets screwed into every other stud (32 inches apart).
DeleteWhen my mom lived here, she called me "Monk.". Anyone that watched Monk knows that he's a little bit eccentric lol. That said, it's been a huge miserable struggle since I wrecked my knee. After my mom died, we moved everything around a little at a time. When it was at it's worst, I tore my knee up. That was 6 months of zippo. Since then, I do what I can, but it's been a slow road!
ReplyDeleteI've always done my closet like Maebeme described...sort of. I do separate winter and summer. And I made daily hoop dividers to do my husband's outfits. He's color blind within certain colors and if I don't watch him, he'll leave for work looking like Bozo on LSD!!
Pantry is very good, too. Lines of tomatoes, veggies, etc. A box with pasta, one with beans, etc.
Books are grouped by topic. My reading books were given to me by my MIL. Hundreds, literally. They're mostly downstairs and come up by author as I choose. Then I use the Books in Order website to group them by year, character, etc. I note things on the inside cover to keep track. If I especially like a character/s and I don't have one in order, I'll make a note to order the next one from the library. I've done this with King and Maxwell by David Baldacci.
Enough, lol.
Yeah, I am not at all organized compared to you gals. Man oh man you all have some decent systems. Computer organization is a new one! THAT is organized. I have a lot of books, but no way would they be organized like yours.
DeleteI can see sorting clothes for someone color blind. That could be bad!
You guys are really good - great ideas.
I use the Books in Order website a lot, too, to find which ones in a series the library systems doesn't have.
Delete"Bozo on LSD!" ROTFLMAO!! You crack me up! If I ever get back to KS, we ARE meeting up!
Glad I could give you a good laugh, Frances! I love my husband to pieces, but dressing is his greatest challenge. He didn't think he had color problems, but I immediately noticed that he confuses orange and red. Navy and black. Not a biggie until he's wearing 7 colors lol! The first week he went back to work after we were married, he asked what he dressed like before. It seems that he was flooded with compliments on his new look. He matched lol. During the weekend (except for church), I let him go psychedelic!! Nothing like dull yellow and grey shorts with an orange and turquoise T-shirt!!
DeleteBaldacci! My guilty pleasure! I think I've read them all,
DeleteTotally off topic, sorry, Cheryl! So I was chatting with my friend this morning while she was having breakfast in her work parking lot. She's in L.A. She's having McDs. I ask what she got. Egg McMuffin meal, and an OJ. I said, "Can I guess how much it is?". I guess $6 and she burst out laughing. $8? Nope. TWELVE DOLLARS!!!! What the heck?!?! She said all the restaurant food prices skyrocketed when minimum wage was raised and then brought up that bite they stopped for. Remember I mentioned that? Seriously, I shrieked lol.
ReplyDeleteLunch was $108 before tip. She said that even they were stunned and were talking about seriously cutting back on eating out. This is a perfect time to use the word "Gobsmacked"!!! I was!! I had no idea eating out was that expensive now in Cali.
That is something. Used to McD was about the cheapest place to eat. Well, not sure what people expected when they demanded these ridiculous minimum wages. It comes back to bite someone!!!
DeleteMcD was always a stop over job - not one to take care of a family.
Thanks for all the tips about baskets for the freezer. I have a chest freezer and it really is hard to find things in there without having to take out each item.
ReplyDeleteOne of the ways I organize is too not have too much stuff. The less I have, the less I have to organize! -- Elaine
Elaine, I completely agree with your last statement. Every time I start thinking about needing more places to store things, I stop myself and ask what I can get rid of instead. I can nearly always find something that isn't worth the space it inhabits.
DeleteExcellent point! The less you have the less to organize. Again, why I need to continually work on getting rid of stuff.
DeleteHope some of the suggestions help you out.
That's so true. Once when I was trying to figure out how to store all the hats, gloves and scarves for the kids I realized we had way more than we needed. So instead of getting a bigger basket or bin we figured out which ones to save and which ones needed to go to someone else. I got rid of that system when the last kid moved out. Since I have several scarves and coats I didn't want to part with I matched a scarf with a coat (& a pair of gloves). Now when I reach for a coat the scarf and gloves are right with the coat. NO pulling down the basket to pick out gloves and scarves. Or even remembering to put them in the basket as they stay with the coat.
Delete~margaret
Margaret that is a great idea. I don't usually wear hats - except for shoveling. I have a couple and they are on the shelf. I do keep my scarves with the coats or on a hanger with the coats in the closet.
DeleteNice to get rid of things and bless others!
One of my serious semi-annual cleaning tasks is my pantry. In the spring, before canning season begins, I go through my pantry and reorganize and inventory, so I know what I need to can over the spring and summer. In the Fall, I do it again, in preparation for the holidays and all the large dinners and baking. Each time, I'll take everything out, reorganize into similar groupings (all pasta together, all fruits, all vegs, etc.), write them all on an inventory sheet, and put them back into their correct place in the pantry. The organizing and inventory sheet help me know, from year to year, what I'm using most, and where the holes are that need to be filled. I can also check expiration dates and pitch what's beyond safe to eat (i.e. candy melts from well before I moved here 7 years ago, so maybe 10 years old? Not sure how bad they were, but wasn't about to test something that could easily have gone rancid). As for the freezer, I only have my side-by-side refrig. But one thing I learned from my Mom (who learned the hard way) is to never put meats above frozen fruit. Meat always goes to the bottom, fruits above. If the freezer fails and meat starts to thaw, it's ok if it has fruit juice on it -- adds flavor, like a BBQ or sweet & sour sauce would. But meat juices on frozen fruit??? It has to be pitched.
ReplyDeleteVery good point about the freezer. Very smart to keep the meat at the bottom level.
DeleteI go through my pantry a couple times a year and reorganize and clean. It just helps us stay on top of things.
It is always nice to know in advance of the special seasons what you need - thus watching for sales and stock-up prices. Some deals are only good around the holidays - it pays to stock up for the year!
Good job.
Our 42 year old freezer that we bought used, bit the dust about 12 days ago. I looked online for freezer organizer tips with the new chest freezer. Decided on reusable grocery bags since I already had quite a few. Our propane company gave us several when we did our prebuy this year. I made tags and covered them with packing tape and attached them to the handles. ( cheese, fruit, veges, bread, etc.). When I need something, I can pull out the bag, sort through, and back it goes. Not sure what the downfalls will be as it's early days.
ReplyDeleteEllie
Central Az
Ellie, that sounds like a good idea. Let us know how that works. I've never heard of that method before.
Delete~margaret
That is a great idea. They are made to hold weight and to last - so that should work fine. Smart thinking!
DeleteThat's a good idea, Ellie. I'll look into those, too. We used to have a ton of them. They're probably in one of the (many) unmarked boxes in the shed. --Elise
DeleteP.S. The movers packed us and didn't label a single box.
I have heard of this with canvas bags but haven't organized mine this way as of yet. The way I read it, you could color code the canvas bag to food categories. Green for frozen veggies, red for meats, etc. Then you can pull out the bags you need quicker. I need a freezer challenge to cull down some food before I organize it!
DeleteJackie in NEPA
Cheryl, this was a great topic. So many ideas and tips! I know that I sorta just always do things my way, but a combo with new ideas works even better! Sorta like like the person who first mixed chocolate and peanut butter!!
ReplyDeleteI just love seeing everyone sharing ideas. That is what this blog is all about!
DeleteYou really inspire me. I wish I could stock up on cat food like you have done. I'm headed out today to buy more, as we are on our last can. It's time to organize my pantry again. It looks pretty scary right now. We are having a guest for supper on Sunday, so I plan to get it straightened out a little before he arrives. He might see it. LOL
ReplyDeleteWhat amazing and wonderful ideas and tips! I'm so grateful to all of you! Great topic, Cheryl. (((hugs))) --Elise
ReplyDeleteLike things together; fewer items require less organization & storage space & less chance of outdating; spice drawer is alphabetized with lids labeled; baskets/boxes/bags in freezer with like things together & an annual defrost & occasional reorganization when things get out of hand; use assess/plan/execute/evaluate in food storage area - necessary when driven by frugality & no waste goal; clothes separated by seasons, color; gift wrapping & cards in plastic storage containers in a closet.
ReplyDeleteThis is a constant work-in-progress. I joke with my neighbor to check the freezer if I go missing - I may have fallen in when head down/arse up looking for something! As I walk through my house mentally, I know there is much fine tuning to be done; there are drawers in need of culling & cleaning.
LOL! Do you mind if I use that line? About falling into the freezer? When we bought the one we have, I commented it's just about the right size for a short adult. ;-)
Delete--Elise
"I'm not like the store and rearrange all the time!" about your food. You are so right! I'm the sort who can say "It's on the second shelf of the unit on the right hand side. Look towards the end and it's two back. On the other hand, going into a store that's been rearranged throws me all off my shopping!
ReplyDeleteMona that's what I told my husband about our chest freezer, that I practically had to stand on my head to get to the bottom of it. I plan to replace my chest freezer with an upright freezer in the near future. I'm finding it harder to lift heavy baskets of food in and out and I'm constantly grabbing up a grandchild, so I know I'm strong, lol, but apparently not quite strong enough.