Organize + Energize: 4 Spaces to Declutter This Month
Kristin MacRae, GoLocalProv Organizing Expert
Organize + Energize: 4 Spaces to Declutter This Month
Here are 4 spaces to start decluttering in January.
Food pantry. The holidays are over and your kitchen may have received a good workout. Now it’s time to revive your food pantry and start fresh. Empty everything out of this space down to bare shelves. Give it a good cleaning. You may want to put some fresh liner in there. As you begin to take everything out, look at expiration dates and start throwing. Every kitchen I organize we throw out at least 4 bags of expired food. You may be saying that you don’t want to throw out expired food, and that’s ok. It’s your choice, but check the dates anyway just so it gives you an idea of how long the food has been hanging around.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTRefrigerator. When was the last time you emptied the entire fridge? Well, now’s the time! Again, take everything out and give it a good cleaning. Make note of how much you’re throwing away. Since the majority of items in the fridge are perishable, think about if you’re buying too much food at the market. Planning and preparing for the market and making a food list from your organized spaces will help solve the problem of buying too much.
Freezer. Take inventory of what’s in here and see if you can toss anything that doesn’t look fresh. Going forward when you purchase anything for the freezer, write the date on it so when you go to grab that frozen hamburger, you’ll know it’s over a year old and probably not safe for consumption.
Spices. Many people neglect to declutter this space. Spices do expire. You’ll see a date on the container or you’ll notice that they don’t smell as potent. As you begin to toss these, keep a pad and pen handy so you can jot down what you’ll need to replenish next time you head to the market.
Make a plan to tackle these spaces in January. Start the year on the right foot. If you’re looking to get organized this year, this is a great area to start. It’s an easy and not so overwhelming project. Take note as to how you feel after you accomplish these projects. You’ll be motivated and energized to schedule more projects on your calendar!
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PHOTO: Lifehacks.org
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