Kitchen Makeover Challenge

Part 1: Pantry Perfection – Clear the Clutter

Have you ever walked into a room that was full of clutter? How did it make you feel? Anxious? Uncomfortable? Like you didn’t want to spend a whole lot of time there perhaps? Even when things are stuffed in drawers or hidden behind doors their energy can be felt.

On the flip side, how do you feel when you enter a space that is clutter-free? Does it feel inviting, peaceful and comfortable?

Detoxifying and organizing your kitchen, and your life for that matter, makes a huge difference in how you feel. Since your inner and outer worlds are a mirror of each other, getting and staying organized will add a peacefulness to your life, in addition to saving you time and money. When everything has a home, there is no need to spend extra time searching for things or going to the store to purchase something you already have, which costs you valuable time and money better spent elsewhere.

With spring approaching, it’s time to release expired, outdated, neglected and broken items that have outgrown their usefulness and ceased to bring you joy! And, since food is life, today we are going to focus on the pantry.

If you’ve been hanging out with me for a while, then you know that it is my belief that eating a whole food diet, the majority of which comes from fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, is optimal. My pantry reflects my lifestyle and contains mostly “bulk” ingredients, dried fruit and other specialty type ingredients specific to my life style. It’s where I keep unopened containers of tahini, coconut oil and coconut butter, for example, which are stored on a lazy Susan to make them easily accessible. Opened containers of these items are stored in the fridge to keep them fresh, along with most nuts and seeds. Many of these have been soaked and dehydrated and are ready to use in my “raw food” recipes. I also store extra nuts and seeds in my freezer to keep them fresh.

All of my bulk items are stored in containers that are clearly marked with either an expiration date or the date they were purchased. This is a very effective way to ensure their freshness and prevent waste.

Most people keep boxes of pasta and cereal, cans of tuna, canned soups and veggies, which I don’t eat or wouldn’t recommend consuming. Many of these processed foods contain huge amounts of sodium, chemical preservatives and genetically modified ingredients which have questionable effects on health. Furthermore, canned goods often contain lead and other harmful ingredients which can leach into the food, leading to heavy metal and other forms of toxicity. I use my extra space for items such as paper products, vases, and kitchen equipment.

My challenge to you:

1.  Set aside an afternoon and empty your pantry
2. Give it a good scrub and a coat of fresh paint if it really needs it
3. Sort through and purge the contents so that they are in alignment with your desired lifestyle. I suggest three using containers: one for trash, one for donations and one for items that may have migrated to your pantry but don’t really belong there and need to be relocated.
4. Group like items together, selectively and intuitively replacing items back on your pantry shelves.

Remember to take before and after photos so you can see and feel how much better your pantry feels once you’ve performed your organizing magic.

Note: Using lazy Susans will make your items easy locate and to access.

Helpful hint: Get a group of girlfriends together and take turns helping each other with this project. It will make it much more fun and enjoyable.

Oh and please do post your before and after photos. Here are mine so you can see and feel the difference.

Before

After

Happy purging!