Tuesday, January 30, 2024

Spring Cleaning In January: The Way I Cleaned and Organized My Pull Out Pantry (The canned food drawer)

Oh man, I've been in this Spring Cleaning thing quite heavy.  I hope I'm not boring you.  You know though I want to get it done before Spring even begins. When it's warm I want to go garage sailing and garden to my hearts content.  I don't want to be stuck inside and wishing I had done this cleaning already.

Seems like I've been jumping around a bit during this cleaning I've went  from sewing curtains to cleaning out the closets.  I've also cleaned the medicine cabinet and organized my pots and pans. I've even sewn my kitchen curtains and hope to use the bird fabric to sew more projects in the kitchen later this week.  I haven't been bored at all.



I wish I could get my house spring cleaning done in all one setting but sometimes all I have is little bits of time each day to clean and improve the home.   I have to watch it though because sometimes those little things can be a bigger project.  You know how that goes.





Yesterday,  I started cleaning and organizing my pull out pantry.  I was into the soup and vegetable can organizing and realized many cans were way out of date (I have my limits on dates).  How did this happen?  I'm pretty sure it was this thing called life..and death.  Last year, there was the death of my last dearest sister that consumed me and I think quite frankly paralazed me some days.  Oh, I stumbled through but grieving can be a slow process for sure. I think about her everyday and wish she was here to talk to.  I always will.  Thank God for my immediate loving family.  They keep me going.  You know though during that time, I think I just did the basics.  I did the dishes, cooked dinner, made a garden, mopped and vacuumed the floors, and most important of all I played with the grandchildren. 

So, with that being said I got busy with what I thought would be a easy job yesterday in the pantry.  I have always had the soup cans all upright and we rummage around, picking them up one by one,  trying to find what we need.  

Trying to find the chicken noodle soup when we are sick was no fun. 



In Michigan when you are sick you need the chicken noodle soup, crackers, and Vernors   You cannot make it without these three things.  Don't worry, I have made sure to pass this vital information down to the next generation.

Disorganization like this can also lead to excess and overspending because when you cannot find what you need you just assume you don't have it.  Then you buy more, then the cans can get out of date.  Then they get thrown away, are heavy to carry out to the trash, and fill up the landfills.  Just sayin.


After trying different ways I decided to lay down the soup cans down flat so we could see what they were.  No more picking up each can and hoping to find what we need eventually.  It's a simple thing that will help to make life easier and save more money.  We need more money.  

I still have two more drawers to clean but they are basically organized thank goodness!  

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8 comments:

Belinda said...

One way I solved the dilemma with our canned goods is to take a sharpie and write what it was on the top, so looking down into the container they are stored in, I can read what each one is. But your system works great too! And I love your pantry pull out, it is so cute!

I'm so sorry about your the death of your sister last year. That must have been really hard for you. The grief can consume us some days, can't it? Some days are good and some aren't. Losing a sibling so close in age to you would be very heard. My heart goes out to you.

Vickie @Vickie's Kitchen and Garden said...

I like your idea too Belinda! Good thinking.
I have found grief to be like a roller coaster-you have your ups and downs. They can be extreme some time.
I have lost 3 sisters before their time plus Mom and Dad. So basically I'm an orphan. Mom was gone at 82 ..I hope to live as long as Mom.

gardenpat said...

Seeing the essential “sickness” supplies took me back to my growing up years in the Mitten (Saginaw). The chicken noodle soup was always Campbell’s, ginger ale was always Vernors and then the saltine crackers! I keep the same on my shelf but until a few months ago, we couldn’t get Vernors ginger ale down here in Buckeye country)! 😞 But now, Meijers and Giant Eagle and Krogers all carry it! 🎉🎉🎉 So we are ready for any calamity or illness!! ❤️❤️🎉🎉

Gardenpat in Ohio

Kathy said...

Love your curtains, and the pattern is just lovely.
I like your idea to lay the soup cans down to make it easier to see what you have. I have cans of chicken noodle soup too, and they come in handy if we are sick and they taste good too. I know some people say to make chicken soup, but if I am sick, the last thing I want to be doing is cooking chicken and making broth.
I'm sorry for the loss of your sister. Life is hard sometimes, and I'm glad you have the love and support of your family. Sending hugs.

Vickie @Vickie's Kitchen and Garden said...

Oh that's great your getting Vernors in Ohio Pat! I've tried other ginger ale but its just not the same. Its good to keep it handy!

Vickie @Vickie's Kitchen and Garden said...

Thanks Kathy. Sometimes life is very hard.
You know your absolutely right, I'm not making homemade chicken noodle soup when I'm sick either! Haha!
Have a good night.

Linda said...

I have no idea what Vernor's is.
The way I label each can coming into the house is to take a sharpie and mark date on top and front. That way, it is a snap to see what is what. I am afraid to lay down pop top cans because the contents may affect the metal seal where it it weak to pop. Plus, if it ever did fail for whatever reason, it would be a great mess. labeling every can twice is not nearly as much trouble as picking them up so many times.
Practical Parsimony

Vickie @Vickie's Kitchen and Garden said...

Hi Linda, thanks for your advice -never thought of the cans popping. Umm something to research. I like the thoughts of sharpie and so forth.