According to the UN’s environment program, each year, globally, more than 1.3 billion tons of food is wasted. In North America, a staggering 43% of that waste occurs in the home and costs us a lot of money. How much? The average family of four wastes $1,500 a year on uneaten food!

Fortunately, there are some steps you can take to save money on groceries and reduce food waste simply by how your store it.

Make a Grocery List

Have you ever popped into the grocery store to pick up one or two things and walked out with several bags of groceries full of impulse buys? Or have you ever bought a bag of rice or a dozen eggs only to get home and realize that you already had some? By spending a little time planning your trip to the store, you can save money on groceries and avoid buying items you don’t need.

• Check your pantry and refrigerator to see what you have and what you need. If something (such as fresh broccoli or a head of cabbage) needs to be used soon, plan a meal around it.
• When possible, plan your menu for the week and buy only the items you need for making those meals. Be sure to account for meals you plan to eat out at restaurants or someone else’s home.
• Remember that buying in bulk or taking advantage of buy-one-get-one sales may save you money, but only if you use the products you buy. If you’re buying multiples of things with a limited shelf life (like fresh produce and dairy products), consider whether you will use them all before they expire.
• Allow yourself to add only 3 items that are not on the list. Setting a limit to impulse purchases can really cut back on buying all the items that seem appealing when they are in front of you, especially if you bring your kids with you to the store. Get them involved in the rule of 3, so they don’t repeatedly bug you to buy everything they see.

Understand Date Labels on Food

Speaking of food expiration, did you know that date labels are not an indicator of a product’s safety, except on infant formula? In fact, dates aren’t required by federal law, and there are no universally accepted descriptions. So, while you may see “Sell By,” “Best By,” or “Use By,” the food should be safe, if handled properly, well beyond the date stamped on the package. Of course, if the product’s color or consistency has changed noticeably or if it has an unusual odor, you shouldn’t eat it. Most of the time, however, the date is merely the manufacturer’s way of letting retailers and consumers know when the food is at its freshest.

Reorganize Your Pantry to Save Money on Groceries

How many times have you reached for something like a can of diced tomatoes and realized that while you don’t have any tomatoes, you have four cans of black beans? If your pantry is cluttered with cans, boxes, and bags, it’s hard to know what you really have in there. On the other hand, a well-organized pantry allows you to easily see what you have and when you’re running low on things. Start reorganizing by pulling out everything. Throw away any items that are stale or spoiled. You may also find some items that have not been opened and you want to donate to a local food pantry.  Cleaning out items that you do not intend to use is a great way to eliminate the clutter.  If you find a lot of things you’d forgotten about pushed to the back of your pantry, then you should consider getting pull-out shelves. Pull-out shelves, like the ones in a Closet by Design custom pantry, let you access everything quickly and keep you from “losing” items in the recesses of deep cabinets.

Another easy way to keep track of what you have is to store dry goods, such as rice and cereal, in clear containers. The containers help the foods stay fresh longer, and they help you see when it’s time to buy more. In the same way, Lucite-fronted drawers are a great place to store granola bars and other wrapped snacks. If the food you buy is in plain sight, it’s more likely that you’ll eat it rather than let it go to waste, and it will also help you save money on groceries.

Let Closets by Design Help

A Closets by Design custom pantry allows you to organize your staples with ease and ultimately save money on broceries. With the right combination of shelving, drawers, bins, and dividers, you’ll have a place for everything. One of our design professionals will come to your home to assess your space and help you create a pantry that’s perfect for all your needs. Schedule a free in-home consultation today.

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According to a study done in 2016 by Cornell University, the stress caused by clutter may trigger coping and avoidance strategies such as oversleeping, eating junk food, and binge-watching media. But getting rid of clutter and the stress it causes does not have to be difficult. As organizational expert Barbara Hemphill points out, “Clutter is nothing more than postponed decisions.” If you have decided it is time to clear out the clutter in your home, here are some decluttering tips to help you begin the process.

Decluttering Tips – Focus on One Area at a Time

The thought of decluttering and organizing an entire home can feel overwhelming. That is why our top decluttering tip starts in one area, even if it is just a junk drawer in the kitchen. After you have thrown away all the used twist ties and rubber bands, the broken can opener, and the pens with no ink, then you can start clearing out the kitchen in earnest. Old sponges and scratched or broken plastic containers harbor bacteria, so toss them out. Gather up all the plastic grocery bags that are lurking in cabinets and take them back to the store for recycling. If you have appliances, gadgets, or dishes that you no longer use, give them to a local thrift store or your favorite charity. Get rid of old condiments in the refrigerator and expired food in the pantry. Once you have cleaned out the things you no longer need or use, it is time to reorganize and find a place for everything that is left. To keep clutter under control for the long run, onsider adding a custom pantry system. Closets by Design can help you create the perfect pantry for your space, incorporating shelves, drawers, baskets, and other design elements that will make organizing your kitchen easy.

Use the OHIO Rule 

OHIO stands for “only handle it once.” Once you pick up an item, decide what to do with it right then, rather than shuffling it from one pile to another. This decluttering tip works particularly well where mail and paperwork are concerned. Toss junk mail and promotional items into the recycling bin or trash can as soon as you receive them. When possible, pay bills as soon as they arrive, rather than leaving them piled on a desk or countertop until the due date. If you are unable to pay them right away, have a system to put your bills in order by the due date so you know where they all are, and they are easy to find. For paperwork that you need to keep (such as receipts for work or taxes), create file folders, and use them. If you don’t already have a home office or if your current one isn’t working well, it may be time for an upgrade. Closets by Design offers custom desks designed with efficiency and taste in mind, and the desks can be combined with wall shelving and cabinets to create the ultimate home office. Once you have a place to organize all the paperwork that flows into your home, it is much simpler to follow the OHIO Rule.

Decluttering Tips – Out With the Old 

While this decluttering tip can be applied to everything from outdated electronics to toys, it is especially applicable to shoes and clothing. Most of us have clothes in our closets that we never wear because they don’t fit, they’re damaged, or we simply don’t like or need them. If you have items in your wardrobe that you have not worn in the last year, it is time to get rid of them. You will be amazed at the space you free up, and you can then begin to organize the clothes you regularly wear. Not ready to donate these items? Put them in a box with the date on it. If, after six months, you have not been tempted to get something out of the box, you can feel confident you will not miss it when it is permanently gone. Another great way to manage the clutter in your closet is to have a dedicated space for everything in it. Closets by Design can customize your walk-in closet with adjustable shelves, cubbies, tie or jewelry drawers, and more. If you don’t have a walk-in, don’t worry — even a small closet can be carefully organized and customized with hanging bars, shoe racks, and adjustable shelving.

Utilize Your Garage

Once you have gotten rid of things that you no longer need or want, move on to the next decluttering tips: designate places for frequently used items (such as your yoga mat or chargers for electronic devices). Store any overflow items (like camping gear or beach toys) in see-through bins in your garage. To make the most of the storage space in your garage, let Closets by Design create a unique garage organizer to meet your specific needs. It is much easier to store your belongings with our combination of cabinets, shelving, countertops, and more.

Contact Closets by Design for a Free In-Home Consultation

Since 1982, Closets by Design has been helping people organize their homes. We offer the highest quality, value, and service in the industry. Contact us today to schedule your free in-home consultation. It’s the best decluttering tip of all!

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Spice Up Your Routine

Home organization doesn’t have to feel like drudgery. Look for ways to make it fun. Before you begin a new project, turn on some lively music. Or, if there’s an upbeat podcast you’ve wanted to hear, pop in some earbuds, and listen while you sort. When it’s time to reorganize your pantry, begin by throwing out expired goods in time with the music. Next, consider your lifestyle, and divide your pantry into cooking categories that work for you. For instance, you might group foods by type (baking goods, condiments, canned items, etc.), by meal (breakfast, lunch, snacks, dinner), or by some method unique to you. Add a little zest by choosing multicolored canisters to store dry goods such as pasta, rice, and cereal, but be sure the containers are see-through, so you can tell with a glance when it’s time to restock.

Be Creative With Home Organization

Just as your home reflects your unique personality, so can your storage spaces. Brighten up your bedroom closet by painting or wallpapering a wall. Use shower rings to snap purses onto a closet rod so you can quickly choose the right one. Instead of piling your jewelry in a box, add a custom jewelry organization drawer to your a walk-in closet or vanity so you can admire your treasures easily and also clearly see what you have.

Be Playful

Don’t feel that you have to follow anyone else’s rules of home organization or style. If your home office feels cluttered, find some fun containers to rein in the chaos. Place pens, pencils, scissors, etc. in coffee cans you’ve painted or wrapped with scrapbook paper. Use mason jars or pottery cups to hold paper clips, staples, or stamps.

Feel the Love

Because they yield quicker results, small spaces are usually more fun to organize. But rearranging a large space, like a garage, can be more satisfying in the long run. Tackle an overcrowded or messy garage by creating five piles: keep, sell, donate, recycle, and toss. Keep only the items you need and use regularly. Sell tools or machines that are taking up space and collecting dust. Donate items that would benefit your favorite charity. Check with your local government to see where to dispose of hard-to-recycle items, such as old paint, cleaning products, batteries, and LED light bulbs. Not only have you now created a tidy garage where you can find what you’re looking for easily, but you’ve also made some extra cash, supported a good cause, and helped the environment.

 Imagine How Happy You’ll Be

When you’re feeling less than enthusiastic about home organization, make a list of all the benefits you’ll see when your task is complete. The benefits may be specific to a particular room, or more general, such as saving you time and money, eliminating stress, and freeing up more time to spend with family and friends.

Let Closets by Design Help

No matter which area of your abode needs help, our experts will help you create the space you desire. Contact us today for your free design consultation and find out how Closets by Design can help you fall in love with home organization.

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Group items that are used together

When it comes to pantry organization, utilize the “like with like” system and group similar items together. For example, store your oils in the same section. Put your pasta in one place. Designate a part of the pantry for all of your baking supplies, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and vanilla. That way, they’ll be easy to find the next time you are searching for something.

Another fun fact, not all foods make good neighbors. Flour absorbs odors from other foods, so it’s best to keep it away from strong spices like curry powder and aromatics like garlic or onions. It may seem natural that potatoes and onions, which are usually kept in the pantry, would be stored together, but that’s the last thing you should do. Onions release gases that can cause your potatoes to spoil faster.

Adjustable shelves in a pantry can be moved to accommodate different-sized items. Closets by Design can replace the wire shelving in your pantry with solid shelving that allows you to change the height of the shelves.

Got kids? Create a snack station on a lower shelf that they can easily reach. It is a perfect spot to store granola bars and other healthy snacks so your kids can help themselves and they will have access to the snacks you want them to enjoy.

To help pantry organization, Closets by Design installs special wire baskets that are a great storage option for root vegetables because of the open design.

Store flours, pasta, and cereal in clear containers

Have you ever reached for the cereal box, only to find someone put it back in the pantry when it was almost empty? Or find that the cereal is stale because someone didn’t shut the box properly? If the cereal is in a clear container, you’ll know at a glance that you are running low and need to pick up more the next time you go grocery shopping. This pantry organization tip will help prevent you from buying something you have plenty of and can also protect the food in your pantry from pests.

Storing flours, sugars and other baking ingredients in a clear container is one simple way to avoid picking up odors from other foods. It will also protect them from moisture and help them last longer.

Rotate the canned goods

Most of us probably unload the groceries and place the new can of beans in front of the old ones. So that’s the one we’ll grab when we’re cooking dinner. Meanwhile, the ones in the back are approaching their expiration date, and we eventually wind up throwing them out. It’s best to stock the new items in the back so you will use the older ones first. It takes a little more effort but it will pay off in the long run.

Rotating canned goods is a simple pantry organization task if you have shelves that pull out to give you a clear view of what they hold. Pull-out shelves are just one of the features you can choose as part of a pantry makeover by Closets by Design. They install dividers and drawers to simplify storage, based on what you need. Click here to get some idea of what your new pantry could look like.

It doesn’t matter how big or how small your pantry is, Closets by Design can redesign the space so it works for you. Schedule a free in-home design consultation today and see for yourself.

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Even people with adequate physical storage space — including closets, pantries, and garages — may find that these spaces themselves can become the source of chaos. This is especially true if they are ill-designed. Are your closets stuffed to the max? Can’t find anything in your packed pantry? Then you might need a little professional help!

Closets by Design provides custom solutions for organization — including reach-in and walk-in closets, pantries, laundry spaces, home offices, and garage storage. We also provide all the accessories necessary to furnish a functional space — including cabinetry, shelving, cubbies, drawers, racks, jewelry trays, tilt-out hampers, and wall organizers. If you can imagine what your perfect space would be, we can build it. And if you cannot imagine what it needs to be? That is why we have professionals who can help you personally evaluate your comprehensive needs and what designs will best serve you.

If you are truly stuck, you might even want to make a call to us your first step in canceling the clutter in your home. Meanwhile, here are some tips to get you started.

Closets

If you have not done a thorough purge of your bedroom closet lately, it will make your decluttering project a little longer but more productive in the end. You will be able to really assess your space and what it lacks.

• Get rid of whatever you do not wear. To help you truly determine what you do not wear, try this trick. Face hangers in one direction and turn them around when you wear what is on them. After six months, clothes on hangers facing the original direction can be put in the donation pile.
• Hang tops and skirts over built-in shelves or drawers and hang long dresses and pants on higher rods where there is nothing underneath.
• Consider installing a system with slanted shoe shelves. A hanging shoe storage system is a temporary option, but shelves will help shoes last longer and keep them out of the way (yet on display).
• It is easy to make a mess if you do not have designated spots for smaller items, like ties, belts, and jewelry. Pros can install a tie drawer, jewelry drawer, and a sliding belt rack to help keep such items organized.
• Look for unnecessary items that may have intruded on the space, like unused sporting gear or electronics. Move these to garage or living room storage areas.

Pantry

You may turn your pantry inventory over quickly, but most of us have those jars and cans that seem to remain untouched.

• Remove everything from the pantry and purge! Check the expiration dates and toss everything that is past its prime. If you have food items that are still good, but you know you will never use them — consider donating to a local food pantry.
• After a quick wipe down, begin to put things back in an organized way. Clear containers and bins are helpful for corralling things by type, such as a bin for snack bars, one for chips, etcetera.
• Consider decanting pasta, rice, and cereal and baking items like flour and sugar for a more streamlined look.
• One of the benefits of having a custom pantry installed from Closets by Design is NOT dealing with wire shelving. It is so much easier to organize items on flat shelving.
• Some of the trends we are installing in home pantries include drawers with acrylic fronts so you can easily see what’s inside and wire baskets that pull out. These are great for storing vegetables.

Garage

If your car is in the driveway all the time because it will not fit in the garage, you are going to need a lot more than a broom and dustpan. Make a plan and pace yourself!

• Dedicate a full day or weekend to decluttering and organizing the garage. You can even make it a family project.
• Sort items into piles — Keep, Donate, Sell or Toss — with those “toss” items, be sure to identify the items that can be recycled.
• Keep items that you use frequently, such as pet leashes, within easy reach — perhaps on hooks by the door.
• Create zones for groups of things such as auto care, gardening, and sports equipment, so that like items are stored together.
• Place rarely used items, such as holiday decorations, on shelves or in cabinets. We install a line of extremely study cabinetry and shelving units specifically designed for garages.
• Tools like shovels and rakes as well as bicycles are best stored by hanging on the wall. Our slatwall system is perfect for these items. You can move the hooks around and even pop on baskets and bins to hold smaller items.

Imagine having a garage where there is also room for your car. Closets by Design can not only provide garage organizational solutions but also help you outfit custom work areas for carpentry or other hobbies.

Let Us Help!

Decluttering would be less of a chore for many people if they did not feel like they were just moving “stuff” from one place to another. Having a custom home organization system might seem like too much of a luxury, but quality, affordable options are available to you. Contact our professionals today for a free consultation.

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