Tips like these helped us pay off $127K in debt. You can read our story in Slaying the Debt Dragon: How One Family Conquered Their Money Monster and Found an Inspired Happily Ever After.
What if I told you that in your kitchen you had a hidden vault full of cash? Or diamonds you didn’t even know you had? Would you run to the cabinets and open up all of the doors? Would you peer in the refrigerator or look inside of the stove? Or might you go so far as to pull up all of your floorboards?
Believe-it-or-not, you have resources and treasures untold in your kitchen and pantry. I’m not talking about last week’s leftovers hiding in the back of the refrigerator, either. More than likely, you have canned goods you don’t remember purchasing and mixes that have bee forgotten.
When you reorganize your kitchen, you have the opportunity for you use what you already have and create systems to save you more money. But it can often feel daunting to even endeavor to begin such a task. Here are five easy steps to get you rolling.
1. Empty the Cabinets and Pantry
To truly get a good handle on what you already have, you first need to empty out every space where you store food. You may already do this on a weekly basis to clear out the aforementioned leftovers; however, at least once a quarter, it’s a good idea to do a deeper clean. Pull everything off of the shelves and place them on your kitchen table. Be sure you peer all the way to the back.
2. Organize and Sort Your Goods
After you’ve swept the cupboards clean, begin to organize and sort your staples. Gather together canned goods and separate them from baking basics. Group pastas and rice. Check expirations dates and toss out items past their due dates. Have a moment of self-transparency (translation: be real), and decide whether or not you should donate items you are not really ever going to use. I know that box of Italian Wedding Soup sounded awesome in the aisles at the store sounded amazing. But, seriously, is your family really ever going to eat it?
3. Restock the Shelves
As you begin to place items back on the shelves of the pantry, fridge, and your cabinets, be sure to place items with the closest expiration dates at eye level and in the front. It’s also wise to place the junk food further out of reach. While wonderfully tasty, junk foods fail to satisfy your hunger and fill your stomach, so you’ll be hungry for more. And you’ll also crave more junk food. This will cause you to spend more money, too. So hide the cookies in the back and place healthier foods in areas you’ll reach first.
4. Create An Inventory
There’s nothing more frustrating than making a duplicate purchase. While you’re in the process of cleaning out and organizing your pantry, create an inventory to help you track what you already have and where your stores might need replenished. There are even apps that help you achieve this goal. Check out Fridge Pal or Epicurious. Or I love the forms that my friend Taylor has on her site Household Management 101.
5. Make a Meal Plan
Having a clear view of what’s in your pantry provides the absolute best opportunity for you to create a solid meal plan. On Slaying the Debt Dragon, you will find the document I use every week to plan our family’s meals available to print for free. See if you can prepare a meal without making a single purchase. That’s the first meal of the week on your meal plan. After that, see if you can prepare a meal by adding only one or two items. That’s your second meal. Work your way through the week by building as many meals as possible using the groceries you already have.
Building the practice of reorganizing your kitchen into your regular routine helps you use the food you already have, saving money at the grocery store. You’ll buy less and avoid the drive-though, too. Begin treating the food you have on your shelves as a hidden treasure and make the most what you already possess.
My book is now available: Slaying the Debt Dragon: How One Family Conquered Their Money Monster and Found an Inspired Happily Ever After. You can also check out Inspiration to Pay Off Debt: 30 Days of Encouragement from the Queen of Free
This post contains an affiliate link. That means when you get a great deal or maybe even something for free, you also help our family pay off our mortgage early. And for that, we royally thank you!
