By Katreena Sarmiento
No more running to the grocery store for that one ingredient. No more food waste. No more pointless packaging and plastic containers. Learn how to makeover your pantry for sustainable living and get a lot of other benefits, too! If you are looking to go green, here are some easy ways to give your pantry a sustainable makeover.
Why Is Being Sustainable Important?
Everything a person does affects the environment in some way or another. If you are going to make a change for the better, you should try to have an as little unnecessary effect on the environment as possible. It is a challenging goal but one that everybody can aspire to.
Sustainability is about taking care of each other and the earth that we inhabit in order for us to have safe and secure futures. An easy way to be green and consume less energy is to focus on the things that you have the most control over. When you focus on sustainable living, you can cut down on energy consumption and your carbon footprint and reduce CO2 emissions.
How Can I Give My Pantry A Makeover?
Going green does not have to mean a complete overhaul of your lifestyle. You can make small changes for huge results! Here are some simple ways that you can makeover your pantry and enjoy a more sustainable lifestyle.
Use Straw Bins
Straw bins and baskets are popular in playrooms, workplaces, and closets, but they may also be used in the pantry. To retrieve canned items, stack them by category (tomato sauces, veggies, etc.) without raising the cover. Alternatively, use them as a catch-all for napkins and tablecloths.
Label Everything
Use containers with leak-proof lids to keep organizing easy, and label them so you know what's what. You may stack objects on top of one another without fear of their falling over the next time you reach for something—and they won't spill.
If label makers aren't your thing, get a couple of rolls of colored washi tape to keep the organizing process easy. It comes in a variety of charming patterns and is ideal for marking jars and other containers fast.
Stack Plastic Containers
Flat containers stack effortlessly to make the most of every inch of pantry space. Store grains, breadcrumbs, rice, and nuts in them. The unique bins in this well-organized room really pull off of the shelf for convenient access. Individually wrapped snacks like Doritos 3D Crunch may also be loaded into transparent plastic containers with drawers to quickly assemble snacks and packed lunches. Kids may even help pick out their own sweets to take to school if you keep them at eye level.
Separate Pantry Areas Into Zones
The thing about zones is that it's a higher-level sort of organizing that will drastically improve the general neatness of your pantry. As much as possible, create zones in your pantry. For example, one area may be designated as your baking zone, with supplies such as flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, sprinkles, and pudding mixes stored there. An entire shelf, half a shelf, or even a basket or baking sheet might be used to group comparable objects.
Put Lids On The Door
It's one thing to store your pots and pans, but finding space for their lids is a whole other issue. A door rack keeps them out of the way while yet making them accessible when needed.
Forego Packaging
Most food packaging is unappealing, so make things nicer and simpler for yourself by avoiding wrapping completely and instead utilizing jars and other containers. It's one thing to store your pots and pans, but finding space for their lids is another. A door rack keeps them hidden yet accessible when needed.
Rotate Items
One of the biggest mistakes people make when trying to cut down on food waste is overbuying. The way to combat this is to rotate your stock often and save space by not bringing items you will use very soon back into your food pantry.
Invest In Modular Storage
Because you can stack, unstack, and move containers effortlessly, modular storage enables you to make the most of each shelf's depth, length, and height. Although OXO containers are famous and excellent, less expensive alternatives.
Use Varying Container Sizes and Shapes
Don't waste your time searching through mounds of cardboard boxes. Instead, place ingredients and snacks in transparent canisters so you can avoid reading labels and maintain a consistent level of cleanliness. You'll also keep mice out of your cookies and crackers.
When you are making a sustainable lifestyle change, it is important to start slow. Make small changes that can lead to big improvements. When you are changing the way that you are doing things, it will not happen overnight. It takes time and effort, but when you take the time to prioritize sustainability in your life, you will be glad that you did. For more eco-friendly home organization tips, visit our blog today.
About the author:
Katreena is a scientist and a life hack specialist. She's authored scientific journals on biotechnology and molecular biology. To take a break from scientific journals, she puts her mind into writing about lifestyle, health, and sustainability. She strongly believes that kindness makes the world go round.