Does your pantry cause you stress? Are you wasting money because food always expires before it’s eaten? The pantry—in my opinion—is one of the most critical areas of your home to have organized. Check out this amazing before and after transformation from a recent client (The Organizing Boss is #3).

And, if your pantry is out of control and needs an overhaul, use these steps to DIY. Or, you can just call The Organizing Boss for help. I promise, you’ll feel much better and so much less stressed.

5 Steps to Pantry Organizing Perfection

1. Take everything out—yes, everything. As you remove items, discard anything that’s expired or you no longer eat
2. Sort items into categories—either by cuisine or by ingredient. For example, you can group all your Taco Tuesday ingredients together, or you can categorize beans with canned goods, taco seasoning with spices, etc. Do what makes sense for you and how you cook
3. Think through placement and how often you reach for something—if your family eats cereal every day for breakfast, don’t put it up high; place it on a middle, easy-to-access shelf. Don’t give your prime pantry real estate to something you eat infrequently
4. Contain and label—when items are contained, they don’t get shifted around and lost. And when items are labeled, you know exactly where to look for specific items (and you don’t spend money on food that you already have)
5. Maintain—every great system requires regular maintenance. Spend 10 minutes every month—or quarter—removing expired items so that they don’t take up unnecessary space

Read the full article here: 6 Spring Organizing Transformations You Have to See to Believe | Thumbtack (The Organizing Boss is #3)