Marie Kondo's Go-To Technique To Keep Your Pantry Organized

Marie Kondo's name has been synonymous with organizing since her book "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing" first hit the shelves in 2014. In 2019, the book's popularity spawned a hit Netflix series. Her advice to look at an item and ask yourself, "Does this spark joy?" resonated with millions of readers and viewers seeking a more harmonious and stress-free way of living.

Kondo's approach doesn't just apply to closets and garages. It can also be used in your pantry. Organizing your kitchen the Marie Kondo way will make cooking so much easier, and her method is perfect for making your pantry neater and more efficient. Anything that allows you to function efficiently will reduce stress and clutter and save you time in the kitchen.

One of Marie's techniques for organizing your pantry is easy to do. She recommends storing items upright and by category (via Marie Kondo). This means all foods should be grouped: all canned goods go in one section, spices in another, etc. She stresses the importance of ensuring all foods stand upright so the labels can be easily seen.

Organizing your pantry will allow you to see what you're out of at a glance and prevent you from buying something you already have. You also won't have to search for items in the middle of a recipe because everything will be where it belongs. Cooking should be enjoyable, and Marie Kondo's technique helps make that happen.

Investing in a label maker will make the job easier, allowing you to repurpose jars and containers when purchasing bulk items. If you don't want to use a label maker, cut out the label from the box or bag and use clear packing tape to affix it to a repurposed jar. 

If you're feeling frisky, Marie Kondo's technique can be fine-tuned. Try organizing spices by category. Spices used in baking, such as cinnamon, vanilla powder, and nutmeg, can be grouped, while spices like mustard, turmeric, and cumin used for savory dishes can be separated. There will always be crossovers, such as in Indian cooking, which uses many of the same spices used in baking, so think about some of the most common items you make when you're sorting the spices.

As you organize your pantry, do as Marie says and ask yourself if anything in it doesn't "spark joy." Did you buy a bottle of hot sauce that's a little too hot for your taste? Get it out of your pantry and into the hands of someone you know who has a high tolerance for heat. The spice you bought for one recipe and won't use again can be donated, too.

Check expiration dates while you're organizing your pantry. You may have received that tin of tea from your favorite aunt, but if it expired 10 years ago, it's better to discard it. You can keep the tin if it still makes you happy. As you're sorting through the contents of your pantry, remember that many foods will last far beyond the date stamped on them, so it's essential to know when to toss and when to keep foods from your pantry.

Spending some time overhauling the pantry will pay off in the long run. Who knows? When you see that well-organized, neat pantry, it may inspire you to tackle the fridge next. While the task may not spark joy, the results definitely will.