Conscious Consumption

Tags: Edge Davao Home edit Home Organization Issa Guico Reyes KonMari Meg Hernandez Meghann Hernandez Metro Mom Neat Obsessions Pantry Organization

Professional home organizer and ‘Neat Obsessions’ author, Issa Guico Reyes, shares tips on how to organize your pantry.

One of the biggest trends in 2021 is pantry organization. If you still haven’t jumped on the bandwagon, you might want to think beyond the fad and focus on the benefits of having a neat and clutter-free pantry.

Case in point, avoiding duplicates and wastage. It’s easy for things to get lost and forgotten in the back or under a pile of boxes and packages. Getting your supplies sorted out will give you visual clarity on what you actually have and what you need, as well as what needs to go and what can be repurposed so nothing goes to waste. This way, you get to save money on groceries. Moreover, having easy-to-navigate cupboards and shelves will make meal preparation and cooking faster and easier—thus, saving your time and energy.

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“The goal of organizing is not always to make a space aesthetically pleasing. It’s about establishing a system, so that everyone who uses the space will be able to move efficiently,” explains Issa Guico Reyes, a professional home organizer, KonMari consultant-in-training, and mother of three.

This author of the best-selling book, Neat Obsessions, is the go-to specialist of homemakers—celebrities included—who are looking for practical solutions to make their place more orderly and functional.

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Getting started

Issa says it’s necessary to put some thought into how you organize your supplies. Every zone and grouping should have a rhyme and a reason that’s attuned to your lifestyle and how you operate around the house.  

So, what’s first on the to-do list? Sort and categorize your pantry supplies.

“Sorting is putting everything you own into general categories, so when time comes that you need a specific item, you won’t waste precious time searching the entire mess just to find one small item.”

“Identify the items needed on a daily basis and the ones that are only used weekly or less often. Items that are needed daily must be more accessible to you. Make sure to take note of the expiry dates to avoid wastage.”

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Baskets, bins, and jars

Designating goods into zones and containers make for easy identification and navigation. This is where storage solutions and containers come in handy. But, before you add to cart, it’s best to take inventory of your items first and keep in mind how much space you have. For good measure, you also need to consider the storage requirements of your pantry staples.

According to Issa, one of the most common mistakes people make is buying organizers before sorting out the supplies. “As a result, sometimes the items don’t fit the allotted space—hence making it challenging to establish a system.”

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“Baskets and organizing bins are practical and useful,” she adds. “Place items of the same category in one basket or bin. If there are only a few items in a specific category and the basket’s space can still accommodate more, then place other items which go together—such as pasta and sauce—and label them accordingly.”

Jars, on the other hand, serve as good decanters. “I decant items which can be measured, such as sugar, flour, beans, cereals, etc. Decanting in jars is useful, most especially when you don’t want to deal with boxes and containers of different shapes. Just like with baskets and bins, label the jars accordingly by brand (if applicable), name of product, and expiry date.”

Issa also recommends clear bins and containers. “You can use them to sort perishable items in the open shelving of the refrigerator. They also make it easier for you to see everything that’s stored at the back of the fridge.”

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Refrigerated items

Don’t just place your perishable goods in random places inside the refrigerator. Instead, make use of the built-in zones designed for each type of beverage and food.

“There are specific areas for bottles, fruits, vegetables, meat, etc. Placing our supplies in their proper zones will not only help keep the fridge organized, it will also help preserve the food longer. Vegetables and fruits may be stored in reusable produce bags to keep them fresh and to avoid moisture.”

At home, Issa makes it a point to unbox leftover or take-out food and transfer them into clear containers with lids before storing them in the fridge. “This way, we can immediately see what’s inside. It also makes it easy for us to heat the food in the microwave when needed.”

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Mindful shopping

Keeping a well-stocked pantry doesn’t mean we need to fill the shelves to the brim. There is no need to buy items that won’t serve their purpose in our homes, nor is it wise to hoard perishable goods. Plan your meals and be mindful of your inventory and purchases.  

As Issa puts it, “Too much is when your budget and space cannot accommodate the excess items. For example, there’s no use in buying a lot if your refrigerator and pantry cannot hold all of your supplies.”

“It’s best to detach our feelings of fear and panic when we do grocery shopping. Because of these feelings, we tend to overspend and buy things that we don’t really need or are unhealthy. Be mindful of what your household needs and responsibly manage the food you have. When you think about it, you really don’t need a lot. If you really want to avoid going out too much, then buy more of those items which won’t spoil easily.”

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Long-term sustainability

How do we make the system sustainable and doable for every member of the family, including kids?

“Involve to evolve,” Issa suggests. “Get the entire household into the process by showing them where you place the items—all properly labelled. Place your kids’ snacks in an area that’s accessible to them. Or, if you don’t want them to see all the stocks or consume everything at once, manage these by placing only the ‘for-today’ snacks in a small bin. Be creative in involving your kids and in maintaining a system.”

Visit www.neatobsessions.com or follow @neatobsessions on Instagram to find more organizing inspo or watch videos of real-life home edits. To order a copy of the Neat Obsessions book, simply send a message to @agooddayretail on Instagram.

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Story also published on my Metro Mom column in Edge Davao newspaper. Photos courtesy of Issa Guico Reyes.