The Pantry Project

by Molly Boren

Like most people, you probably spend a fair amount of time cleaning your kitchen. Between floors, counters, dirty dishes and kids who over-pour the juice, there's always a mess to be tidied. But what about the mess that lurks just behind those pantry doors? Though the spill on the kitchen table is tough to ignore, it's all too easy to avoid a secret source of kitchen confusion: your overworked, overfull, just-plain-over-it pantry.

Maybe when you first moved into your home your pantry was ship-shape (or, perhaps more commonly, it wasn't). But now, if you're finding that the pasta is hidden behind the cereal and you know you had a jar of tomato sauce, somewhere, really-it's time for a Pantry Purge.

Set aside at least an hour for this project. Yes, I know you're busy, but the time saved by knowing what you have and where, and the expense saved by avoiding duplicate purchases or expired wasted food, will more than make up for it. If your schedule is tight, keep an eye on the clock and give yourself plenty of time to finish up. If your motivation is shaky, blast some tunes and boogie your way through it.

What do I have to do?

First, clear all kitchen surfaces and gather a few supplies:

- bags or boxes for donations

- recycling bin

- trash can

- all-purpose cleaner and sponge

Next, pull all edibles out of the cupboards, shelves and drawers. Immediately toss anything that's too old to be safe-check the label for an expiration date or measure the layer of dust. If the container is recyclable, put it in the sink to be emptied and recycled later.

Stack the rest on the kitchen table and counters so everything's visible and give the insides of those newly liberated cabinets a quick swipe with the sponge.

Now employ the most beloved of organizing techniques: grouping like with like. Think of the grocery store: the bread in one aisle, canned fruits and vegetables in another&

Other categories may include:

- baking supplies

- sauces and condiments

- snacks

- desserts

- beverages

Seeing everything in groups makes decisions a million times easier. Such as, what do you know in your heart of hearts you'll never eat? Get these items out of your house and free up more space for the things you need and love.

But I don't want to throw out good food

Nor should you. Community organizations like Loaves and Fishes Community Pantry in Naperville (www.loavesandfishespantry.com, 630.355.FOOD) and the People's Resource Center in Wheaton (www.peoplesrc.org, 630.682.5402) would love to pass along your non-perishables, household cleaners and the like. Why not do a good deed while you tidy up?

Putting it back together again

By now, your cabinets are clear and your foodstuffs pared down to the best and brightest. The next step is to organize your categories back into the pantry so that the items you use most are in easy reach of where you use them. Spices, oils, salt and sugar might go near the stove, but not directly above any heat-we don't want those flavors to lose any of their fire. On the other hand, if you only bake one cake a year, your baking supplies can go on a high shelf. If you're stuck, think in reverse: If you were to reach for that jar of sauce, or need to put a new one away, where would you intuitively go?

I really meant to use that mango puree

During your pantry expedition-and, if you were really on a roll, your fridge and freezer-you've probably come across ingredients you never use that aren't expired and that you'd like to try rather than donate. If you want to use creative ingredients, you've got to get creative. Luckily, the Internet can be your best friend: Try www.epicurious.com or allrecipes.com. I went to epicurious, a Web site that aggregates recipes from magazines like Gourmet and Bon Appetit and typed in "mango puree." Instead of letting that jar gather dust at the back of the pantry, I learned I could make mango-lime coulis, sweet mango lassi or mango coconut ice cream-and nothing's better than ice cream for rewarding yourself after an hour or two of organizing.