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Thursday Thoughts: Lessons Learned from Cleaning My Pantry

Last night, some of the youth from the church used our kitchen for an "Iron Chef"-type activity.  While most of the food was provided, the youth could use spices from my pantry.  While cleaning the pantry in anticipation of the evening's event, I learned several things.


1.  The perceived necessity of cleaning the entire pantry depends upon your point of view (or maybe just your gender.)  When John wandered into the kitchen and found me in the middle of a complete re-organization of the pantry, he helpfully pointed out, "The kids are only going to be using the spices." My fear was that if I left the pantry as is, the kids would venture in to find the spices and emerge in Narnia.

2.  Horehound candy must have been invented by some pioneer woman who happened to leave a small amount of molasses in a jar and left it there for a year or so.  

3.  I probably do not need to keep saving egg cartons.  My three, going-on-7-years-old, hens do not produce enough eggs to justify keeping the 6 (18-egg-capacity) cartons I found in the pantry.  The fact that I've been having to buy eggs should have clued me in to the idea that my hens are not producing an overabundance of eggs.

4.  The annual flu shots work well, based on the number of boxes of jello I found.  Jello is served at my house on two occasions:  Thanksgiving, and when we have the stomach flu.  Go figure.  If the flu shots continue to work, I have enough Jello for at least a decade of Thanksgivings. 

5.  Finally, I seem to have a mental block regarding cumin.  Apparently, every time I wander down the spice aisle at the grocery store, I have an overwhelming urge to buy another jar of cumin.  Or, if I happen to be at the store where spices are sold in bulk, I can't stop myself from buying a little bag of cumin.  I don't even remember what recipes I use that call for cumin.  You can never have too much cumin, though, right?

My project taught me some lessons, and I can enjoy an organized pantry now, too!





 What lessons have you learned lately?

Thanks for activities which encourage me to clean and organize.



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Comments

  1. ChristineFebruary 21, 2013 at 6:11 AM

    Gorgeous pantry! I learned plenty when I cleaned out our kitchen before it was demolished. Firstly, I owned way too many small appliances that never get used.
    Your cumin lesson cracked me up. I love cumin, but only use it in white chili. I seem to have the same problem, but with onion powder. I keep buying it, thinking we need it, when in reality we are low/out of garlic powder.

    ReplyDelete
  2. reganFebruary 21, 2013 at 7:45 AM

    Your pantry looks fantastic! So organized and perfectly lined up! You are my hero!!! LOL Every time I clean out our pantry, I find that I must buy chocolate chips every time I shop! We are loaded with them! In fact, most baking items are in 3's and 4's on the shelves......so how did I manage to run out of flour the other day, right in the middle of making waffles!?! lol

    ReplyDelete
  3. NancyFebruary 21, 2013 at 9:01 AM

    I agree that your pantry is well organized. I go through mine every Spring when the postal workers organize a food drive and take remove many items that I know I will not use in the coming months. Subconsciously, I must purchase more items when the price is good just for this purpose.

    ReplyDelete
  4. DebbieFebruary 21, 2013 at 6:06 PM

    Oh wow, now that is one rocking pantry!!! Great job in the re-organization of it! I really, really need to do this....someday. LOL

    ReplyDelete
  5. JennaFebruary 21, 2013 at 8:07 PM

    I have not cleaned out my pantry in five years. :) In my defense, its enormous and I just can't bring myself to do it yet. Where did you find your cool can stackers? I like those.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Kathy Felsted UsherFebruary 25, 2013 at 4:23 AM

    What a nice pantry! If I ever design a kitchen I'm getting rid of all the upper cabinets and having a wall of pantry shelves for everything! Your looks so orderly.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Mom/NancyFebruary 28, 2013 at 11:03 AM

    Wish I HAD your pantry!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Connie NelsonMarch 5, 2013 at 5:18 PM

    That is a very organized pantry! I found several never used baby bottle brushes under my sink when I cleaned there after not cleaning for a couple of years. I wonder what that means?

    ReplyDelete

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