Confession: I just threw a bunch of food away. Totally wasted it. My pantry was overflowing, and I couldn’t stand it any longer! I really try to keep it organized, but it’s hard! Between me buying the item that’s not on my grocery list but I’m sure I need it (only to find two of the same item once I’m home), my husband who thinks having extras on hand is always a good thing, and a daughter who changes diets frequently, my organized pantry quickly turns into a big mess.

Now, I would never throw away perfectly good food, but these things had expired long ago. This exercise into my pantry made me re-think my pantry layout and it also made me go through areas in it that I don’t pay much attention. In my case, it was the baking goods that sit in bins on the top shelf that aren’t used often. Since there is only myself, my husband and a college-aged child at home, I rarely bake. None of us needs the extra pounds, so I only bake treats occasionally. Yet, I find myself buying that bag of chocolate chips or some other thing that are on sale thinking that I will use them in the future. Do you do this? Am I the only one? I know that I’ve got to stop this, because it is truly throwing money away. I’m certainly not against getting a good bargain, but I need to stop and ask myself “Is this really a bargain”? I may have saved a dollar at the time, but if I throw away even part of it, did I really save anything?

Here’s what I’ve done to stop wasting the money and the space: I’ve put a small white board in the pantry listing the items that are out of reach or out of sight – the things I already have an abundance of, with a column next to it of things we need. Now, if only I can get my husband and daughter to use it! I think it’s time to call a family meeting.