1. HAVE A PRECURSORY LOOK INSIDE YOUR PANTRY
'Before you do anything, open up all the cupboards and take a good look!' recommends Vicky Silverthorn. 'Why? Many people start a kitchen clear-out by taking everything out of the cupboards and putting on the countertops. Trust me this will fill the space quicker than you think!' Instead, working with the cupboards open – but not emptied – is a good way to start decluttering. Look through your cupboards or shelving and take out anything that you know should not be there, like Christmas plates or an appliance that does not get much use. Move them out of the kitchen straight away so they don’t clutter up the space any longer.
2. EMPTY THE SHELVES ONE BY ONE
Now that you have gotten rid of the obvious clutter, empty the kitchen cabinets and shelves one by one, throwing away any food that is out of date (or donating any food you don't want) as you do. Consider any appliances or crockery that's stored in your pantry too. Be ruthless at this point, have you used it in the last year? Can you think of a reason you will be using it in the coming year? If not it goes.
3. CLEAN YOUR FOOD CUPBOARDS AND SHELVES
Once you have totally emptied your shelves, give them a thorough clean with soap and warm water. Ensure the shelves are totally dry before you start putting anything back. 'Wiping down the surfaces will be more surprising than you think when it comes to dirt,' says Jake Colwill at Kutchenhaus. 'Don’t forget to wipe the contents of what was inside the cupboards before, especially those sticky jars!'
4. ORGANIZE – OR REORGANIZE – YOUR FOOD INTO GROUPS
Your food might already have been in useful groups as you removed it from your cupboards but, if not, it is time to implement a food organizational system. To start, 'Organise food into sections' says Katie Thomas, founder of interior designs company KTM Design. 'For example, sauces, spices, baking ingredients, etc., to make it simpler to find the item you are looking for when cooking.'
5. DECIDE WHERE YOUR FOOD WILL GO
Now you know what you have, it’s time to decide how you want to arrange it in your pantry. 'Where things are stored in your pantry may be dictated in part by the space, like the height of shelves,' says Lizzie Grant, founder of Declutter on Demand. 'However, as far as possible, designate an area for each group of items according to how often they are used.' 'If baking is a once-a-month occurrence then these ingredients should go on the higher shelves. Frequently used foodstuffs should be at waist level so you don’t have to bend down too low or reach up too high to find them,' recommends Lizzie. You could also take this opportunity to make some structural rearrangements in your cupboards or pantry. 'Why not really take advantage of the vertical space in your cupboards and rearrange your shelves to fit better-suited items,' says Vicky Silverthorn. 'Even if you don’t have huge amounts of storage, rearranging the kitchen shelves will help your kitchen live up to its full potential and will rid yourself of clutter anxiety for good.'
6. PUT THE FOOD BACK INTO THE PANTRY
'To create a kitchen pantry that is both functional yet aesthetically pleasing, organize your foods into labeled, glass jars to create a uniform and elevated look that makes it easy to find what you are looking for,' recommends Katie Thomas.