Lets talk about your pantry!!
As you start to do couponing you will see that your pantry needs to start getting more organized. As things pile into your pantry space and organization becomes very important. All of a sudden your shelving space starts to seem like hot property to your stockpiles.
Sometimes it helps to open up packages of the same items and putting all of the same products into Tupperware Containers (or any air tight containers that you may have). I love Tupperware not only because they have a lifetime guarantee but because they have products specifially designed for the pantry.
An example of this is: I put my potato chips into a Tupperware Container and they really stay fresh without going stale for a LONG time! SERIOUSLY!
As you put items on your shelves (such as pickles, or any product for that matter) it helps to put the oldest items upfront and the newer items behind it. That way you are sure to use up the older items first. And this will also assist you in figuring out which items will soon be expiring.
In my pantry, I put all of the baking goods together in a shelving area. The flour, sugars, cornstarch, etc. have been taken out of their original packaging and put into Tupperware containers. This helps out in several ways, it not only helps me to keep the items fresh and organized but it also eliminates problems such as bugs getting into your items.
Extra bags of flour, sugar and such that I have extra stockpiles of get put into bags and I use my Tilia FoodSaver to suck all the air out of the bags and seal it. It also buys you alot of extra shelf life of these products.
***The Tillia FoodSaver is also great for freezer items. If you do not have one of these, you really should get one. They will pay for themselves many times over!!
Then all the canned products are together in a section of the pantry. In another area I have all other food products (pasta, rice, ect..). Then my paper products live in the garage since the enviroment will not effect them (hot or cold temperatures). All personal products such as shampoo, tampons, lotions, etc. are all together in their seperate area. The laundry supplies live near the washing machine and the extra stockpile is in the garage on a metro shelf.
You do not have to have a large pantry to be organized. Even if space is limited you will find that you can make use of areas you never thought of before (like under the bed -this can hold sweater boxes full of dental supplies like toothpaste and dental floss).
I realize that this may seem a bit overwhelming. But this system of organization has really helped me out. Especially when my husband asks me where something is and I can quickly tell him without having to dig it out for him.
