In many homes, the kitchen is the heart of the house. The kitchen is where life is sustained and enhanced as it contains nourishment in both for food and drink. Kitchens are the first stop upon a child waking in the morning or coming home from school. As an adult, I too gravitate to this place for nourishment and/or quenching my thirst. Then there are those times, be it child or adult where the fridge is opened and remains as the inventory is taken by man, woman or child to make their decision of choice. When I did this as a child, my mother usually voiced her dismay in this conduct. Where this may be a similar habit of the many, the focus here is inventory – though here not in the positive.
Inventory
Inventory both in noun and verb usage is not relegated to business tasks only. It is a good habit to begin or continue, knowing what it is your pantry, fridge and freezer. Have you experienced those times in the market pondering “Do I have pasta sauce already? Do I buy just in case?” I usually choose the latter to then only find in my pantry two jars of pasta sauce, not counting what I currently purchased.
Inventory not only births an organized kitchen, but it is a money and time saver. First, let me be truthful, when deciding to take inventory, I was overwhelmed by the thought. This all came about when revamping my money budget and discovered blank forms to make a list of all food items in my kitchen (pantry, fridge & freezer).
Be Intentional
Deliberately allow yourself a few days to complete this task. DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT make this a one-day “get ur done”. Select days and specific times when you are not encumbered by others and things. I actually turned my inventory days into a treasure hunt. As I completed each section, it gave me the push to go to the next and the next, concluding in a finished and well accomplished task.
Ready – Set – List
Whether paper, pen and clipboard or a newly discovered app – make it work for you. Start with what seems less daunting to tackle. I started with my fridge because I had not been to the market for over a month, leaving a sparse number of items to inventory. Before speculation as to why the contents was lacking, nothing was wrong. I recently joined a great budgeting group and my decision to not grocery shop until using what was currently in-house served me well.
Now back to the task at hand – the fridge inventory. Pleasingly, this was completed in less than an hour, but it also resulted in re-organizing my inside fridge door possessing salad dressing, olives, condiments, vitamins and the like.
The pantry was for the coming day. First, I must confess my love of spices and seasonings. After completing the list, I was surprised at the many different types of spices purchased over time. My completion of this task also bore out purging of seasonings that lost their shelf life – purging is a good thing.
Lastly, the freezer – day 3. In addition to the refrigerator freezer, there is a deep freezer. I love my deep freezer so much, I named it “Bubba”. Laugh with me or at me – your choice. It was a birthday present from my baby brother, Herman. Although for me, it benefitted him as well when he needed extra storage for the family holiday cookouts.
Quick Sidebar: if you have a deep freezer – avoid frostbite and wear gloves when taking inventory. (smile)
As with my earlier inventory goals, beneficial results occurred. I must confess though, “Day 3” continued to a “Day 4”. Why you may ask? Defrosting and cleaning the freezer was necessary to ensure any and all foods that died of frost bite were properly removed and thrown away.
It may be my imagination, but I believe Bubba was grateful for his chance to get rid of the old frost to begin anew. (Again, laugh if you must!) I know it made be happy and feel accomplished to actually see what I actually had in the freezer and to make clear decisions of how to properly organize the contents.
Admittedly, the job of inventorying the pantry, fridge and freezer took longer to complete that I had hope. The reality is, it required the necessary time needed for clarity. The final results afforded me the ongoing opportunity to know what I have so as to not waste money, time and believer or not improve my journey of a healthier lifestyle.
Commitment to this health journey is not just what we consume in food and drink or our exercise regimen. We made a commitment to enhance of the quality of our lives in all aspects. I continue to learn and know this to be a foundational truth.
Just as we would meal plan, schedule workouts, make fresh juices or smoothies – inventory is an integral part of this process.
As we continue to make the right choices, know that it will birth the right consequences.
Be Well,
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– Brenda Jackson
This is great! Now I feel like I can really organize my kitchen well. Thank you!
Nita Faye thank you for the feedback. Be sure to keep us posted once you completed part or all of your inventory. Be Well!
Wow, you don’t really realize how the kitchen can affect what and how you eat. This was a great article, which will help me better with my plans and preparing struggle.