Food storage downsizing

It never fails. Just when I believe I’ve got everything all organized and under control the STUFF – while hiding in the dark – has a wild party and multiplies itself. Each time I visit my food storage area I ask the question “where did all this stuff come from?” It’s really tempting for me to believe the food pantry fairies will magically keep the food storage space neatly organized and impeccably maintained. However, that’s not true. Life happens. A few days ago my granddaughter made a comment “NaNa you’re a hoarder.” That stung but she’s right, the ciaos looks like a hoarder house.

In January I had started giving away excess foods as soon as I received it. I’m always given more food than I can eat or want to eat. How’s that? Well, the mobile foodbank doesn’t give recipients a choice. People drive up, the food boxes are put into the car, you drive away. It’s the same with the USDA senior commodity food boxes. People go inside, sign the sheet, take the box to the car and drive home. Since January getting rid of excess right away is working.

I have no more fear of wasting food and I’m not trying to eat it all myself. I’m happy someone else will benefit from the excess. However, back in January I hadn’t yet gone through my food storage from last year. It needed a major cleaning and organizing. My healthy eating is at a standstill because it’s difficult to eat what I have if I don’t know I have it. All the repair work that was done inside my house created a LOT more ciaos because I had to move things out of their way several times. My food storage area/sewing area/crafting area is a total mess. It had become one of the catch all spaces for the stuff being moved around. The room is what my granddaughter was referring to as hoarding.

I’ve seen pictures and watched videos of people who show off their large walk-in pantries with matching containers in just the right size and all coordinated with neatly written labels. The problems of shelves and containers with all those neatly made labels is that food can’t read labels. Hmm, whether it’s right after a shopping trip, after a foodbank trip, or after preparing a meal; organized food storage is dependent on whoever puts the food away and in the right place. I confess I didn’t always take the time to put the food away or give any of it to someone else. That’s changed. Or rather, I’ve changed.

Now that the house repair work is finished my goal is, one more time, to get the ciaos of my STUFF under control. I’m in the process of re-arranging, cleaning, and consolidating these shelves of food. Maybe when each food is assigned a home I’ll keep it reasonably organized and inventoried so I can actually eat healthy.

I was gifted tip money to use for whatever I need. I bought a new pair of slip on shoes for my orthotics appointment on the 20th. I believe this brand may be a generic version of Kizik. Gosh the shoes look very long but they are actually a size 6 wide. The rest of the tip is being saved for groceries. I won’t use it until I know what I have and what I actually need. If there is some left after groceries I’ll use it for garden supplies.

The shelves may not stay on this wall. Eventually, after all the boxes in this room are downsized, I may move things around to create better work flow and add a fourth shelf unit my daughter has at her house. She no longer needs it but I do. Next weekend I’ll show the progress I make as I continue the downsizing and organizing.

Stay safe, stay happy, much love from Kentucky,

Anita