Minimalist Pantry Formula – EP 396

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Got nowhere to place your piling-up girl scout cookies? You’re in for the ride! In this episode, Jen and Jill walk through creative ways to make a minimalist pantry. Figure out your next kitchen or pantry setup, the items you might use, and those that need to go!

Have freedom to create your own system that’s going to make your kitchen most efficient for you

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How to Prevent Pantry Clutter from Creeping Back In

The article by The Simple Balance shares a concise guide with five steps to organize a minimalist pantry, offering a rundown of the process and practical starting points.

What Jen + Jill have to say:

Jill highlights the beginning of the organization process with a thorough cleaning. Pull everything out, wipe down all your shelves and containers, and freshen everything up, making it easier to assess inventory and discard expired items gradually. Be honest when decluttering. Jen encourages grouping items together and discarding things you know you won’t use. Only purchase containers that genuinely improve organization and functionality. Challenge oneself to use items within a set timeframe before discarding them.

Frugal Minimalist Pantry Staples

The article by the Frugal Minimalist Kitchen lists dry food items you may want to stock up on in your pantry. It’s worth noting that this is not a shopping list but just to give a sense of what people might be needing in their pantry.

What Jen + Jill have to say:

Jen suggests stocking up on nuts, seeds, grains, dried fruit, dried goods, oils, and vinegars, while Jill emphasizes canned goods like beans, lentils, tomatoes, tomato sauce, canned fruit, and coconut milk, as well as baking supplies and herbs and spices. But consider how frequently you may use these items and their expiration dates when stocking up on them.

While Jill does not entirely agree, you may cut out on items such as chips, soda, and candy. Jen suggests a gradual approach to minimizing pantry items by setting a goal to use up older items each week. Try for April to use 3 to 5 older items each week and cut out about 12 to 20 items out of the stockpile for this month. Consider monthly or quarterly pantry challenges to keep up with the buildup in your pantry.

Your top 3 pantry staples (everything can go except these 3!)

Jen loves spaghetti noods (noodles!), marinara sauce, and coconut milk, while Jill won’t miss out on rice, beans, and flour to put in her pantry.

Bill of The Week

Thank you Dr. Katelyn for sharing your bill about your final tuition bill being paid by your employee!

Thanks so Much for Listening!

Thanks so much for listening. We love love love reading your kind reviews and we especially loved this one from:

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👍🏼👍🏼

Great podcast! I love the humor and realness of jen and jill as they share tips that are actually useful and easy to start implementing. Thanks J&J for changing the world one wallet at a time! May we all spend less and vacation more!

Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed this show, please take a minute to leave a rating and review, it helps potential new listeners know what our show is all about!

And don’t forget to share your favorite quote from the episode by using the hashtag #FrugalFriendsNote. 😉

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