Why Buying Pantry Container Sets Will Backfire For So Many People

Upgrading your pantry storage with matching containers will make you feel like you have your whole entire life in order. Not only does it look much neater to see all of the items that you have — making it easy to find the one you need — but you can also keep track of the levels of each one so that you know when to make a trip to the store for a refill.

However, one of the biggest mistakes that you can be making with pop-top containers is buying whole sets, rather than individual containers. Whole storage sets usually come in several different sizes, not all of which are conducive for the items that you plan to stock in them. As such, you may be forking over a ton of money for storage containers that you don't end up using. Although the single containers may be more expensive than the sets per-unit, you'll end up saving space (and money) in the long run by only buying the ones you need.

Besides buying sets and containers that you won't actually use, there are other mistakes that you may be making with pantry storage that you may not realize, especially when it comes to organizing those nifty containers. One tip for more efficient pantry storage is to utilize lazy Susans in addition to pop-up containers. These spinning discs will allow you to make use of all of those corner cabinets and allow you to more easily grab the storage containers that you need without having to empty the entire cabinet out.

Another big mistake that you'll want to avoid? Forgetting to write down expiration dates. Since you're throwing out the original packaging, you may not remember how long that pasta has been sitting in your pantry, waiting to be used. Add a label with the expiration date and any relevant cooking instructions before tossing out the packaging. Additionally, using a first-in-first-out (FIFO) system will help ensure your food stays fresh. To implement this, make sure you use up the entirety of a food before restocking so you don't just end up pushing the older ingredients to the bottom of the container.