In ancient Egypt,they used to bury their pharaohs and cats with exotic and fragrant spices,anointing them in readiness for the afterlife.And it seems that most of us are getting ready to do the same,if that long musty tin of mustard powder in the back of everybody in Britain's pantry is anything to go by.
However,a brisk and swathing tidy up of your kitchen cupboards shouldn't just be an excuse to get rid of those tired,long-expired tins of tuna and half tubs of ready-made milkshake powder,but it can actually be the decluttering kickstart you need to overhaul and renovate your kitchen.
Sound insane?It does sound a little insane,yes.But according to Real Simple magazine,sorting out that larder is the perfect weekend project to streamline and organise your kitchen duties.
"It only takes an hour to clean out the shelves,sort and purge your foodstuffs and restock in ordered zones,"the publication said."And when dinnertime rolls around,that box of couscous will be a snap to find."
Start by throwing out all those dull,out-of-date foodstuffs that clutter up your pantry-and throw away old or spoiled bottles and foods you won't feasibly use,too.Anything edible and sealed can be donated,but you need to be cruel to be kind(and make plenty of space for new kitchen gadgets).
With your shelves newly empty,vacuum up any crumbs and clean and prepare the area for a thorough organising.Now is a great time to buy fresh new Tupperware tubs,resealable spice jars and rotating trays and drawers to give full access to your cupboard.
And consider recessed downlights or flush ceiling lights in the underside of shelves and cupboards,to add extra illumination to your workspace when next chopping,prepping and rustling up a culinary masterpiece.
Finally,restock carefully-heavy items on the bottom shelves,little-used cooking ingredients up top(and stash a stool nearby for when you need to reach them)and have an eye-level snack shelf full of healthy treats for when you next get peckish.
