Every six months check the contents of your cupboards and discard old food. Place all of your cooking and baking ingredients onto the kitchen countertop so that you can get an idea of how much and what you have. Put like ingredients next to each other. This regular review will mean that the kitchen clutter will not get on top of you again! When you buy new canned and boxed items, place them behind the ones that are already in the cupboard. This will guarantee that your foodstuffs are rotated and avoid having any go past their use-by date.

Keep track of the expiration dates on bottled and canned goods. Generally these items can be safely kept, unopened, for about a year. Refrigerate after opening, being sure to transfer unused canned goods to an airtight container. Dried goods such as rice and pasta are best used within a year of purchase and should be stored in an airtight container once opened. Most spices should be discarded after twelve months as they tend to lose their flavor after that time. Store baking supplies in airtight containers in a cool, dark cupboard for up to one year.