Happy 2013! With the new year, I’m feeling a renewed sense of wanting to get back into a routine (after the holiday fun & busyness), get things organized, and purge the house of excess stuff. So, to kick things off, I’m starting this year just like the last–by participating in a pantry challenge! 
Last year, the challenge was a great thing for us. I had been in the midst of the icky-feeling first trimester and the pantry challenge was good motivation to try to get things back in gear. As part of last year’s challenge, we spent time reorganizing the pantry and it made a big difference! 
Better, right?! So, we’re in a better place starting the challenge this year. But, I must say, after the craziness of the holiday season, the pantry needs some organization rejuvenation. So, that will be the first task. If you’re curious about what the Pantry ChalÂlenge IS or IS NOT, you can read all about it over at Good Cheap Eats! For us, the goals are going to be similar to last year’s:
1. Reorganize the pantry & “eat it down”.
As I mentioned, we’re in a better starting point from last year. So, we’ll start by reorganizing and then I want to “eat it down”. I found numerous expired soups in there recently. Kind of pointless to have food that never gets eaten. So, we’re going to work on that!
2. Clean out the freezÂers and be able to defrost.
Just like the pantry, there’s no sense in havÂing all kinds of food in the freezer if it never gets used. So, it’s time to eat down the freezer stock as well. I’d love to be able to defrost our big freezer and then start an organized freezer inventory sheet. GetÂting FreeÂdom from Debt offers up a nice, free freezer invenÂtory printÂable here!
3. Get back on track with meal planning.
I was SO good with meal planÂning for a while. It was someÂthing that I started doing not too long after LitÂtle Brother was born and I started stayÂing at home. But, I haven’t been good with it at all over the past year. That means we’ve done WAY too much eating out and eating junk! That’s gotta change. Not only would it be good for the budget, but would be a start at being healthier in 2013. So, I’m really challenging myself to get on track with this!
So, anyone want to join me in the Pantry Challenge? I plan to share a few updates throughÂout the month…maybe even some meals we come up with too! 
What are some of YOUR JanÂuÂary orgaÂniÂzaÂtional goals?
3 Responses
Good for you! That looks sweet! I like the way you say “Eat it down.” Dig deep into the unused. 😉
This isn’t so much of an issue with us. Ours looks like Old Mother Hubbard’s … two cans of soup and some protein bars. LOL!
Way to go niece.
Love this idea, we are eating out o fhe freezer for the rest of the week and my pantry needs an overhaul.
I am so there with the pantry challenge. We also have 2 freezers. One for food and one for meat from our CSA and I need to inventory. It will be a good naptime task when big sis goes back to prek next week.