Managing Your Home Inventory
Space Concerns
As your inventory grows, you will need additional space. Your pantry probably won't hold everything like it used to because you are stocking up during sales and therefore keeping greater quantities on hand. Note: As you build your home inventory, you'll see your grocery bills temporarily increasing. But don't panic, because future outlays will be less, more than offsetting your initial investment. Storage Areas First, purge all of your current storage areas of outdated, spoiled, and otherwise useless products. Then going forward, keep your storage areas (refrigerator/freezer, pantry, closets, bathrooms, laundry room, etc.) organized so that you can readily see what you have on hand. This makes creating a shopping list much easier. Be sure to check all of your storage areas before finalizing your shopping list. Tip: Remember to put the oldest purchased items at the front so as to use them first. Not a Perfect System Sometimes, you won't be able to maximize your saving because sales don't happen often enough to avoid spoilage. And that's okay; this is just an inherent part of shopping for perishable goods. It's worth mentioning here that many perishable items can be frozen, helping you to avoid spoilage costs. Related article: Food Storage Guidelines Your Goal Your goal is to keep as much of an item on hand, purchased at the lowest price possible, as you can without the item spoiling. Remember that this isn't an exact science, so don't be too hard on yourself. Tip: Items that you have determined seldom go on sale don't need to be stockpiled; purchase these at your base store as you need them. NEXT: Home Inventory Tips |
Food Facts
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