I Tried the “Core 4 Method” on My Messy Pantry — and Decluttered 9 Years’ Worth of Stuff in Minutes

Organizing tasks always starts out so well, but the real test is how the space you organized looks days or months — or even years — after the cleanout. A decluttering method is really only as effective as the system it creates. And with that as the litmus test, allow me to share with you how the “Core 4 Method” is going in my house.

What exactly is the method, you might ask? Coined by pro organizer Kayleen Kelly, the “Core 4 Method” breaks the decluttering process into four simple steps: clear out, categorize, cut out, and contain. In essence, it’s designed to take the stress and overwhelm out of the organizing process. 

My family and I have lived in our house for nine years, and all the stuff we’ve accumulated through all the life stages — from messy finger-painting toddlers to high-schoolers, aging pets to new furry friends — has grown unruly. And there’s one pantry in particular that became a sort of catchall for everything miscellaneous that didn’t otherwise have a home; that’s where I knew I had to try this method.

All I have to say is yikes, y’all! This pantry was in a state of good intentions not carried out. It was filled with surplus plastic grocery bags for dog-walking, plastic food storage containers, cookbooks, craft supplies, dog treats, plastic wrap, foil, appliances, storage bags, and a seemingly endless number of reusable water bottles. The organizational methods I once found promising were nowhere to be found.

This area hadn’t had a deep-clean in I’m not sure how long. After hauling all the (read: far too many) food storage containers, many with missing lids, onto the kitchen table, plus removing empty storage bins and all the other aforementioned “stuff” that occupied the space, I started with a deep-clean involving lots of cleaning wipes and elbow grease.

I then set about categorizing the frequently used necessities, while mercilessly pitching the stuff that had outgrown its useful life. 

I kept a handful of cookbooks I still use or have sentimental ties to, but I placed the rest of them in a reusable tote for donation to either a used bookstore or the nearest Salvation Army. I rehomed my ginormous cake storage container, which only sees use seasonally.

That left a big, beautiful expanse of open shelving, made even more generous by the space I had freed up by turning an over-the-door shoe organizer into a DIY water bottle organizer. Now, the bottom rows hold those pesky but necessary food storage containers, which otherwise end up everywhere they don’t belong. Larger food storage containers (and lids) are paired together on a shelf. 

The “Core 4 Method” was the simplest, easiest method I’ve tried when it comes to decluttering my pantry. I couldn’t even see or find anything in the space before using it! The four steps are clear and simple, and they’re flexible enough to change with your needs or space. At the end of the day, I reorganized my pantry, gave dozens of items new homes, and cleared out tons of things I don’t need.

If my husband and kids can follow this system (and, if I’m extremely lucky, keep it in this state of tidiness), then I’m sure your family can too. Of course, not overbuying (and being more mindful when I shop at Costco about the things I really need so the space never gets unruly in the first place) is key. I will say that it’s a lot easier not to overbuy when you can clearly see and access the things you already have. Happy Core 4-ing! 

Let us know how the method works for you in the comments below!