A Pro Organizer Just Got Rid of Your Final 3 Excuses Not to Decant
Even if we can all agree decanting is an aesthetically pleasing alternative to cramming a bunch of food boxes on a shelf, transferring your food and ingredients to see-through jars has actually become a pretty controversial practice. We totally understand the concern: Your organization methods should make your kitchen easier to be in, not just prettier to look at, right?
If you’re hesitant about decanting, stick with us. Cindy Huzenman, a pro organizer based in Florida, recently shared her favorite decanting hacks in a viral TikTok — and we’re pretty sure we’re out of excuses not to decant. Ahead, three common reasons people don’t want to decant, and this pro organizer’s tricks of the trade.
Excuse: You don’t want to dump out food from a huge jar.
Solution: Include a scoop in the decanting vessel.
To make sure she can easily get the amount of food she wants from a decanting jar, Huzenman keeps different-sized scoopers inside certain jars. In her TikTok, she shows a glass jar of granola with a serving-size scoop inside. Just make sure to wash your hands before scooping to prevent cross-contamination in the jar!
Buy: OXO Good Grips Flexible Scoop, $8.95
Excuse: You tell yourself you won’t remember when the contents expire.
Solution: Visibly mark the expiration date at the bottom of the jar.
One downside of decanting we hear about all the time: Without an expiration date, You might have no idea how old your flour or oatmeal is, which may make you less likely to actually use those things. Huzenman’s solution is simple but oh-so smart. Easily identify the item’s expiration date by writing it on the bottom of the jar with a white glass marker. When you refill, just wipe it off and write the new date in the old one’s place.
Buy: White Glass Pen, $6.99
Excuse: You want to hang on to the the product label.
Solution: Add a pocket to the back of the jar.
That pasta box might be unsightly on the pantry shelf, but it contains a lot of helpful information about how to cook what’s inside. Overcoming that conundrum is easier than you’d think. Just cut the cooking instructions and nutrition facts from the box before you recycle it, then stick them in a pocket that adheres to the outside of your decanting jar.
Buy: Self-Adhesive Pockets, $12.99 for 30