I think a pantry, any pantry, needs a top to bottom re-examination and scrub once a year.
At my house, with very high shelves, this means my husband on a ladder, handing things down to me, scrubbing/drying the shelves, and then putting the keepers away.
As I was handing the keeper stuff to my husband to put away, I had to urge him to spread things out. I finally said - like a magazine is coming to shoot tomorrow for an article.I was very aggressive this year. Everything I questioned, my husband was perfectly willing to let go, he was not attached to anything. He did not care how long we had it, who gave it to us, how much it cost. Progress!
We sorted based on whether or not we use it regularly, whether or not we use it with a houseful, whether or not we even like it.
We got rid of things we have had for almost 40 years. We got rid of family things that are older than I am (61). We got rid of things we used to use, but have not used in years. We got rid of things we have never used.
