Handy Tips For Keeping The Office Pantry Neat And Tidy

Handy Tips For Keeping The Office Pantry Neat And Tidy

Who said the office is a place for all work and no play? As the place people spend most of their weekdays at, offices have to be livable spaces that cater to the needs of the people hard at work there. While some startups today revolutionise office spaces with open layouts, game rooms, lounge areas, and more, one thing that most offices cannot lack is this – a pantry.

Typically tucked away at the corner of the office is the pantry area which stocks things like a drinks dispenser, refrigerator, and snacks. As a zone where food and drinks are kept, prepared, and consumed, the pantry often becomes a high-risk area for mess and dirtiness. Due to the vast volumes of people who use the pantry each day, it can be hard to control the cleanliness of the area. Yet, a clean and tidy pantry is crucial for the health and well-being of the staff members in the office.

Keeping an orderly pantry is a collective effort. With everyone on board, a clean pantry can be achievable in a few simple steps. Find out how you can do so with these tips below:

Declutter

If your office pantry has not been cleared out for a while, you might need to start with a decluttering session. Pick out all the expired snacks and broken appliances and put them in the trash. If there are an excessive number of cups or kitchenware that no one uses, consider donating them to a charity instead of hoarding them. Once you have reduced the number of items in the pantry, you might be astounded at the sight of the amount of space freed up. Over time, the pantry may accumulate more unwanted goods – thus, it is a good idea to have a spring cleaning session every once in a while.

Organise the pantry

Once the unwanted items are eliminated, you need to ensure the things you need are organised well. It will be good to allocate separate areas for your snacks, drink sachets, cups, and other items. After eating takeouts from hawker centres in Singapore, the plastic containers can be kept and used as organisational tools. Due to the large volumes of takeout food consumed in offices, it will also be a good idea to implement separate bins for recyclables and general waste. This way, the kraft lunch boxes and plastic drink bottles used every day will have a dedicated place to go instead of being added to the trash. 

Don’t leave food lying around

When food is involved, there is always the risk of stray food that attracts unwanted visitors like ants, cockroaches, flies, and rats. Thus, everyone needs to play their part in ensuring that they don’t leave food exposed in the pantry. Half-eaten food or snacks should be re-sealed, while food crumbs should be cleared after every use. Accidental spills should also be tended to immediately, to avoid liquids spreading and damaging flooring or other appliances.

Clean the pantry regularly

Apart from daily efforts to keep the pantry free of food remnants, weekly cleaning is also recommended to maintain cleanliness. This would involve mopping and wiping the counters. To do this, you need to first equip your office with the right tools for cleaning, such as a cleaning rag, broom, mop, and floor detergent. If possible, engaging a professional cleaner to come in once a week to do the cleaning for your office may be a more convenient solution.

A clean pantry will make the office environment a more pleasant place. With these tips and some help from everyone in the office, an orderly and sanitary pantry is definitely achievable!