Which sizes make the most sense for each ingredient? And do you need to decant everything?

Decanting, or moving the foods in your kitchen into containers, can seem overwhelming and confusing.

Does it help with freshness? Will it be it be a headache to maintain? Which sizes make the most sense for each ingredient? And do you need to decant everything?

I polled close to 15,000 followers for their thoughts.

Spices

The Good: 40% say yes. Reasons to decant? Freshness and a stunning spice cabinet or drawer. Once labeled, each spice is easy to find, and only the main spices, like garlic powder and salt, need to be replenished often.

The Bad: 60% say no. The initial setup is tedious, and the maintenance of the system seems daunting. You may like to choose specific brands of each spice.

The Pretty: Marie Kondo Spice Jars from the container store are beautiful and come in two great sizes. If you want to save space, stackable spice jars from Amazon and many Jewish stores are a great option.

Cereal

The Good:

69% say yes. A set number of canisters limits how many cereal boxes can be opened at a time. And they do a great job at staving off staleness! Airtight canisters
are a save.

The Bad:

31% say no. Kids go through a box of cereal so quickly, there’s barely time to take them out of the original packaging. Besides, what else would they read in the morning without the mazes and word finds on the back of the boxes?

The Pretty:

Oxo makes three sizes of canisters; the most popular size is 3.4 quart, though the 4.5 quart usually fits a Costco-sized bag nicely.

Candy

The Good: 40% say yes. It’s pretty, plain, and simple, and the colors are bright and tempting. It’s also helpful to throw away all the plastic packaging and containers of loose candy.

The Bad: 60% say no. You might not want the candy to be that inviting and visible! Besides, you may have a variety of nosh, and a decorative bin would be more practical for your stash.

The Pretty: Glass jars from any housewares store can provide the seal needed to keep candy fresh and allow the colors of your candy shelf (or shelves!!) to shine through.

Snacks

The Good: 24% say yes. Crackers and snacks will stay fresh in airtight canisters. The pantry looks pretty, pretzels look inviting, and even the healthy snacks look upgraded.

The Bad: 76% say no. If you want to know the nutrition facts, you’ll need to cut out the labels and tape them to the back of canisters. And committing to certain snacks can feel limiting. Besides, the boxes and bags of crackers, cookies, and chips get eaten so quickly that it’s not worth the transfer.

The Pretty: Home Edit canisters work well for snacks in the large and pasta size as do Oxo’s containers in 3.7 and 6 quart sizes.

Baking Ingredients

The Good: 82% say yes. Why are these so often decanted? Decanting means fresher ingredients, space saving, easy pouring and scooping, and a clean cabinet. The myriad of flours and sugars available are much more accessible when canisters are clear and stacked.

The Bad: 18% say no. The cost can be a deterrent, and if most ingredients are kept in the freezer for freshness, decanting isn’t necessary. Besides, it’s just another unpackaging to do when you come home from the grocery.

The Pretty: Oxo POP containers are classic, and the sizes are perfect for all things baking. The 4.4 quart fits a 5 pound bag of flour perfectly and the 0.6 quart rectangle works well for baking soda and baking powder (be sure to label those!).

Cooking Ingredients

The Good: 66% say yes. No more half-used bags of beans crumpled in the cabinet. No more spills, crumbs, or potential infestations. Plus, in clear canisters, you can see how much remains of your coatings.

The Bad: 34% say no. New canisters can be costly, and you don’t always buy the same rice, breadcrumbs, or beans. You might like purchasing a variety and don’t want to commit one specific ingredient to a canister.

The Pretty: Home Edit canisters from either The Container Store or Walmart are pretty and stack and wash well. Target’s brand also comes in great sizes and are a bit more economical.

Pasta

The Good: 28% say yes. Just seeing all those pasta shapes lined up in uniform canisters can bring you joy! It’s better than having non-resealable bags of lokshen and partially-used boxes of elbows on the shelf.

The Bad: 72% say no. If you use an entire box or bag of noodles at a time, it may not make sense for you to decant it.

The Pretty: Neat Method glass jars are a stunning compliment to any pantry and really showcase those gemelli! Or use whichever canisters you use for cooking ingredients to keep the space uniform.

Ruthie Levy of Simplifized LLC has been organizing homes in New York and New Jersey since 2013. Her combination of practicality and eye for aesthetics has helped hundreds of clients create and maintain organized homes.

(Originally featured in Family First, Issue 945)