Help! They're Multiplying in my Pantry!!!

I was just talking to VW (that's Bug to Harvey) about this at breakfast yesterday. Have you ever looked in your pantry or cabinet and seen WAY too much of something? For instance, I have 4 jars of Prego Spaghetti Sauce, 3 bottles of Worcestershire sauce, 2 jars of Peanut Butter, and two bottles of ketchup. All unopened.

How does this happen? I am a listmaker. I go to Publix, with my list, by aisle. (I have the aisles memorized… a pox upon Publix management for moving the aisles around. I’m not recovering. I can’t find a damn thing.) But inevitably, I get there and as I’m passing the Ketchup to get to the Mayo I think, “Crap. Did I need more Ketchup? Didn’t we run out recently? I bet we’re on our last bottle.” So I pick it up, get home, unload the groceries, open the pantry and “Voila!” there sits yet ANOTHER bottle of ketchup because I had the same exact thought process some time the previous month when I went shopping.

Today VW and I were on the phone. I had just come back from shopping and was throwing together dinner when I noticed I was missing an ingredient I just KNEW that I had. As we’re talking, she’s laughing at me because she’s been there and I’m yelling, “I know it’s in here! I know I have a packet of brown gravy in here! I know I do!” Did I really? NO. I had to go back to Publix. Guess what will happen in 3 months? I’ll make this recipe and think, “Oh, I need brown gravy packets, I ran out last time.” Then I will buy 3 forgetting I bought 3 this time. Soon I’ll brown gravy packets shoved in every corner of my pantry. At least they’re easy to store. I can store them between all those jars of Prego.