There’s a party in my pantry. And everyone’s invited. Although, it’s not really a party. And the pantry is far too small to host any sort of gathering. Hmmm. This invitation is going over just about as smoothly as Brick Tambland’s.
But back to the pantry. See it there, hiding in the back of the kitchen by the fridge?
This is the only “before” I could find of it with the door open. By all the wallpaper and brown trim I could’ve sworn this was from before we moved in, but something about it being stocked with our mess of food tells me this is post-move. #sherlocking
Regardless of when the photo was snapped, you can see that it was – how should I put it? – lacking in any sort of order and organization. Except for maybe the artfully jumbled pile of bags on the floor. I’ll wait while you pin it.
Our initial treatment of that space was not at all indicative of our excitement to finally have a legit pantry. In our first house we just stocked food in some upper cabinets, and in our last one we had a pretty intense pantry-cabinet contraption that was equally functional and frustrating. So having a standard pantry closet (like the ones we both had growing up) is a welcome change for us.
And thankfully, over the last eight months of living with it (and getting increasingly frustrated by our lack of function), we’ve come up with a few ideas to make it work a lot better for us. First off, we wanted to move our microwave in there. I know it’s not your usual placement for a microwave, but since removing our hulking over-the-range microwave, we wanted a better spot than on the counter – and we’ve had luck with a microwave that was hidden behind a cabinet door in our last kitchen (we don’t use it very often, and we really liked that setup).
So because we had a good experience concealing our last microwave, relocating this one to our nice deep pantry felt like the way to go. There would be ample room for ventilation on the sides and back of it – and we’d keep the door open while it’s in use. The only hitch was that there was no outlet in the pantry. Until recently…
We actually got this done about a month or so ago (you may have noticed that the microwave has been MIA for a little while). Right before Christmas we had our go-to electricians swing by one morning and add an outlet right where we wanted it, to the tune of $110. And with that, the microwave had a spot to plug-in, our counter was clearer, and the pantry felt one step closer to being more functional for us.
We’ve been using it that way for over a month now and it has worked out well. Except that to make room for the microwave, we had to lose one of the existing shelves. Simple solution: reposition the shelves to capitalize on that unused space. But sometimes the simplest solutions take weeks to make it to the top of our to-do list.
Yesterday we finally emptied the pantry (a fun task full of exciting discoveries like “I didn’t know we still had cookies back here!”) and went to work adjusting the shelves. Our original plan had been to lower the bottom shelf (with the microwave on it) so that the shelf above it could go back in the same spot. But we’ve since moved our trash can in there too, so we couldn’t go any lower without obstructing the can from opening.
Trash can sidenote: we moved that into the pantry over a month ago on a trial basis with the worry that it could stink up the whole space or otherwise annoy us, but sort of like how a trash can under the sink doesn’t seem to be an issue – especially when it has a lid to seal it – this one has been fine in there. Even with a pregnant wife who currently has a werewolf-like sense of smell.
Instead of lowering the microwave shelf to make room for another shelf above it, we opted to put the missing shelf back in above the microwave shelf. But by hanging that one a little higher, it would create sort of a half-shelf that’s perfect for cans and smaller pantry items. So I, very technically, used a pasta sauce jar to mark how much space we’d want.
The next part was really easy. I used my crowbar to pry off the existing braces (which were just nailed in) and marked level lines where they needed to be re-installed.
Then using my level to double-check myself, I screwed them back into place where we wanted them.
The whole thing took about an hour, and most of that was spent emptying the pantry, taking pictures for you guys, and eating back-of-the-pantry discoveries. Once it was completed we were inordinately excited to test out our new small-things shelf. It’s really nice to have a “bonus shelf” for those shorter items that used to get shoved to the back or clutter up the other shelves.
We didn’t bother to restock the whole pantry yet because (as you can probably tell) there’s still more to be done. Primarily: priming, painting, and further organizing those shelves. We’re planning to add a few more systems to keep things organized on those bigger shelves, and might even hang some added storage on the door. Sherry has also been thinking about using some cheery wipeable shelf paper or something, so this pantry party is best described as half-baked.
After we’re done painting and everything’s dry we can actually organize it so it looks a bit more appetizing and less like a grocery store mid-looting. And then we’ll be back with the end result.
Man, it looks so nice empty and clean like that. Then again, the rest of the kitchen looks like this, so I guess it’s not really a long term solution.
How do you guys have your pantry organized? Do you have certain bins and systems that you love? Have you drooled over those amazing room-like pantries on Pinterest? Sometimes I catch Sherry just gazing at them and muttering things like “magical unicorn pantry.”
Also, let me know if anyone is throwing a pantry party anytime soon. I’ll bring my friend Brick. He’s a hoot.
i have wire racks in my pantry, but it seems like its about the same size as yours. i’d love to replaced the whole shelving system with wood shelves and put a fresh coat of paint on! I love the trash can in the pantry.. my dog learned how to step on the trash can to open the lid, so we needed another solution. never had a problem with it stinking up the pantry either.
So glad to hear that! I kept worrying it was gross to put the garbage can in there or something, but we take our garbage out pretty regularly, and with the lid it has been awesome so far!
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We do the trash can in pantry, too (we also have big dogs who can nose into the trash can too easily). Our is a bit grosser since the lid didn’t fit on it in the pantry and we haven’t gotten around to replacing the can, but very rarely do we have a smell issue at all- and when we do, thats when trash bags go to the garage to await their garbage day fate. =)
We just switched to trash cans with the step to open the lid, and I’m just waiting until the day they figure out how to step on it. I ended up buying two Simple Human ones that were on sale which also have a lock to the top (it’s a “Pet Lock”). Short of them chewing the trashcan up they wouldn’t be able to unlock it.
They’re masterminds at sneakiness though…it’s only a matter of time until they use what I swear are hidden opposable thumbs…
Hey I’ve heard that the garbage can is cleaner than our mouths – my dental hygienist verified it – she said “Yep our mouths are SCARY” – (in general, not mine in particular), and I’ve heard that a dog’s mouth is cleaner that ours – she confirmed that, too.
So funny!
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We have wire shelves, too. I just can’t take the plunge in deciding if I’d like wood ones or not. I’m so used to looking up through them when I’m looking for something.
I just recently posted about cleaning out my pantry! Unfortunately there were no back of the pantry cookies to be found. But I did get a craving seeing all the s’mores supplies we had. Need to get our fireplace going so I can make some.
And now I want s’mores for breakfast.
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“I’ll wait while you pin it” made me laugh SO hard. We just cleaned out a friends pantry and it was equally wonderful as it was horrifying, the back recesses were like an archeology dig!
It’s amazing what you find back there, right?! We inexplicably found about three Clara-toys and a thermometer.
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LOL, that line cracked me up, too! I like the redesign, clever use of space.
Man, I could NOT stop laughing when reading this!! I initially lost it over “I’ll wait while you pin it.” but the fun continued with “werewolf-like sense of smell” and the fact that you were eating your back-of-the-pantry discoveries. I thought I had made a full recovery when you threw in the comparison to a grocery store mid-looting.
Fabulous post! Both freaking hilarious & pretty darn educational, too! Loved it :)
Those three were my favorites, too! All I found while cleaning our pantry recently was that I have a spaghetti sauce-buying problem. Seriously, 12 jars. For the two of us. I guess it’s my go-to “we probably need it” item…only now we don’t need it for a year.
“I’ll wait while you pin it.” Love your sense of humor, John!
Actually, we’re about to start a pantry project. We’re going to relocate our washer and dryer from a utility closet in our kitchen to the garage, and then install floor to ceiling shelves in the utility closet to convert it into a pantry. I’m ecstatic about it. It will be nice to finally be able to see exactly what we have grocery-wise, rather than buying something only to find we already have six cans of said item shoved in the back out of sight.
That sounds amazing Emily! Good luck with everything!
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Love the pantry project. Single biggest improvement I made in my last house, which ended up very similar to yours. One thing I did that you might consider is removing one of the shelf boards. (Looks like yours are made up of 2 boards like mine were). The extra depth, while nice, made me lose things in the back constantly. So I took out a board on each shelf and put stuff on the sides of the pantry instead. Spice rack on one side and a broom on the other. Happy organizing! And cookie finding!
Great tip!!
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I actually had this exact same thought. Deep pantry shelves would be infuriating for me. I also like the microwave being hidden but I’m not sure I’d be able to sacrifice so much pantry space for it. Can’t wait to see what yall do with it!
I have a mix of shallow shelves and ‘stadium-style’ shelves (fancy – made of 2x4s stacked behind the first row of cans) – I like my various glass bottle things like olive oil and vinegar to be in a single or double row at most, but canned goods I have on ever increasing stacks of 2x4s so I can see at a glance what i have and still store a lot of them – have you noticed very few of today’s cans stack anymore? Just tuna, lol.
That’s so funny!
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We did that too. It was very effective because not only did it resolve “losing” stuff due to the shelves being so deep, it turned the pantry into a walk in. I’d send you a pic, but not sure how to do that on here?
Would love to see a pic Colette! You can upload one to our Facebook page or just link to one in a comment on a free photo-sharing site like Flickr.
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We used a rev-a-shelf from lowes to convert a small cabinet to a pull-pout trash drawer. It is much better than having the trash in the pantry, which is what we used to have. Now we have two trashcans hidden behind a cabinet drawer that pulls out. We use the back can for recycling and the front for trash. It is fantastic and was super cheap!
That sounds awesome!
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US too! My dad says I could be a Rev-A-Shelf spokesperson b/c I brag about it so much! (I’m not, I just love mine) Be sure to put that on your “permanent kitchen” list!
Now I can’t wait to check it out!
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We did the same thing and love it. Been super happy with our rev-a-shelf, and have no regrets about using a lower cabinet to install it. I’m not a fan of lower cabinets and how hard they are to organize anyway, and the stuff end up moving to the pantry where it makes more sense anyway.
I second rev-a-shelf. We have them on every shelf in our pantry and love them. They allow you to utilize every inch of the shelf. We have deep shelves in our pantry and the rev-a-shelf allows you to look at everything at once. Just pull out the drawer and there it all is. No need to get food lost in the back of the pantry. They can be pricey at about $30-50 per shelf however they are well worth it. We are slowly adding to our collection. In my dream kitchen all the lower cabinets would be outfitted with a rev-a-shelf; it just allows maximum use of the space.
I love this post, but “I’ll wait while you pin it” is the best!
Love the microwave idea– I too am all about maximizing counter space. The only way we’ve been able to keep our pantry from looking like a bomb went off is to organize it with bins. A bin for canned goods, bin for pasta, etc. That way, we can easily do an inventory before hitting the grocery store for what staples we might need for the week, and we know right where to look to see if we have a certain ingredient. I bought about 10 matching bins from Home Goods, so it was a really cheap and immediately effective solution.
Really smart tip!
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Bins are such a good idea! I’d love to add pullouts to mine. It’s impossible to see or care about what’s in the back. Bins could be a cheap start while I research pullouts on tracks to add.
I just have to say, John is hilarious, in a not outright funny kind of way. It makes me snort laugh. I’m off to pin the artfully jumbled pile of bags on the floor. ;-)
I had the same problem with relocating stuff to my pantry and needing to remove a shelf. I was planning on just doing sorta the same thing and making a shorter shelf but there is a big silver round thing (super technical right?) right in the middle where that shelf would go. You’ve inspired me to finally do some rearranging with all the shelves to make it work though!
Good luck Kristyn! I’ve been looking at other pantry ideas on sites like The Container Store and even just on google images to see what other ideas come up. Hope you find something that works perfectly!
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Pretty ingenious to put the microwave in there! That wouldn’t work for us (we are heavy-duty microwavers (?) but I like the out-of-sight clutter-free aspect of that.
We’re lucky in that our kitchen came with a custom built-in pantry wall that is very functional. It’s got big cabinets with slide-out drawers that are great for storing all sorts of foodstuffs and other things. We are planning to renovate the kitchen next year, but we will definitely be keeping the pantry cabinets – probably just going to paint them and change out the hardware.
http://www.rathersquare.com/2014/01/ideas-plans-2014/
Such an awesome setup!
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Are you planning to put a set of narrow shelves or drawers at the bottom? i.e. bin could move left or right and then they could come in in the remaining space.
That’s an awesome idea! I was thinking either a shallower shelf along the back above the garbage bin or something on the side could work! Will keep you posted…
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Good idea or even vertical long shelves (not a great description) for trays and such would be cool on the side of the trash.
Would love that!
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I just recently reorganized my pantry and lazy susan by using dollar store bins and chalkboard labels! It is such a small change but makes me feel so much more organized! I’d love if you checked it out!
http://oldhousetonewhome.blogspot.com/2014/01/sunday-funday.html
Love that!
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Kitchen organization is the bane of my existence. Being OCD doesn’t help. That said, I’m looking forward to your follow-up post. I have four awkward corner cabinets for food storage, and the best I can come up with is lazy susans and a penchant for frequent organizing.
I just reorganized our food cupboards this weekend! We don’t really have a pantry : ( I found some graham crackers I’d been holding on to for a couple of years. Yikes! I love a good, clean fresh start.
Yes, a clean fresh start is like house-therapy!
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Every time I see a super organized pantry on Pinterest I think about re organizing mine. Right now my pantry looks like your first image…plastic bags in the bottom and all.
I love our small garbage can under the sink. We use grocery bags in it so it fills up quickly but it is never stinky!
Great idea to have the microwave hidden away! One question…what’s in the crockpot for dinner? :) I need an idea for tonight.
Steak stew with carrots, potatoes, and onions. Really easy!
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Our pantry is big and weird shaped. I dream of streamlining it one day. For now, though, one of it’s perks is being big enough to house the dirty cloth napkins bin.
We use the FILUR ones from IKEA and love them for cloth wipes (in the bathrooms), too.
That’s awesome!
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We only have an upper cabinet for food :( no pantry for us! I have to ask, what was cooking in the crock pot?!?
Mmm, steak stew with carrots, onions, and potatoes.
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Organizing the pantry is really a tedious task which needs to be followed often. Your post is a real fun :)
The best pantry thing I did was hang a clear pocket shoe holder over the door. I have all my spices, Tabasco, cooking sprays, etc. in it alphabetized. It makes it so much easier for me to grab what I need without a hunt. We are planning to move our microwave to our pantry as well with our mini kitchen remodel. I was glad to see that it is working out well for you!
That sounds so organized! I love it!
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Ha! “Magical unicorn pantry”…I have SO been there. I actually wrote a post not long ago about my decision to give up on the unicorn pantry and clean ours out/make it practical for us :)
http://numbersandnails.com/2014/01/05/pinterest-can-be-poisonous/
Ooh that sounds good! Off to read it!
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Might be my pregnant belly telling me something but do I see Nutella in there? Mmmmmh, off I go into my pantry and get myself a yummy chocolate-ty afternoon snack! Thanks John! :)
Yes! Grammy introduced Clara to Nutella and now somehow we were roped into keeping some on hand for special treats. This prego isn’t complaining though…
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Yay, pregnant Nutella-lovers unite!
Sounds like something grandparents would do…. “Ah, come on, it’s just a little Nutella…” ;)
Nutella strawberry grilled sandwiches…You can thank me later! Or actually blame me later for that addiction.
Mmmmm!
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Nutella is VERY popular in Europe and our friends over there swore to us that its actually very healthy for children. haha! I was not convinced…”Nutella? healthy? I don’t think so!” It’s ok for a treat every now and then though….we have some in our pantry too!
So funny!
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Oh come on, Dayna! I’m German, so I have to agree with your European friends: There is milk in Nutella and nuts, too. So it’s practically pure protein, which is, as we all know, very healthy! Oh and cocoa grows on trees. So: fruit!
There you go! :))
Haha!
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Do tell what solution you found for all the bags! We use paper bags for recycling and plastic grocery bags for our kitchen garbage can, but have yet to find an attractive, or even conveniently functional place to store them.
We’re still working on that, but I promise to report back when we figure it out!
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No tips on paper, but I use an empty tissue box to wrangle plastic bags. Works like a charm, free, and keeps it to a manageable number! (They also sell fancy dispensers–I know OXO has one–but mine live under the sink and aren’t on display; the tissue box works and is free.) :)
Smart!
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Just do what my boyfriend and his roommates do and devote an entire bottom corner cabinet to your used plastic bag collection. Super efficient use of space. *facepalm*
Haha!
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Plastic bags were ruining my life, but a few years ago I got the $2 plastic bag holder from IKEA and mounted inside a cabinet door (the one under my kitchen sink). I’ve had it for 4 or 5 years and love it. I endorsed it so frequently that now my mom has one too.
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80010222/
Love that!
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I fold my plastic bags!
http://www.instructables.com/id/HOW-TO-ORGANIZE-YOUR-PLASTIC-BAGS/
It doesn’t take too long and it saves SOOO much space.
That’s awesome! Brings back memories of those folded notes we passed in high school!
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I repurposed the box from a case of coke, the long skinny type that “dispenses” in your fridge. Free, holds a lot of bags & is narrow and deep so it’s a good fit in a kitchen cabinet.
Love that!
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I’ve drooled over your 2nd house’s pantry so I’m curious why it was frustrating at times?
Also, I think from now on your homes should be referred to as YHL1, YHL2 and YHL3!
Haha! The issue with that pantry was that in order to access certain things, you had to pull out multiple shelves in front of them (and they could be on the back or the front of a shelf since both sides had storage). So the act of searching for an old can of beans that you knew were in there somewhere turned into a swiss-army-like cabinet formation where they all had to be pulled out so we could look behind things and check the backs of them. It just wasn’t easy to survey what you had at all since everything was layered like a Bloomin’ Onion.
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Best line ever written by John Petersik, or maybe by anyone. Ever. “artfully jumbled pile of bags on the floor. I’ll wait while you pin it.” I snorted my hot tea and it hurt! Could not stop laughing at my desk.
I know! No offense Sherry, but sometimes John posts are the best, if for no other reason than the comments he makes about your antics. (Crib skirt and magical unicorn pantry? Of course YOU would tell us these things, Sherry, but it’s funnier second-hand! It just is.) That combo of goofy and dry humor is the whole reason I started reading this blog. Thanks for the laugh, John!
Agreed! I always tell everyone that John is the funny one. I’m the loud one, but he’s the funny one.
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Ha!! I agree. I wanted to pin that line.
I’m so impressed by how much you accomplish while pregnant, and blogging, and raising a toddler. How do you guys get so much done with Clara around? My hubs works a lot, so I try to get stuff done but I’m currently outnumbered, and it seems impossible to do big tasks with teeny hands and feet underfoot. (My son is 3 and my daughter is 16 months). Example: I have tried doing the T25 workout three times, and the 25 minute took 40. I cannot say under oath that I didn’t accidentally lunge into a child, or attempt jumping jacks while holding one. What projects have been possible with adorable little Clara around?
Haha, I know what you mean! And I can only imagine juggling two kids (we’re in for a rude awakening I think!). Clara is great for projects like this because we can generally clear something out and work on small updates that involve nailing and drilling while she plays nearby or just hangs out and watches while we explain what we’re trying to do. Of course seeing all that stuff on the counter prompts her to ask for about every snack in the history of the world, but she’s a pretty good helper at this age (ex: she doesn’t try to take everything off the counter and dump it out on the floor or anything). For bigger projects like painting a room we prefer to do those while she naps or while she’s asleep for the night, just because it can feel like it takes twice as long to do things when your attention is divided (like you described with your workout). I can’t wait until she’s old enough to help us paint though – she really wants to! Haha!
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We are saving up for a total kitchen makeover right now! One thing that comes with this is a HUGE pantry we are getting! I am so excited! We were just talking last night about what to do with a microwave and this is such an awesome idea! Thanks!!
That. Sounds. Awesome! Do it up, girl.
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I went crazy at the Container Store during a sale and organized my pantry! It’s tiny but I got 2x the space out of it using the Elfa system and different containers!
That makes me organization-loving heart so happy. It’s like you made an underdog pantry into a champion.
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LOVE Elfa! Have that in our pantry and it was worth the cost!
We just splurged on an Elfa system and it was worth it, but not worth it: the ‘professional’ help we got there. I had heard such great things about their designers but we did not have that experience. Luckily the system was pretty expensive so we only bought part of it, installed that, then took an assessment and made changes before buying more components.
We have a walk-in pantry (I know, we are lucky) and the professional design would have blocked about 30% of the usable space – and I consider anything I can reach without a step stool premium space – 50% of that would have been blocked.
So glad you saved the headache of doing it wrong and figured it out as you went!
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I used the Elfa drawers in my pantry – so in place of your trash can, I have a drawer system of a similar height. It is a lifesaver, because I can pull the drawer out – eliminates the problem of the deep shelves that drive me crazy in there. Worked out great. This post and the comments have given me some great ideas to kick it up a notch!
Sounds awesome!
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You may address this as you finish the pantry organization, but how deep is this pantry? We just moved and have a very similar pantry set up (the microwave move is BRILLIANT and I shall be copying you soon). However, I feel like with such a deep pantry, it is so hard to see what is in the back. I have trouble deciding what sorts of risers etc we will need….
It’s pretty deep, so we do lose things in the back when they’re not organized in bins or set up in a way that makes sense (here’s hoping we can accomplish that).
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As part of the January cure, I cleaned out all by kitchen cupboards and reorganized. Twelve solid hours, boy do kitchens collect stuff! I replaced my back of the door wire shelves for plastic wrap, wax paper, etc, with a shoe organizer that is so much more functional for that stuff. We used to knock it all down so frequently, this stays put and is so much better!
Cleaning out cupboards is a terrible chore, but really improves your daily life so much that after it is done, you are like, duh, why did I not do that sooner?
That sounds amazing. Oh man, organization = therapy.
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I was both laughing and drooling at this. I don’t have a pantry and am super-jealous. Organization is right up my alley. The first time I went to IKEA, my best friend and I walked into the organization stuff area and swore we heard a chorus of angels. I can barely even walk into Organized Living or the Container Store because I’d have to take out a loan.
Haha!
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MMMM nutelllla
It’s the best.
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Okay, the idea of having an outlet added to the pantry for the microwave is one of the best!!! Isn’t this the beauty of moving to a new home as each time, you consider what you loved and didn’t love from the previous home? You two always make me so happy to follow.
I have to tell you that sometimes it is the simplest things that make our readers happy (and I’m a pretty new blogger). I would write about my home updates, etc and other lengthy projects & the most pinned was a project I did on “sprinkles” *you know for cakes, cookies and how I organized them. I still smile at that. So now, it’s going to be the microwave in the pantry for Young House Love!
You’re so sweet Dana, thanks!
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One day I will have a nice pantry… for now, I have two metal cabinets from my grand grandfather that I shove things into with slightly organized shelves.
Haha! It sounds industrious to me!
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I’d love to hear an update about how the short shelf works out over time. It looks like the shelves are so close together that it might be difficult to reach in and grab stuff off the new shelf without unloading it first. So far, so good?
So far, so good, but it has literally been a day and nothing is really loaded in there since we’re hoping to empty it all to paint!
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I want you guys to come live with me for a week and help me with my projects! Looks awesome.
Sounds good! You can give us money tips. Haha!
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I love where you are going with this. Have you thought about moving the garbage can to one side or the other and then building a smaller shelving unit to the side – similar to the one you built in your last house next to the washer/dryer to utilize all of the space efficiently?
Our house doesn’t have a pantry but through some remodeling, we were able to add in a 6’x8’closet that was used as kind of a butler’s pantry. I just used some heavy duty shelving in there – I love looking at all of my supplies in an organized manner. It’s so nice to run to the closet and not the store every time we get a snow storm (which happens to be like every other week this year).
Love that idea!
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For my pantry, I enlist the help of stacking wire baskets to hold onions,potatoes, garlic, etc. For canned goods, I use one of those elevated step thingys….for cans, stepstool for cans….such a simple thing, why can’t I describe it. Anyways, it expands and it’s awesome. Also, the habit that has made the biggest difference is transferring food from bags into square plastic bins or mason jars. They usually take up less space than the original packaging and the difference visually is huge. I can see exactly what food we’re running low on and there aren’t half filled bags of pretzels or pistachios falling everywhere.
Thanks for sharing tips everyone! So helpful!
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For the “artfully jumbled pile of bags” I keep the plastic grocery store bags in an old Kleenex box – makes it easy to pull out one bag at a time for various cat and dog poop clean-up. I can’t remember where I read this idea – Real Simple or pinterest.
Love that!
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Our house came without a formal “pantry,” but it has 3 linen closets (1 right by the kitchen) and a random storage closet (between the kitchen and laundry room). I just moved our pantry from a linen closet to the storage closet because I thought it might be more functional – so right! It’s amazing how much an organized pantry changes making lunches and food prep! Have fun with your pantry party :)
That sounds so nice!
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Can’t wait to see the finished product. We have a very deep pantry, and the best way I have found to utilize the space efficiently, is to install half shelves between the deep shelves. If sort of layers everything in and keeps thinks from getting lost.
Smart!
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We have several deep cabinets where things get lost easily. Found it works well for us to put a lazy susan there. We have one in our pantry and one under our kitchen sink (had to be careful there and put it on the side without the pipe hanging down). Makes it a lot easier to access “stuff”. “Kasey”
LOVE a pantry party!!!
We had a mostly useless pantry closet when we moved into our house 5 yrs ago, and redoing it was one of the best projects we’ve done in terms of benefit vs. effort/cost. Originally it had 3 deep shelves covered with ugly contact paper that had lots of food stuck underneath, plus the linoleum on the floor was peeling up and also had food underneath it since the base shoe/quarter round was never reinstalled after the linoleum was installed. It now has 6-yes SIX! fabulous shelves including some narrow ones for canned goods, plus an over the door storage rack with EIGHT compartments. Everything is bright white and clean. We can easily store 4 times as much stuff as before and have easy access to all of it. I was so thrilled my husband threatened to hook up a recording of angels singing to the door latch so that it would play each time I opened the door…!
As far as systems, I have leaned toward inexpensive but durable bins and storage containers that are flexible. We have two young children and I have found that needs change a lot as they move through these stages – from storing baby and toddler food to more big kid type snacks, etc. and I need items that I can use to quickly reorganize without spending new money.
Thanks for the tips guys!
xo
s
I would have never thought to put the microwave in the pantry!
I like to use little baskets to organize small thinks like snack bars and stuff like that. I have one that is just for my son’s snacks so he always knows where to get something if he wants it.
The werewolf sense of smell bit was my favorite. I just pictured Sherry morphed into a Sherry-Remus Lupin type creature, happily ironing on some hem tape and suddenly,::sniff sniff::…John’s in the nutella again, werewolf howl, end scene.
But my very VERY favorite part was seeing that you guys use a crockpot! Celebrities! They are just like us! ;)
Haha! We had the best steak stew. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. Threw whole potatoes in there and everything.
xo
s
One of the “perks” of apartment living -dealing with their “pantry solution.” Someone slapped together some sheets of plywood and shoved it into our *ridiculously* deep pantry which also houses our water heater. It’s about 3.5 feet deep, but the way they constructed the shelf makes it almost completely unusable! There’s one giant shelf, and then three shelves in graduating height from “barely able to stand a spice bottle” to “will hold a peanut butter jar” to “box of pancake mix” heights and then the top of the unit, which is again a GIANT space, big enough to back three 9 packs of papertowels.
I just don’t know what they were thinking when they thought a shelf space of 5 inches high and 3 FEET DEEP was a good idea.
Holy cow, that’s deep!
xo
s
Looks great guys! Im curious if this is a ‘phase one’ thing and you plan to redo the pantry again with the kitchen reno down the line or if you will most likely keep it to function this way?
We have no plans to reposition the pantry and hope these changes can be used for the long haul (assuming they work, and if not we’ll have to course correct, haha!).
xo
s