I adore being organized. It makes my heart happy to see a clean, streamlined, organized space. Before the babies were born, I went on a serious nesting kick and reorganized just about every closet/under cabinet space in the house. This included the pantry. Really all I did in the pantry was clean out things and rearrange them a little. It was basically all I could do at 36 weeks pregnant with twins.
But I kept seeing all these amazing pantries on pinterest and I was dying for a complete overhaul. I finally decided it was not just an aesthetic thing to have clear, organized containers. I used to keep a continual running list in my head of where I was at on staples, and refilled any time I went to the store.
Then I had 3 kids in 2 years. And my brain got a bit busier.
And I kept reaching in for a box of pasta or grains only to discover that I didn't have enough left. So I decided having clear, labeled containers to store my whole supplies was well worth the investment.
After once again perusing pinterest, I discovered that Walmart was the places to go for cheap glass/plastic storage, so I walked out with $150 worth of storage supplies and got down to business.
Remember, we live in base housing and will be moving sometime in the next year-ish, so I can't do anything awesome, like stencil or wallpaper in the back. Everything has to be able to move with us. I repurposed both of the shelving units I already had in there (which we had gathered for free over the last couple of moves), and I already had all of the OXO Pop Top containers and the various baskets I already had hanging around the house.
BEFORE
semi-organized, but over packed and too many boxes!
AFTER
Moved all the cans onto the newly bright green spray-painted shelves. All my coffee supplies are now corralled in a basket on top.
Party supplies and bulk water up on top. Drink mixes and spice packets in the labeled bins below that. The white bin in bulk food storage and I am planning on purchasing another one for the remaining bulk supplies next to it.
Baking supplies on the next shelf. One big container for all the little baking stuff, and then labeled bulk supplies in the other containers.
The next shelf is for all the snacks. Crackers, cookies, chips, nuts, etc...
The bottom shelf is quick oats, cream of wheat, steel cut oats, homemade pancake mix, cereals, granolas, and pastas and grains.
I am planning on buying more of the chalkboard labels to put on the OXO Pop Tops so I can easily label and change the labels for our snacks and such.
The rest of the pastas are on top of the newly spray-painted yellow shelves and the potatoes, sweet potatoes, and onions hang in bags on the wall.
The yellow shelf holds quick grab to-go toddler snacks, extra cooking supplies (cornmeal, bread crumbs, popcorn, etc) and then beans and extra bulk supplies.
My favorite part is the labels!! I made them on my silhouette and cut them out of adhesive vinyl, SO CUTE!!
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