The Big Pantry Reveal

I've been slightly excited to show this to you guys. Maybe it's a bigger deal to me because I use this room multiple times a day, but still, hopefully you'll enjoy it as much as me! Up until just a few days ago, on a good day, my pantry used to look like this.





And while I loved my pantry just the way it was, I wanted more for that awesome little space. It truly is an extension of my kitchen, and since my kitchen is anything but large, maximizing the pantry is key. Oh and I wanted it to look pretty, am I asking too much? Perhaps, but that didn't stop me from trying. I'll save all my dialogue for the end. So if you want my tips and tricks, be sure to get all the way to the bottom!












How to achieve the pantry of my your dreams:

1. Really only stock the items you need. I ditched a few things I really didn't need and have a pile of stuff to donate.
2. Visually break up the shelves. A nice balance of baskets, containers, cookbooks, and serving platters helps big time!
3. Uniformity is somewhat key. I wasn't about to drop $$$$ on new baskets when I had quite a few I could repurpose. I actually like the variety there, but I wanted to have all the same containers for the most part. So I spent some money on those.
4. The wire rack on the side wall was one way to house can goods, but I needed a better solution for items I keep in bulk (diced tomatoes, chicken broth, etc.). Fridge bins work great for this! They are clear, so they go with whatever theme you have and are the perfect size since they are for soda cans.
   
5. Don't overfill the shelves. This one was hard for me to do because I really do need all the space in there, but I'll show you something I did later that really helped with this!
6. Make sure to use all the vertical space! The way the pantry was originally set up, there was a good couple feet above the shelf that wasn't used because I just didn't have that many tall items. We added the wire shelf up top, instant space. And notice on the left, where I have some serving pieces, those little "S" hooks. Again, vertical space. It still looks aesthetically pleasing by not looking crowded, but without those hooks, I'd lose an entire space for a basket.
7. When using that top vertical space, be smart about it. I kept all the canvas baskets at the very top light in weight. Linens, chips, cereal, etc. are easy to get down without fear I'll knock myself unconscious when I need to get them down.
8. Keep the color scheme light. The paint we chose was some paint we had bought and weren't able to use the perfect paint for the little closet space with no natural light. (Platinum by Ace) However, I'm pretty sure any paint would have been an upgrade from builder grade beige, and especially so seeing as the ceiling white came about 2 feet down the wall with a jagged line to finish it. Seriously builders?
9. The floor is still sad, but we want to tile it, along with the attached laundry room down the road, and we just aren't ready to do that yet. Don't worry floor, you'll be happy soon :)
   

And that's the big pantry reveal! I hope you enjoyed it, and I hope even more that it gave you some ideas for your own pantry space! Keep in mind, it doesn't need to be a huge pantry to be organized and look beautiful! As always, hit me up with questions if you have any :)