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 :)

Tackle It Tuesday

Tonight was a pretty standard Tackle It Tuesday. (By the way, I think I need a new name for this day. I like to abbreviate these kinds of things and, well, Tackle It Tuesday does NOT abbreviate well) The pantry and laundry room needed some attention. I had actually organized the food portion of the pantry the other day, but the upper shelves needed some fixing and the laundry room was rather disgusting.

So, la la la before = gross:





After = Sparkly!








But tonight I took it up a notch. I've always avoided the utility sink in the laundry room. I figured it was a lost cause all splattered with paint and such. It was so bad, I assumed we would just buy a new one down the road. Well, let me give a shout out to Bar Keeper's Friend and a little waterproof sandpaper, because this bad boy looks almost like new. At first it wasn't doing anything, so I didn't even bother taking a before photo. I didn't think there would be anything to show, and by the time I realized there would, it was too late. Please ignore the very dirty socks. Or check them out. That is dog love right there. Gibson's chain broke loose and Carl bolted after him in his socks to retrieve him. And he says he doesn't even like him. Pashaw.

Before (Click to see it larger with a VERY small bit of the detail):

And here in this old picture (Again click to see it larger):




After!!!! (One more time, click to see larger)



It's hard to tell, but it is VERY clean. Before it was VERY not clean. I'm pretty excited about it and every time I walk by it, it looks wrong. Like it's missing something. I'm not sure if that should also make me excited, or embarrassed. Ah well.

How was your Tuesday night? Did you tackle anything? If not do it tomorrow! And if it's not in the cards for tomorrow, join me next week. Same place, same time, next week.

Tackle It Tuesday: Pantry Edition

I told you all earlier this week what I was going to do for Tackle It Tuesday. The doors on my freshly cleaned refrigerator weren't even fully closed before I had a thought that my pantry had been neglected for awhile. Sure it was functional and all, but I knew there were probably a few items in there that needed to go and it just needed a good tidying in general.

I don't have a before picture, but don't be sad. I DO have an after picture, and that's what you are all after anyway, right? I actually don't think I ever shared photos with you after I bought some canvas totes for one of the top shelves. They've been a visual lifesaver! I keep all my cleaning products, car care, pet items and other miscellaneous things up there. Without the totes, it was a bit chaotic as it was sort of a domino effect. One thing fell, they all fell. Oh and when we moved into the house, the very top wire shelf didn't exist, nor did the can shelving or the holders on the left wall. Those were welcome additions installed by Carl. They just about doubled the storage space!

So here is how I organize my pantry/cleaning closet.

Top shelf: Rags, baskets, entertaining items, table linens and my cake carrier
Second Shelf: Cleaning products, extra bags, car care items, pet items, batteries and extra candles
Third-Fifth Shelves: Food items and some small appliances
Right Side Racks: Can goods
Left Side Racks: Grocery bags, aluminum foil, Ziploc bags, etc.
Floor: Pet food, bulk items, floor cleaner and step stool


I also have a wall storage rack on the right for cleaning items- it just might be the most useful storage piece in the whole pantry.
This pantry makes my smallish kitchen so much more functional. I really love it. Can you tell? The best part is that I can close the door and it all goes away...clean or not!

Anyway, that was my Tackle It Tuesday. The pantry has been purged, organized and cleaned. It's ready (so long as I keep up it's clean status) for Zombie Baby's arrival. Not that I plan on keeping Zombie Baby in the pantry. That didn't come out right. Nevermind. Um, what was YOUR Tackle It Tuesday tonight? Didn't do one? Make it Wrestle It Wednesday tomorrow! ;)