Let the pantry party commence! I never thought organizing a space that sat behind a closed door 90% of the time could be so cathartic, but working on this pantry with Sherry has made us both feel like the whole kitchen – nay, the whole house – is more functional. Clearly it has even made us more prone to hyperbole.
First we got an outlet added, switched up some shelves, and moved the microwave in. Next we moved the trash out. Then it was time for a few fresh coats of primer and paint.
Sherry and I briefly debated choosing a happy or bold color in there (either on the walls or the shelves or both), but with all the colorful food labels that end up in a pantry we decided white made sense to keep things as calm as possible – especially since we don’t have a light in there, so we didn’t want it to get too shadowy or dark in the back corners.
So we removed all of the shelves and lined them up in the dining room. Note the strip of painter’s tape so they could lean without marking the wall. It took one coat of primer (Kilz Premium) and three coats of paint (Advance paint in Simply White, leftover from the kitchen cabinets) which we applied with a small foam roller for the most part, although we did break out a brush for the trim and corners in the pantry.
Once the shelves, walls, and trim dried, we put things back together and rehung the door, which we removed for easier priming and painting access. Each shelf was made up of two boards, but after a fair amount of debate and experimentation, we opted to only use one board for the two upper shelves. We decided that shorter depth would prevent things from getting pushed way back where we couldn’t see / reach / use them anymore.
Next up, we added this $35 back-of-the-door wire shelf system since no fewer than two dozen of you recommended it in the comments of this post. It can be hung over the door, but we opted to screw it directly into the door (using anchors whenever it didn’t hit something solid) so we wouldn’t have any hooks peeking over the door when it was closed.
We still wanted to do something to make the bottom area of the pantry work harder (since the trash can was no longer hogging all of the space), but before we made any decisions we figured it would be smart to load things back in and see what sort of help we still needed down there.
We debated some vertical dividers, or maybe some stacked bins, but ultimately decided that another shelf would do the trick for now. Thankfully it was pretty speedy to add one because we already had two spare boards ready to go (since we only added one to make those two top shelves shallower, that left us with two extras that were already primed and painted). So I just screwed a couple of wood strips to the walls (like I did in this post) and in no time we had a spot for paper towels and cloth napkins (those were in the laundry, so they’re MIA in these pics).
You’ll note the two under-shelf wire baskets that are also helping maximize the space, which came as part of this $15 shelf organizer set. We like that they allow us to compartmentalize the shelf a bit more without having to add more permanent systems (the wire cubbies just slide on and off, and we can remove them or place them somewhere else if we want to reconfigure things down the line).
It’s looking a little sparse in there because we have to go shopping again pretty soon. Or maybe it just looks that way because we suddenly have so much more storage space in there? Either way, by the end of this little pantry re-org, Sherry and I were both itching to go to the store just to see how much more we could cram in there. Maybe tonight’s the night…
On the top shelf we put baking items and meal items, including things like bread crumbs, boxed rice, brown sugar, and baking soda. On the right there’s also a box that contains sprinkles and icing for decorating cookies and cupcakes. Below that is a shelf that we devoted to snacks, cereals, and other boxed items like oatmeal, granola, and crackers. Then below that one, on our narrow shelf, we lined up all of our shorter items, like cans and jars of soup, salsa, peanut butter, tuna, etc.
The wire shelves that gave us a little bit of extra stacked storage were part of the same 5-piece set that included the two under-shelf baskets that I called out a few paragraphs ago. And the fifth piece from that same set was a wire basket that hangs against a wall or inside a cabinet door. We screwed ours into the side wall to store spare plastic bags. It’s so much nicer than the giant bin on the floor that we used to haphazardly toss them into.
Oh and although a ton of Pinterest pantries have awesome glass or plastic containers like these (which are from The Container Store), we thought long and hard about how we really live and decided that even though we have some clear containers already on hand (like the ones you see in this shot of our first house’s makeshift “pantry’) it felt like they’d be more for show than anything else. We tend to go through things fast enough within their own packaging, so putting them in pretty jars just didn’t feel like something we’d honestly keep up with these days.
But back to the pantry. The wall across from our plastic-bag-holding wire bin has a similar spot where we could hang something else, but it’s empty for now, at least until we have a specific use for it. You’ll also notice some empty shelf space in front of the cans. We can always use it if our can & jar stock expands, but for now it’s mostly to protect the top of the microwave from anything that might “jump” off one of the top shelves. It has also proven helpful as a spot to temporarily put things down or spread them out while we’re organizing or looking for something.
And thanks to the narrower shelves on top of that one, it’s still easy to grab those cans and see what we have (we stacked the same items in front of each other, so there’s nothing different lurking in the back that we’ll forget about).
We used our new door-hanging system to stock the items that would most easily fit into those baskets (they’re only 5″ wide). So it mostly ended up being random stuff like tea-and-coffee-related items on those top two shelves, along with a shelf for nuts and other snacks, one for pasta, and one for other items like granola bars. There are still a couple of leftover baskets from the set that we could have hung, but we found that cramping the shelves closer just made it tougher to access things. So we’ll add those extras if we need to down the line, but for now it’s nice to have some space above the long boxes of pasta to actually pull them out without banging into another shelf right above them.
We also dedicated one shelf to some Clara snacks, which are right at her height, so she can help herself. She already loves ducking into the fridge to get packs of carrots or little containers of hummus that we keep on a shelf in there for her, so having a snack-zone in the pantry has been a big hit as well. We also appreciate that this shelf is full of easy-to-grab items for packing preschool snacks more quickly in the morning.
The space that will probably evolve a bit more for us is the floor. We didn’t end up doing anything except adding a basket (that had previously housed our plastic bags) to corral big packages of a few bulk items, and tossing down a couple extra-tall cereal boxes before they’re called into action (i.e. poured into the glass containers that we keep on the counter). But this probably foreshadows the purpose of this area as a spot to house more bulk items. For example, now that our pantry feels under control, I’m tempted to stock up on some things. Nothing too crazy, but it’s nice to have a little “growing room” down there.
So besides fine tuning the floor area and seeing how it functions after a grocery trip, we’d consider this pantry makeover complete. And now I have the urge to go organize something else. Wait, am I nesting?
What did you guys do this weekend? Did anyone else who got snowed in end up organizing or re-thinking how a cabinet or closet works for your family? Are you now craving Nutella or Craisins? Ain’t no shame in that, my friend.
Psst- Wanna know where we got something in our house? Just click on this button:
Christina says
Is it weird that the first thing I thought when I saw the pic of the inside of the pantry was “YES! Someone else who’s addicted to the little cans of tuna salad and crackers!” lol.
I did a little closet clean-out this weekend too and totally agree that even conquering a small space that no one else sees can make you feel so accomplished! :) Nice job guys!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha! Those used to be things I stuck in John’s lunch for him (yes, I used to make his lunch when he had a 9-5). Now we just like having them around randomly. Ah, creature comforts.
xo
s
Kate says
Oh my goodness! Painters tape for “the lean”? Pure Genius!!! Why didn’t I think of that?!?! Thanks you guys! Pantry is looking might fine!
YoungHouseLove says
John is the mastermind behind that “discovery” – he thought of it when we were painting the shelves for the built-ins in the nursery and we have been using it on every project since!
xo
s
mrs paulsen says
Great job guys! As our family has grown I have needed to expand our pantry, which has moved into our basement storage room– but I garden and do a lot of canning too. I have found that mason jars are my best friend after a trip to Sam’s Club– I can vacuum pack the jars and they stay fresh longer.
http://prairieblueshed.blogspot.com
YoungHouseLove says
That sounds so good!
xo
s
Jess says
We completed Phase 1 of our kitchen reno (well, we’re almost there). We have an older home with no pantry, so we took an old entertainment unit with doors(given to us by a friend 5 years ago) painted it white and added shelving, voila! You guys have given me so much inspiration as we work on our new house :) Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
GENIUS! I love that update, Jess. And congrats on your Phase 1 makeover!
xo
s
Lyndsey says
Love the pantry update! I was wondering, are your shelf boards nailed into the woods strips or just resting on them? I’ve got a hall closet calling my name to be organized!
YoungHouseLove says
They’re just resting on them, so they can be lifted out to be wiped down or moved around in the future.
xo
s
Stardancer says
The pantry looks great! I was actually the most surprised by the boxes of cereal on the floor. I live in Florida, which is very humid and has a lot of bugs. Specifically, we have ants. Putting something like cereal on the floor would be almost an open invitation for them!
I hope the fact that you’re happy to keep dry goods on the floor means you don’t have the same issue. Wish the same was true down here!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh man, that stinks! We don’t seem to have that issue here thank goodness, but now I feel like I should knock on wood!
xo
s
Reenie says
That looks great ~ so fresh and clean. I really want to do mine now. =)
Jenny@EvolutionofStyle says
We ended up binge watching Season 2 of “House of Cards” this weekend, but I did get the itch to redo the pantry right when school started last year. I’m happy to report that it’s still pretty organized now that everything has a place!
http://evolutionofstyleblog.blogspot.com/2013/08/mission-pantry-organization.html
YoungHouseLove says
I love that! Upkeep is always a challenge, so I’m glad to hear that yours is still pretty organized!
xo
s
Melissa@TheChicDream says
I’m so excited for you guys! Is that sad? There is something about having things organized that clears the brain and makes things feel like they are running smoother. Whenever I throw things out and/or organize, I feel like I have a little more pep in my step. Now I’m even more anxious to get my pantry done. A couple more weeks…
YoungHouseLove says
Wahoo! I know what you mean Melissa! When people comment to say they did some major organizing or purging for their home I’m always thrilled for them. It’s contagious I think!
xo
s
Sarah J. says
i like to use those storage jars for things i buy from the bulk bins. at my local health food store i get things like rice, nuts, sugar, flour, spices, beans, etc. i love it cuz i can get as much or as little as i need. and having a few jars of various beans lined up on the pantry shelf looks pretty cute. ;) but i’m not one to dump over things that i bought in a box or bag.
anyway, love your little pantry makeover. it inspired me to reorganize my own on friday (including moving my microwave in there!)
YoungHouseLove says
Really smart!
xo
s
Linda says
Looks great but next time check out Elfa! I installed Elfa in my kitchen pantry 12 years ago when I moved in, after painting the walls and trim 3 coats of semi gloss bright white.
Every January I empty the entire pantry, which has grown to shelves on the wall, one tower of basket drawers and one rolling cart. I get rid of old food, sort through my serviceware and donate what I’m not using, and match up all the containers and lids as (no match equals no need to hang on to). I then reevaluate my storage needs and head to the annual Elfa sale to add to my system as needed, if at all.
The beauty of Elfa is that the basic design never changes. Regardless of when it was bought, yesterday’s Elfa fits today’s. One can add, subtract or reconfigure as needed. All I needed this year was a couple of shelf dividers, so for under $10- I was set. Thanks to the yearly Elfa sale inspiring me, my pantry is refreshed to start each year off organized.
YoungHouseLove says
Love that! We have heard such amazing things about Elfa!
xo
s
hausfrauChelsea says
I love it. I recently did this and used main jars for the food that ends up being overlooked due to the depth of the shelves. But no labels. If I can see that I have a jar of elbow macaroni, I’m less likely to buy another box at the store….and we don’t use it that often!
For the blank wall space opposite your plastic bags, might I suggest a few wire bins/shelves that are designed to hold Ziploc, foil, wax paper, etc.? It was one of THE best things we did when we reorganized. We’ve been using them for a year now. We just don’t have spare cabinet our drawer space for things like that in our shoebox of a kitchen.
YoungHouseLove says
That’s so smart! I love that idea!
xo
s
Helene says
I think the calm white was a good move in a pantry full of colorful items. We were snowed in, too, and I spent yesterday cleaning and refurbishing a Craigslist dresser for my son. Let’s hear it for Old English scratch repair! Next up, new knobs and cute lamp for the top!
YoungHouseLove says
Sounds really sweet!
xo
s
Jen says
Amazing guys! Even though this is just the pantry, that is one of your best before and after photos! Projects like this one make me even more antsy to see what you are going to do about that floor!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks so much Jen! And oh man, that floor makes me twitchy too…
xo
s
TJ says
Love your “all for show” comment about that pantry containers. I have felt like maybe I should cross over to the pantry container dark side and now I feel pretty justified just keeping things in their own packaging!!
Looks great!!
Samantha Chapman says
The pantry looks great! I actually did the same thing this weekend after a grocery shopping trip. I’m looking at your pantry though and realizing how “over-stocked” we are in comparison. My pantry is nearly the identical size and it’s completely stuffed which makes me think I just spend way to much on staples and snacks. Hmmm, you’ve given me something to think about here at work today… :)
YoungHouseLove says
I think from living in NYC for a while (with tiny one-cabinet kitchens) and then having a small first house without a pantry, we have just gotten into the habit of buying less and not re-stocking until we’re out of something instead of buying too many boxes at a time. It’ll be interesting if that changes over time now that we have a pantry (and will be a family of four)!
xo
s
Katharina says
Love the clean & organized look!
Christy Niebaum says
Seeing some other comments about fire extinguishers in the pantry. We have one mounted inside ours as well (was there when the bought the house).
Kind of fun to see what food brands you guys like. Omg, is my account planner showing? I work for an ad agency with many food clients, so I always find pantries interesting. Anyway, my daughter is crazy for those GoGo applesauce pouches too!
Out of curiosity, do you guys have all solid core doors? Or are some of them hollow? I love that back of the door org system, but I’m afraid our hollow core pantry door wouldn’t be up to the task. Seeing your reorg makes me want to go to town on my own pantry. We have a weird half pantry. The top half is a pantry with 2 shelves and the bottom half is boarded up and covered with carpet. It’s weird and crazy and confusing. Wonder if anyone else has an odd pantry like that…
YoungHouseLove says
We discovered as we drilled into this one that it was at least partially hollow, while some are solid (we have a theory that room ones might be solid but closet ones, which are narrower, might be hollow). Using anchors for the areas that needed reinforcing made this nice and strong though, so you can totally use it with hollow doors!
xo
s
Cassie says
My in laws have this system on their pantry door and it’s hollow! And it’s held up over 15 years and through four kids :) Like Sherry said, use some anchors and you’ll be all good!
Katie O says
I’m due with our third baby next Wednesday (9 days . . . but who is counting??) and have been on an organizing missiong lately. This weekend we tackled my seven year old son’s crazy room. Our kids don’t spend that much time in their rooms so it’s not something that we’ve put a lot of time into (his room is still purple . . . parenting fail). We bought bunk beds for him last summer and I never liked the placement of them, so we moved them to the opposite wall (after spending 3 hours cleaning and organizing, that is). I cannot believe how much bigger his room is now. I found myself going upstairs multiple times yesterday just to peek in his room. Please tell me you open the door of your pantry needlessly just to take a peek!
YoungHouseLove says
Totally! Dude, I’m such a nerd I TEXTED A PICTURE OF THE PANTRY TO MY MOM! Haha!
xo
s
Alli says
Looks so awesome. I love the idea of hiding the microwave in the pantry!
We’ve almost finished four of the closets (I just posted today, actually http://alliferg.blogspot.com/2014/02/home-elfa-in-house.html) in our house with Elfa components and it has me itching to work on the other two :)
YoungHouseLove says
Wahoo! Go Alli!
xo
s
Alli says
Looks so awesome. I love the idea of hiding the microwave in the pantry! We’ve almost finished four of the closets (I just posted today, actually — http://alliferg.blogspot.com/2014/02/home-elfa-in-house.html) in our house with Elfa components and it has me itching to work on the other two :)
Nan says
Your pantry looks great!
FYI on the plastic/glass containers: squared-off containers hold more and fit next to each other more efficiently than cylindrically shaped ones.
YoungHouseLove says
SMART!
xo
s
Erin@VintageKC says
Chex and Cheerios are the only cereals in my house, too. haha! Great job guys, organizing does such great good for your sanity!
Sabrina says
Love it. We have a pantry with those weird pull out shelves like in your old house. I hate them! Lol do you guys worry about critters with keeping your cereal on the floor?
YoungHouseLove says
Thankfully we haven’t had any issues with that. I guess in my mind, things like bugs and other critters can climb shelves anyway, so the entire pantry would be at risk if we had an invasion. Eeks…
xo
s
Jess says
First of all, I now have pantry envy! It looks fantastic and so functional.
Also, just had to say THANK YOU for being real about how impractical it would be to keep every single item in a perfectly adorable glass jar! I see so many awesome looking pantry pictures, but there’s just no way that would work in real life. I love seeing an awesome looking pantry that stores things right in their boxes, cans, etc.
Another great update from YHL :)
Larita says
I find myself re-organizing all the closets/cupboards in my house every 3-4 months; being slightly OCD, I find it cathartic and a huge stress reliever. :) In fact, I might be about due for another clean-out and reorganize thanks to this post.
Emily @ Love, Pasta and a Tool Belt says
I love the pantry re-do. It looks great and so much more functional. We don’t have a pantry in our new kitchen so I am working with new ways to organize without one. We added a pot rack which really helped free up some space. This weekend we photographed our kitchen re-do. Would love for you to check it out!
Kitchen Reveal: Before and After
http://lovepastatoolbelt.com/?p=3039
YoungHouseLove says
Looks awesome in there! Congrats Emily!!
xo
s
Amanda says
Looks awesome, but you might think twice about storing food on the floor. I know they are in boxes, but critters, y’all. Just a thought.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Amanda! A few others have said that, but we have never had that issue (and now I’m going to go knock on wood). Of course if we have any problems we can move those boxes onto some higher shelves. I have one question about that though – can critters not climb shelves? I’ve heard of friends who have upper cabinets infested with ants or rodents (eeks!) so it seems like if you have a pest issue it wouldn’t just be the stuff on the floor that would be at risk, right?
xo
s
hjc says
Yes, you’re right – critters (be they ants, rodents or other bugs) can and will climb, crawl, squish through the smallest openings to get at what they want. And once they’ve found what they want, they text and email all their critter friends to come and have a party. Ask me how I know!
YoungHouseLove says
Oy! So sorry HJC!
xo
s
Erica says
The reason health codes forbid commercial kitchens from storing food on the floor isn’t just critters (although lower *is* easier in terms of attracting them), it’s germs. If you pick a box up off the floor and put it on a counter, you’ve now transferred germs from the floor (which is held to a less-high standard of cleanliness) to the counter, which is where food prep occurs and is therefore expected to be a close to sanitized as possible.
But I’m not at all a germaphobe so I really don’t believe in home kitchens going crazy trying to adhere to rules that are made for commercial ones. Frankly, the risk of getting sick from “floor germs” is pretty small to start with (and exposure to some germs is actually good for your immune system). And, even if 1/3 of the people at your table did get sick, that would be 1 person. If 1/3 of the people at a restaurant that serves 1,000 people get sick, that’s well over 300 people. Much different stakes. Not that I want anyone to get sick. ;)
If it worries you at all, it’s easy enough to either get another bin or just remember to wipe down the counter after anything from the floor touches it (especially since it looks like you’re just storing large boxes of cereal that will be used to refill other containers on the floor – so not bringing them up to the counter daily, more like every few weeks).
YoungHouseLove says
So interesting! Thanks for the tip Erica!
xo
s
Casey {The Maine Mrs} says
I am currently brainstorming food storage ideas so this came at a great time for me. Nutella and craisins? Always!
Melissa @ Loving Here says
We recently organized the coat closet and I felt the same kind of accomplishment. I tackled the guest room closet at the same time and it feels amazing to have those spaces clean and finally functional. Of course, we didn’t paint in there since ours was just a quick reorganization and not a complete “re-do” but we did paint our master closet when we moved in and it made a huge difference. Crazy what a fresh coat of white will do. Great work on your space!
http://lovinghere.com/coat-closet-craziness/
YoungHouseLove says
Looks awesomely therapeutic!
xo
s
haverwench says
If you find it’s too shadowy in there even with the white paint, you could always install one of those handy-dandy little stick-up LED lights. They’re super easy and pretty inexpensive.
And in answer to your question, yes, totally craving Nutella. I actually went out and bought a jar (well, a jar of the store-brand version) in anticipation of our last big snowstorm, which I feared might be accompanied by a prolonged power outage. (That would make numero nine for us in the past five weeks.) Fortunately, the power did not go out, so we didn’t need it. Unfortunately, we still have it, just sitting there on the shelf batting its eyes at us.
YoungHouseLove says
Love that light tip! And so glad you didn’t lose power!
xo
s
Kate from Plush Rugs says
Its looking great, I did something similar and that was cool too.
Melissa says
Looks great! At the bottom where the trash can was you could store a stool – easy to grab and pull out to reach the top shelves in the kirchen! I’m vertically challenged too and my husband with long monkey arms isn’t always around to help! :)
YoungHouseLove says
That’s a smart idea too! Thanks for sharing all the tips guys!
xo
s
Kaija says
I have pantry door rack envy! All my reach-in closet doors are either bi-fold or sliding, so all that good space goes unused! Yours look so nice! Can you add another shelf on top?
I got through so much paperclutter this weekend, so proud of myself! And cleaned out the junkroom to turn it into a legit office/guestroom.
YoungHouseLove says
Yes, we could add another shelf on top, but I’m afraid I couldn’t reach it. John could though (and I could use a stool) so if we need to go vertical it’s nice to have that space for the future :)
xo
s
Rachael says
Looks great! Be careful not to let the wire rack on the door get too heavy. It will cause the door to swing off balance and may strip the screws into the door frame over time. Learned this the hard way. Our last contractor recommended against hanging anything on doors including those over the door towel hooks! So annoying, but makes sense.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks so much for the tip! We have pretty light things over there, but that’s good to know! No pasta sauce in the bins!
xo
s
Eileen says
I think you’re definitely nesting! I’m 28 weeks and have started tearing the house apart, quite literally, trying to make the house more functional before the baby gets here. Over the weekend we were inspired by your cabinet removal post a few months back and decided to demo a few cabinets that were blocking functional space in the kitchen. That of course led to organizing the other cabinets and finding out that even though we’re down 2 cabinets, we still have plenty of room, hopefully for baby stuff!
YoungHouseLove says
Good luck with everything Eileen!
xo
s
sarolabelle says
Just a few questions (not trying to be nosy, just trying to get an idea of where things can go besides the pantry).
1. Where do you store things like Ziplock bags, garbage bags, tinfoil, plastic wrap and wax paper (this stuff takes up an entire shelf in our pantry)?
2. Can Sherry reach the top shelf without a stool?
3. Where do you store drinks (bottled water, soda, juice etc, that has yet to make it to fridge)? Ours sits in a pile on the floor of the pantry.
4. The entire top shelf of our pantry is filled with counter appliances when not in use (blender, crock pot, juicer, chopper/food processor. Where do you store these things?
5. Where do you store spices?
YoungHouseLove says
1. In kitchen drawers
2. Yes, wahoo!
3. Only in the fridge. We don’t stock up on these beyond what’s currently open/in use
4. We don’t have many of these, but the blender and crock pot are in a kitchen cabinet
5. In the upper cabinet to the left of the stove (since we use them there, it’s handy).
xo
s
Jenn B. says
Haven’t organized the pantry yet, but we did just install this (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002FCNLHK/ref=oh_details_o09_s01_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 ) in our pantry ceiling because it was kinda dark in there. Its about the same configuration as yours and I was amazed how much easier it was to find stuff rather than it just casting weird shadows like we thought it might. Plus its a motion sensor light which just feels luxurious.
YoungHouseLove says
So cool!
xo
s
Stephanie says
Hmm, even more interesting than the beautiful organization is. . .what’s for dinner in the Petersik House?! You guys seem so brilliant at the whole efficiency/frugality thing I wonder if a post on easy meals is in the cards? : )
I always love hearing what other young families feed their kiddos as toddler picky-ness seems to be universal!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, we’re definitely not chefs! We like veggie stir fry, chili or stew in the crock pot, sweet potatoes and avocado, spaghetti and meatballs (or shrimp if we’re feeling fancy), burritos, or even an omelette or an Amy’s Pizza from time to time ;)
xo
s
Stephanie Ann says
If I didn’t know that we are putting our house up for sale in a couple of months and moving across the country I would be in my pantry right now redoing it! But this is definitely being saved in my ideas archive for when our move is complete!
Lisa S. says
Love the reorganization! Where do you store your spices and how do you organize that? My kitchen space is tiny and am always struggling with spices!
YoungHouseLove says
The skinny upper cabinet to the left of the stove is where we have them right now. It’s nice and handy to have them there to grab (so we can season things while we cook).
xo
s
Robin says
My husband (and I) like to keep a very well stocked pantry. We pack ours to the brim! We have tons of back up food in every category.
Kathy says
Doesn’t the microwave need air flow around it? Are there air vents ?
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yeah there’s some nice ventilation room on all sides (about 6″ behind it and 8″ on each side). We had a microwave in a vented cabinet in our last house and loved that solution as well, so they can be tucked away as long as there’s room for air flow.
xo
s
Stephanie says
I was curious what it cost to put an outlet in your pantry. We have thought about doing it many times just to get all our electronics charging off our counters, but were afraid it would cost too much to do.
YoungHouseLove says
I think it was $110. It was simple because they could add it through the garage (the pantry backs up to the garage).
xo
s
Andrea says
If you want to spiffy up your storage baskets Target has a 40 percent off coupon for their colorful storage baskets on the Cartwheel app. Just a heads up. Good job on the reorg!!!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tip!
xo
s
Jennifer says
Your pantry looks fantastic! The light color is so smart. We used to have a similar pantry in our previous house, but it had metal shelves!?! Not a good long-term idea – once bent by climbing little boys, never the same again. We did use those under-shelf hanging racks a lot.
I painted our living room a couple of weeks ago, assembled two tall dark wood bookcases last week, & primed & painted the laminate backs (metallic gold)yesterday. Today I’ll attach the backs and assemble the room! So excited! I kind of did things backwards & didn’t choose my curtains first though.Off to World Market to try to find some that look good!
Jasmin M says
Yeay for nesting or (pre-spring cleaning)as I like to call it. I’m about to get down to some serious closet organizing myself. I have been waiting patiently for the promised “window paint tutorial” however I could not wait any longer before tackling my own this weekend. I could have used some tips, let me tell you, and still can’t wait to see how yours turn out in the living room:)
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Jasmin!
xo
s
Michelle D. says
Your pantry looks lovely, clean and functional. Out of the blue question… is anyone GF in the house? I ask because I see many GF products :)
YoungHouseLove says
I have been GF for the last few years on and off (during some parts of this pregnancy it was impossible to stick to since I couldn’t keep much down). I used to get terrible headaches and have none of them when my diet is GF :)
xo
s
Diana says
I laughed at the “it’s looking a little sparse” line because I had just been thinking how full your pantry looked! I don’t have enough space to store extras and generally don’t like buying more than we’ll need for the month so our food supply is really sparse!
YoungHouseLove says
So funny! It’s totally all relative. When John met me I had like four things in my fridge, and two of them were dessert related. Haha!
xo
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Maria Bravo says
Love how the pantry turned out! My house is from 1979 and the pantry looks exactly like yours did (before the remodel). So, I’m super inspired to get my working gloves on and tackle the pantry. It’s like one of my neighbors told me “when you own an old house, it turns into your hobby to fix something in the house”. And that’s exactly how my hubby and I feel. Every time we have some free time, we like to do some update to our house. Thanks again for sharing the details :)