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:
Heather says
We used this weekend to start tackling our bedroom decor in our new home. I had so much house-envy from your blog that we had to do something! I’m so thankful for a husband who can take a picture and a totally vague idea and create some awesome pieces for our home. He built us an awesome shelf and vintage-type window frame to hang above our bed!
YoungHouseLove says
That sounds awesome!
xo
s
Bonnie @ The Pin Junkie says
Um, I know it might be kind of weird to say this, but organized spaces just make me so HAPPY! Please tell me I’m not the only one! Your pantry looks great and I’m sure it’s much more functional.
Roxanne M says
Looks great! Also, I love that you guys are normal and don’t put everything in pretty containers :) Now I can stop feeling guilty for not having a pinterest pretty pantry. We only use the cereal containers too.
Well I didn’t do much organizing because I wasn’t feeling well but my husband did re-organize 5 kitchen cabinets including our pantry over the weekend! It was so romantic because it so needed to get done. Makes the kitchen seem much less chaotic!
hollyloo says
amazing transformation!! so, looking at the shelves lined up like that in your dining room made me notice your chair rail. what are your plans for that? we are moving on friday into a new-to-us old house and every single room in it has a chair rail. i’d love to know your thoughts on how to tackle that. thanks!!
YoungHouseLove says
We have that in a bunch of rooms and so far have been priming and painting it, but we do debate removing it in the dining room for less of an interrupted look. Will keep you posted!
xo
s
Stephanie B. says
I’m so distracted by the food sitting on the floor! Despite our regular pest service, we recently had an infestation of mice. They left everything in glass jars alone (like the jars you pictured), but cereal boxes on the floor?! Looks to me like mouse heaven.
YoungHouseLove says
I’m so surprised by the floor comments and pests. Would cereal boxes on a shelf be left alone?We’ve never had an infestation issue (thank goodness) but I always heard they can get into upper cabinets and stuff, so I wouldn’t think the placement of non-sealed items in the pantry would make a difference :)
xo
s
Lizzy says
Where do you put your spices? When I organized our pantry the other day, I was completely overrun with all the spices. JUst curious where/how you store yours?
YoungHouseLove says
Ours fit in that skinny upper cabinet to the left of the stove and they’re handy to have there for cooking, so we just left them there.
xo
s
Leah says
I love this! Especially the little rack for keeping plastic bags under control. I’m not a fan of plastic containers either. Something about adding another step and buying more plastic… but whatever works!
Taylee @ twist me fit says
Your pantry is too perfect!
Lindy says
So inspiring!! I am curious where y’all store dog food/treats/toys ect. We will be getting our first dog soon and I’m at a loss for storage ideas. The bottom of the pantry was my first thought, but I’d love your thoughts!
YoungHouseLove says
We keep Burger stuff upstairs since he prefers for his food and crate to be “hidden” in our closet (just so Clara can’t bother him, etc).
xo
s
Sarah00Bird says
I didn’t reorganize anything this weekend but since reading this post, I have started reorganizing and going through my cabinets to throw out expired stuff and things we never use.I did however change all the door knobs to the doors in the hallway. We have 6 different doors there, 3 bedroom, a closet, bathroom and stairway, and between those 6 doors there were 3 different types of door knobs. I couldn’t stand looking at it any longer so I got matching door knobs! Just the latest in the string of home remodel things I have done lately.
YoungHouseLove says
Wahoo! Go Sarah!
xo
s
Tamara says
For that wall across from the plastic bag holder? I’d highly recommend a fire extinguisher for the kitchen! Can’t be too safe!
YoungHouseLove says
Great tip!
xo
s
Bren says
LOVE it! I was just looking at this pic http://www.pinterest.com/pin/36802921929412914/ and decided I wanted to do that to corral my wrapping paper and crafty supplies. Maybe you need one in the foyer closet for Clara’s goodies? (Might be too soon after just finishing this awesome pantry of yours! :)
YoungHouseLove says
Fun!
xo
s
Abby says
Wow! This pantry is beautiful! I wish June could stay like this!
Abby
Thepreppycoxswain.blogspot.com
Megan says
Thanks for the Monday morning motivation to clean out my pantry. Long overdue! As always, I love how you guys balance aesthetics and function.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Megan!
xo
s
Lynn says
I have a similar pantry and installed an inexpensive stick-on LED puck light (push to turn on/off) on the side wall. Doesn’t reach all the dark corners, but is really helpful. It has been there several years and I have not needed to replace battery. (I also put one in hall coat closet.) Link to similar product:
http://www.lowes.com/pd_406110-43768-NS511-R6-306_0__?Ntt=406110&UserSearch=406110&productId=4177463&rpp=32
YoungHouseLove says
Looks awesome!
xo
s
Larissa says
We don’t have a pantry in our new (40 year old) house so I bought some of those turquoise ikea tall skinny lockers and I LOVE THEM. They’re not especially organized right now since my mom is living with us until her renovation is done, but man I cannot wait to organize those bad boys.
Jessika says
Oh my goodness, we did the same thing this weekend!!! A bit different though, in that we converted a useless kitchen nook into a second pantry. I do a lot of canning in the summer, and this now not only holds our metal/storebought canned goods, it also holds our homemade goods too (and the microwave, bins, and lesser-used kitchen items).
It’s amazing how giving up space actually resulted in more usable space.
We have the same/similar rack too– but ours is behind a different door and has cleaning supplies in it. :)
YoungHouseLove says
That sounds awesome!
xo
s
Jessika says
and, pictures (not nearly as high-quality as yours, as our blog is mostly for my inlaws to see what we’re up to) of our redo here http://oregonkaisers.blogspot.com/2014/02/kitchen-redo.html
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for sharing the link!
xo
s
Rebecca says
I have that same Closet Maid organizer hanging on the inside of my hall/coat closet door. In the winter it holds hats & gloves (each person gets one shelf) and in the summer it holds bathing suits. Its a major time saver!
YoungHouseLove says
That’s so smart! I love that idea!!
xo
s
Melissa says
Seeing this makes me so very happy. It almost seems that the act of seeing something clean and organized helps organize the brain:) Thanks for sharing!
CIndy O says
For those of you who like the undershelf baskets and wire shelves I see them frequently at garage sales so once “saling season” begins keep your eyes open and you can pick them up for super cheap. I use them all around the house in various closets and they really help maximize the space. Love the fresh new pantry – wonderful job!
YoungHouseLove says
Such a great tip!
xo
s
Steph Nelson says
I spy Pirates Booty!! So good, but so the sensation that I am actually eating packing peanuts… :)
I love organization, isn’t it so nice to open something up and go ahhhhhh, so pretty and neat!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha! John thinks Pirate’s Booty is just “glorified rice cakes” but Clara and I love it!
xo
s
Laurie says
I built a pantry recently too but I’m so paranoid about the sturdiness of the shelves. I had a really hard time finding many studs in my walls. But having a good pantry isn’t just a nice organization, I have a much better handle on what I have and what I need. (hello, no more mustard please!)
Beth R says
We’ve worked on our pantry and have used some the the same ideas you worked into your pantry update. Two things that could be options for opposite your plastic-bag storage are hooks for reusable lunch bags or a small fire extinguisher, if you don’t have one elsewhere in your kitchen. I will say that it is SO nice to have spent a little time and money on our pantry; totally worth it. Enjoy!
YoungHouseLove says
Great tip!
xo
s
Margaret says
Yummmmmm, Nutella!
Kat says
Oh, I especially love the door storage! I may have to run out and find that for a closet in our home that needs organizing. I WISH I had a pantry… :) Great job, you two!!
http://www.junktogem.com
Rachael says
This looks so awesome! Our pantry is a disaster (a small disaster, too) so adding shelves on the back of the door might be a lifesaver! Thanks for sharing how you did it all.
Rachael
Shore Society
erin says
I think my favorite part about this is the fresh paint job! It’s amazing what a new coat of crisp white paint will do… just amazing! Looks so fresh and bright! If this were my pantry, I would probably just stand there with the door open and stare at it. Ha! Great job as usual!
Andrea says
Looks great! This weekend I finally convinced my husband to store his old beer steins he never uses somewhere else so we could have room in the cabinet for sippee cups! Oh how priorities have changed!
Ashley says
You have given me hope that my tiny pantry can actually be beautiful and functional. I think I will remove the door though, and keep it open…bring on the glass containers!
Karen says
Total pantry envy! I don’t have a real pantry, just things stashed in cupboards here and there. But this weekend I did clear out our hall closet where we keep the extra toiletries, medicines, towels, etc. I threw out/recycled a huge amount of stuff, mostly things that had expired. Felt great and now it’s functional again! I just use old shoeboxes to organize things – first aid box, medicine box, his and hers boxes for toiletries, etc. Works really well because you can just pull out whatever box you need.
Loved your hidden garbage can post since we’re currently battling the Battle of the Out in the Open Can vs Curious Toddler. Hope I can find a way to make it work under the cabinets now.
Rona says
Love a well organized pantry! Mine is a hot mess right now. Better get on that.
YoungHouseLove says
Good luck Rona!
xo
s
Ceci Bean says
I really appreciate how not-too-full your pantry is. And that you don’t feel the need to make it prettier (fancy jars or paint treatments) than it needs to be.
Maybe I missed it, but where do you keep your spices?
YoungHouseLove says
Those are in the upper cabinet to the left of the stove (they’re nice and convenient to use while we cook that way).
xo
s
Marianne in Mo. says
The pantry turned out great! I can see you standing there admiring it. ;-) We spent the w/e shopping for a new dishwasher. There goes $500 !!! Just glad we will not have to mop up puddles in the kitchen anymore.
We have a double width pantry with sliding doors and wire shelves. When we moved in, friends were putting our food away, and guess we had too many canned items. The shelves have been sagging ever since. Small goal of mine is to replace them with wood, because things are always toppling over if they aren’t wide/flat enough to sit on the wire. My neighbor had her hubs drill holes into plexiglass, and cut them to fit over her wire shelves, but too $$ IMO! Besides, I love your crisp white ones!!
Traci says
To answer your last question, I am ALWAYS craving Nutella. Always! Beautiful pantry. Now, to go find some Nutella in my own unorganized one!
Jackie says
Not to be rude- because I’m genuinely glad for you that you got yourself all squared away in the pantry and think some old fashioned organizing is awesome and hard to motivate sometimes :) – but I’m not so inspired by the aesthetic of what you’ve done here. Not that everything has to be BAM! WOW! GAH! amazing and revolutionary, especially with regard to pantries, but I don’t really see anything special about this particular project/article that warrants you’re posting about it (just being upfront – don’t hate me!)
While I can appreciate your honesty about not putting things in pretty jars for photography purposes (though I think people who do that are just indulging in their hobby of organizing things so I given them my kudos) because that’s not a sustainable option for you, I think you could of been more creative in either making the shelves/wall prettier (why not just pick a light colored wall paper or stencil) or somehow customizing the shelving further for exactly what it is your family stocks/uses. You did such a thorough job with your toy closet after all!
Anyway, congrats on the progress – just wanted to throw in my feedback.
Best,
Jackie
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Jackie! There certainly were opportunities to do something more elaborate with this makeover, like wallpaper or a stencil, but we fight the urge to over-design things just for the sake of blog fodder (in this case we knew it would be behind closed doors and mentioned not wanting anything too busy to compete with all that colorful food packaging). Occasionally, we’ll receive feedback like yours, and at other times we’ll get feedback that we’ve overcomplicated something and spent too much time/effort/money on a project that otherwise could have been more relatable, so we just follow our gut for each space as we go. But who knows, maybe we’ll spice things up more in there down the line – like by adding sliding drawers when we fully remodel the kitchen.
-John
Jackie says
Thanks for the reply. Sliding drawers would be awesome!
Best,
Jackie
Fi says
Looks great, definently time for me to redo our pantry I think, not sure what is lurking at the back of the top shelf. For the bottomo or our pantry I bought two big tubs on wheels (with lids) and put all our baking stuff in there (we have quite a bit!). It’s easy to wheel them out to get what I need and then close them back up and push them back in out of the way and neat and tidy.
Michael at Garage Greats says
It’s amazing how much more modern the space looks now, not to mention organized.
Let’s just say that I’m a bit ashamed of my pantry now. :)
~Michael
YoungHouseLove says
No, don’t be ashamed! Just shut the door and don’t think about it. We did that for the last eight months!
-John
Katie Barber says
I never knew it was possible to love a pantry so much. When I think about the chaos going on in ours, it drives me crazy! Maybe this will be some inspiration to tackle the daunting task of cleaning it out!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks so much Katie! Best of luck to you!
xo
s
Karen says
How long did you wait for the shelves to cure before you put the items (especially cans) back on them? My local Be Moore paint guy told me that with Advance you should give it a good 2 weeks. Love that paint on my trim.
YoungHouseLove says
Whoa, that’s a long time! We waited about 3 days before loading them back up. It has been really dry/cold so things seemed to cure faster than they would if it was hot or humid. Nothing sticks at all, thank goodness! But if you put stuff in and it feels even remotely tacky, I’d give it more drying time!
xo
s
Jennifer says
Love the pantry re-do you guys! We did something similar with our microwave, except we left an open space and cut the pantry in half. So you don’t have to open the pantry to get to the microwave. I wish I could attach a pic to show you! Anyway, it’s been pretty awesome.
YoungHouseLove says
That sounds really cool, Jennifer!
xo
s
Shelley @ Green Eggs and Hamlet says
Looks awesome! Honestly, I am thrilled to see a great pantry makeover that didn’t involve investing a bunch of moolah on pretty containers. While those pantries are gorge, I never could imagine myself transferring the food to the pretty containers every time.
Regarding your “free space” on the right side wall, I use that area in my pantry to hang aprons. Random, I know, but I like not having them folded up taking precious kitchen drawer space. I just used a big 3M hook. Just one idea for you in case you all are “apron people.” :)
YoungHouseLove says
That’s a fun idea too Shelley! Thanks so much!
xo
s
Claire says
Looks great guys! I would highly recommend not leaving those cereal boxes on the floor though. It only takes finding a little critter in your bowl once to scar you for life ( I may be speaking from experience here). I use plastic locking containers for all of my boxed and bagged pantry supplies (flour, sugar, cereal, crackers) now for that very reason.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tip Claire!
xo
s
Katrina says
What a difference! I love how some white paint instantly makes anything look so much more modern and fresh!
Jill says
Organizing projects make me so happy! I’m constantly trying to think of something else in my house I can organize (and use my label maker)!
katrina says
I didn’t look through the comments.
I have pantry envy!! Love the door organizational thing. I have one that you can hand sponge mops and brooms but then I don’t think the pantry might be the best place for that either. where do you store your brooms and wetmop?
The only thing I would worry about is cereal on the floor but maybe you don’t have a summer ant problem? I like putting big jugs of vinegar, bags etc on the floor but maybe that is a good place for toilet paper and paper towels in bulk.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the floor tips Katrina! And as for mops and brooms, we store those in the hall closet (which is also where we have coats and shoes and hats/gloves – so that closet is SCREAMING for some organization. Someday…
xo
s
Casey says
It looks so great!! I’m so glad you guys did a pantry series, it has really given me some great ideas for my own! I was wondering where you guys store spices? Again, thanks for sharing with us.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Casey! We keep the spices in the upper cabinet to the right of the stove. That way they’re nice and convenient to grab while we cook.
xo
s
Julie says
Love your pantry transformation! Did you have to work the placement of the baskets around your two-board shelves? For instance, it looks like the baskets holding Clara’s snacks would interfere with the wire cubbies holding your breads and prevent the door from closing. Not the case?
YoungHouseLove says
Thankfully the door can shut without anything hitting/touching (there are around 6″ between the front of the shelves and the closed door thanks to the doorway trim, so the door kit doesn’t touch the shelves or those bread baskets).
xo
s
Caroline says
Looks great! Love the white.
I painted two ceilings and installed one light fixture (I turn the main power off…just to be safe). I have a second fixture to install, but was so frustrated because it’s in a dark hallway and couldn’t find my headlamp! So…I took the dog on a two hour hike and came home to a big glass of wine!
YoungHouseLove says
Sounds awesome! Good luck with that hallway (it can wait, especially for a hike and some wine ;)
xo
s
claire says
can’t lie – i like the original. it looks so homey!
mp says
I have that same kit on my pantry door! The party rocks!