Whenever I show before and afters of pantries on my Instagram feed they get the most comments and likes. I think it’s because it gives people ideas, hope, and inspiration to know that a crazy space can become an organized space.
Want to see some of my favorite before & after pantries? Let me show you…
Before & After: Pantry #1
Before: My client had tried to create order by using small clear bins, however the bins were too small for the amount she was tying to contain, and because they were see through, the bins created visual clutter. The other issue was that she had great Oxo brand containers , but they were spread throughout the pantry. They make a cleaner visual impact when they are all together. Storing holiday items used once a year also took up space that could be used for everyday items.
After: By using larger baskets and bins, as well as creating zones, I was able to bring order to every shelf. Storing like with like, she now knows exactly how much of every item she has, and it’s easy to find. These large lazy susan’s are my favorite for pantry corners and top shelves. You can twirl the lazy susan and bring what you want to the front with ease, no step stool needed. Lazy susan’s in corners use all the available space so nothing gets lost in the back.
I always try and use large floor baskets to hold items like paper towels, lunch boxes, large amounts of snacks, etc. Adding labels also helps everyone in the house know exactly where everything is, and where it goes when you’re unloading groceries.
The holiday items now live in an unused cupboard up high.
Before & After: Pantry #2
Before: No rhyme or reason to where items are put. They have no idea how much they have of anything, or where it is. This makes for double purchases as well as waste when lost and unused items become expired. There was a lot of wasted space in here as well. Let me show you how I solved these problems.
After: I created zones; baking, breakfast, lunch, dinner, baby food, canned goods etc. Keeping like with like they will know exactly how much they have. I also put all the Oxo containers together, again creating visually clean lines. Lazy susan’s hold bottles of vinegars and oils, and bamboo bin clips tell you exactly what is in each basket. In the blue floor baskets I stored lunch boxes and reusable bags. The sides of the pantry are lined with bins too, and the dog food was relocated there. Every inch of the pantry is being used to its potential now.
Before & After: Pantry #3
Before: Costco purchases left on the floor in boxes made everything hard to get to plus created a ton of visual clutter. Again, there is no rhyme or reason as to where things go. This creates chaos and frustration when trying to find what you know you have.
After: I took everything out of the big Costco packages and put the contents into bins my client already had (similar ones here). This makes it easy to grab and go. When the bin gets low you know it’s time to buy more. I also used my favorite affordable white bins and labels (click here to order) to clearly distinguish where everything is. What’s for dinner? Let’s go look in the dinner bin and see what we have! Kids want to pack a lunch? The lunch bin has everything they need, just bring the bin to the counter, pack their lunch, and off to school they go. So easy. Want a snack? Grab the eat first bin and find all the opened snacks. Once again, I used large lazy susan’s in all the corners to hold jars and bottles, and cereal containers stored all together make it visually pleasing.
You too can have an organized pantry!
Do you see a formula here? Zones, bins, labels, and floor baskets are my go to when I am organizing any pantry. You can do it too by following these easy steps:
Take everything out: sort everything into like piles and check expiration dates.
Create zones: Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, eat first, baking, canned goods, etc.
Plan the layout of your pantry for what works best for your family. It’s not one size fits all. See my pantry here (click “My Pantry” under my saved stories).
Find containers that fit your space. Bins, lazy susan’s, Oxo storage containers, can stackers, baskets, and floor baskets.
Now label and put it all back in. Enjoy!
Live in the DFW area? I can help you! I”m an email away. Don’t live in the Dallas area, that’s ok! I offer virtual organizing sessions via FaceTime. It’s really fun. We facetime for 45 minutes and talk about your space. I then send you a detailed to do list complete with links for products.
You can see other posts about pantries here.
As always, I’m ready to help you today,
Lisa
