* The floor of my pantry closet was always messy because the onions and potatoes kept falling through the wire shelves. …Then our baby would spill pasta and beans, and I would become so overwhelmed that by the time I’d clean it, the potatoes had sprouted! The other day I had a bright idea (something that would no doubt occur to you without thinking) to put each type of product into a container. I used 3 baskets and a shoebox. The shoebox works great, so don’t go out and buy baskets! (you could even decorate it if you’re so crafty) The pasta is in the shoebox, the onions and garlic are in a basket, the bags of beans are in a basket, and the potatoes are in a basket. The baskets are sitting on my shelves, and I am so pleased with how neat it all looks!
* One of my favorite things is the wire over-the-pantry-door holder that we have. This holder has several shelves and hooks onto the door. It is fairly costly – around $30 at a home center if I remember right – but is so good to have. This holder holds my spices, cans, and odds & ends.
* My pantry items are separated by type on shelves:
Top Shelf: surplus and cereal (surplus being the extras we bought on sale or accidentally bought)
Baking Shelf: Everything needed for baking: flour, baking soda, sugar, baking powder, salt, cocoa, syrup, etc. And any packaged baking mixes like cake mix.
Snack Shelf: Within the children’s reach, but not the baby’s reach is a shelf of snacks like crackers, peanut butter, honey, cookies, etc. The kids are well-trained to ask first. They can have “water, vegetables or fruit without asking”. You can get them to quote that, they’ve heard it so many times!
Can and Box Shelf: Canned goods, boxed goods and pasta. The pastas are in a shoebox or baskets.
Produce Shelf: Three baskets, side-by-side, are on this shelf, one with potatoes, one with beans, and one with garlic and onions.
by Lori Seaborg
Ahhhhh…isnt it w-o-n-d-e-r-f-u-l to have a clean and organized pantry? Now be honest, how often have you opened the doors just to look at your accomplishment? :-)
Its just a little less stress in your life when you get things like that done.
~Marsha
I organize in the same way and even labeled my shelves so that (in theory) everyone would put things back in the right spot. Makes it so easy to look and see if youre running low on something. Thanks for sharing.
Oh, I got one of those over-the-door holders at a yard sale, but havent installed it yet. Youve made me want to get on it!
I just went to the Homeschoolblogger homepage for the first time since way before Katrina hit, and guess who was there as the featured blogger of the week?!?!? You!!! Congratulations!
~ Drewe Llyn
good for you and the pantry- now for a hint- dont store your onions and pototoes close to each other as onions cause pototoes to sprout faster- kind of like apples and bananas- apples stored with bananas cause the bananas to ripen faster- huggles Marilyn Christine