Decrapification: The pantry

OK, this is super weird, but when I just went to go find the post I did about our pantry last year, I realized it was almost exactly a year ago that I reorganized our pantry last time.

I showed you here in January of last year how I used a smokin’ deal at the discount store to reorganize this space. Well, a year later, I still don’t have the new door with seedy glass and a light installed inside making it glow and the angels sing and all that…but it is clean and organized again.

Just like with everything else in our house, it stays fairly together till the holidays hit…and then it all goes to you-know-where. The pantry included:

Good God. Help. Bubbles? Check. Half eaten donut? Check. Christmas choo choo gingerbread kit? Check.

People, I couldn’t see where the Doritos were. This was serious.

Today, when I went to find the mac and cheese for our lunch and it took five minutes to find the box, I decided it had to end, STAT.

I cleared the farm animals and Christmas decor off the table:

(Anyone still finding pieces of Christmas everywhere?!)

I poured myself a glass of cold Pepsi:

Shrek glass please, no ice.

And I went to work. Because everything was still on it’s “home” shelf (they are split up into baking goods, lunch/dinner, breakfast/other, snacks and extras) I just pulled off every single item from each shelf and worked on one at a time.

The fab large glass containers hold baking goods and drink mixes:

I also have smaller glass containers for sugar, chocolate chips, marshmallows, etc.

All crackers and cookies fit into the dollar containers from the same store:

I also use these containers for lunch and breakfast items that come individually wrapped. This creates SO much more space – boxes and bags take up a ton of space in the pantry, in my opinion. And it’s so easy for the little guy to grab a container when he wants a snack.

I use the tiered jobbers from Target for all the canned goods:

The bottom shelf is only for extra items. When it’s not organized, I buy more of what we already have. Hence the ten cans of cream of mushroom soup. (Tuna noodle casserole tonight baby!):

I have to tell you, taking these pictures hit me hard for a minute – how fortunate are we to have a pantry full of food? Seriously, it is a bit humbling to get it organized and to see how much we have.

I hang things inside closets often – there is usually so much unused space! The broom, plastic bag holder, etc., all hangs up out of the way:

We can close the door again!! Whoohoo!!

And you can see the floor! Awww yeah. A blissful, organized space for FAREEEE!

Guess what we’re making tonight?:

Yes, yes we are.

Can you find the mac and cheese in your pantry? :)