I declared 2021 was going to be named, “Project Organize” and thus the efforts continue. Our kitchen pantry has been a source of aggravation for a long time. One evening, my daughter decided it was time to draw a new pantry design. About the same time, Andrew needed to do a Boy Scout project that would benefit the entire family and came up with the idea of – you guessed it – pantry organization. Two great minds think alike and a new family project was born.
The Problem
We never thought our pantry was large enough for a walk in closet. The doubled shelving filled the entire space, so like many closets, it looked small, not to mention stuffed. It was easier to buy what I needed for meals instead of doing a thorough check for each grocery item to make sure it was not lurking in the dark corners. I would poke around a bit, but a real investigation meant removing, shuffling, and sliding items around like a chess set. It was easier and less time consuming to just buy what I needed. During the pandemic, my son and his wife who live overseas became stuck stateside for ten months. With five adults and one teen in the house, i.e. several cooks in the kitchen, the pantry became a true source of agitation – for everyone, including the cat!
Andrew’s Pantry Organization Goal – Prader-Willi Motivated
Our daughter and Andrew came up with organizing the pantry about the same time. Our daughter’s goal was a livable space. Andrew’s goal was three-fold. He needed to plan a family project for the Boy Scout’s, Family Life merit badge. He never stated the other two goals, but I could read him quite clearly. Pantry organization meant that he could get past the door lock to see what was in the pantry. Because Prader-Willi syndrome exists in our home, all food is locked away – literally behind combination locks. This project meant the space was suddenly accessible, which came as no surprise so we were fully ready.
By the Way
Prader-Willi syndrome is a rare genetic occurrence that causes insatiable hunger. You know that sleepy, I-ate-too-much feeling after a holiday meal? A person with Prader-Willi can eat the same amount and yet not know what it is like to feel full. This lack of feeling causes the person to seek or steal food, escape to find food – all in the effort of curing the hunger pains. It is genetic. The hunger will never change, so families of Prader-Willi loved-ones must keep food behind locked doors. One visiting scout exclaimed, “Your house rivals Fort Knox!” and it does. Food is fatal; so we use locks and I work overtime to keep Andrew occupied and his weight in check.
Keeping Andrew Safe
While Andrew was sleeping, we hid everything that was a temptation or a danger, and left only the cans and jars. To Andrew’s credit, he did quite well. He sorted, organized, and looked at dates. Throwing away outdated food is too stressful for a person with Prader-Willi syndrome, so it was designated to a special box and tossed at a later point when Andrew wasn’t around. Our oldest date was 2014. Pantry organization was definitely needed!
Pantry Organization Saved Money Immediately
While removing e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g, I found a jar of honey from the neighbor’s hives. I had honey on my grocery list that I happily erased. Local honey is expensive. The project saved $20, and it was only in the beginning stages!
The Process
Each family member had personal skills to add to this project. Our daughter was the planner and designer. She measured and declared that we could add in an extra shelf. Her goal was to make room for appliances as well as food. She handed the measurements and drawings over to Dad, who hid in his workshop and made the drawings come to life. Andrew and I took on the role of cleaning out and organizing items into boxes. He did a ton of painting and learned to use a drill.
We painted the walls gray and the shelving white. I felt certain that there was no way all the stuff that came out was going to go back. It seemed like we had less shelving space, too much walk-in space, and the same amount of food-stuffs.
During the week that the pantry was under construction, I noticed Andrew’s mood drastically changed to an emotional rollercoaster. I do believe that the boxes of cans and uncooked pasta drove his mood swings. We went into overtime to put life back to normal.
The pantry turned out so bright and cheerful that, in the end, the excess lighting we planned was not needed.
Pantry Organization
I will say that surprisingly everything we took out, minus the few outdated items, fit back perfectly. We purchased shelf steps, large baskets for the floor area and clear pasta containers. Other containers and baskets we already owned. There were other ideas, but I wanted organization not necessarily a project that required financing. I will post the products we purchased at the end of this post.
Some of these are affiliate links which means we make a small commission at no cost to you.
The Benefits of an Organized Pantry
The benefits of an organized pantry includes time and money savings. With a quick glance, I can see exactly what needs to be replaced and what items are running low. Planning meals has become effortless. I am no longer purchasing excess items because I can see exactly what is on the shelves. Our food line on the budget has dropped (on the average) about $30.00 a week. My daughter likes the fact that she can quickly grab her lunchbox, and a few items from the shelves before she goes to work. My husband, on the other hand, is afraid to put anything away because he claims he will get yelled at for messing up the pantry. But, being good natured humans, we say nothing because we know it is just a ploy to get out of putting away groceries.
So VOILA! The Final Project: Pantry Organization
An Added Benefit
With the food back behind locks, we could see Andrew’s stress melt and he became him normal self again. It was a unanimous effort and well worth a week of chaos.
Items we Purchased
I chose these containers at Amazon and am happy with the purchase. I wanted strong, clear containers that stood vertically and didn’t waste space.
We also needed step organizers for cans and home canning jars. These were sturdy, and the skid proof steps keeps glass jars from sliding.
Other items purchased were these gray and white Genesis Stripe Canisters at Target. Love these canisters! I purchased large and small for storing different types of flours, sugar, coin towelettes, and chocolate chips. (I cannot live without coin towelettes.)
We also purchased this bamboo can step from Target which you can see in the front of the pantry. It looks nice and is sturdy, but truthfully, I prefer the ones that we purchased from Amazon. The Target step only pulls out partially as there is a mechanism blocking full usage. There is a considerable drop-off between the two pull-out portions of the steps. It takes some engineering to make sure the cans sit correctly and not lop-sided at the drop-off.
This BINO plastic woven basket worked well for bread, chip and baking (packages of coconut, brown sugar, molasses jars etc.) storage. I chose plastic over woven because I wanted an easy surface to wash and wipe.
These small clear containers make storing little odds and ends, (like yeast packets, small bottles, and soup mixes) easy.
Finally, we purchased two large baskets for storing extra long items like foil and parchment paper. The second basket hold aprons and extra potholders that gets switched out weekly. I have come to like JANA products and how well made they are. This is not a perfect match but is the same brand to get you started on your search!
Last but not Least
In the organizing mood? Check out our information about how to organize and secure your wallet or purse.
How to prevent your wallet from being lost or stolen.
If you have kids, then I bet you have Lego chaos as well! Here’s what we did to make Lego projects more manageable and organized.
Easy Method for Lego Organization
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