Remember this time last year? Everyone was Marie Kondo-ing. How quickly we forget and regress to our old habits, myself included. It is easy to get lustful eyes when we see celebrity closets, and pantry’s the size of a New York apartment organized and designed to perfection-this is just not realistic for most.
Our home is “builder grade” and not as customized as my dream home will be. Translation: my pantry is smaller than I would like and doesn’t include storage drawers. Just because you lack extra space and shelving doesn’t mean you can’t achieve the same organization perfection. And most importantly, make your space functional. Let’s discuss realistic pantry organization. I am breaking down how to organize your pantry realistically, and any space, plus the organization items I use in my home.
Start with a Plan
Before tackling any room or drawer, you need a plan. What are you trying to accomplish? Are you merely looking to do a deep clean, or do you want to create a cohesive look that will make this space function better for you? All of these need to be considered before you start. For our pantry, I wanted to do all three. Take a look at my pantry before I go to work:
Purge & Clean
Once we have our final goal, the hard work begins. Before we can organize, we need to declutter. Start by removing all items. I do one section at a time to avoid being overwhelmed. Sort into piles: trash (outdated, expired, or broken pieces), donate (more on this later), and keep. Once you have your space emptied, do a quick deep clean!
I am very conscientious of the cleaning products I use in and around our home. I urge you to take a moment and research the harsh chemicals that can be in everyday cleaning products!
Organic Cleaning Products for Your Home
What to Buy for Your Pantry
I know it can be a little frustrating to wait until this stage of the project to buy your organization pieces, such as baskets, boxes, and other storage solutions. But there is a reason I wait! If you try to purchase before the clean-out phase, you’re most likely to buy the wrong items, not enough, or the wrong size. Once you have your like items sorted, you can purchase all the right pieces and the right amount. One bonus during the clean-out phase, I am willing to bet you find pieces to re-purpose in this space.
Turn Dark to Light
In the Before pantry pictures, you can see the back walls between the shelving are painted the same color as the trim/shelves, which ultimately feels like a dark cave. That heavy feeling of darkness is often found in pantries and even closets, as most lack natural light. To tackle that heavy, dark feeling, I opted to add a hint of softness to our pantry by adding a light-colored watercolor wallpaper! And the best news is the wallpaper is peel-and-stick. So, in a year or two, when I want a change, it easily comes right off the wall!
What Makes it Cohesive
Now we have our space cleaned, items organized into piles, and the base of our room feels lighter, how do we accomplish that Pinterest worthy appearance? By building a cohesive appearance throughout. I approach organizing a pantry the same way I design any space. Think of your pantry as a display shelf.
Start by adding items back, grouping them. I love using clear storage containers to keep items organized and tidy.
Baskets are a great option to store larger or loose items.
Uniform canisters add a chic and luxurious touch to any space. Adding custom labels like these from Talented Kitchen takes the organization to the next level.
Shop My Go-To Organization Storage Pieces
Make it Functional
Lastly, what if we did all the work above and ended up with a beautiful space that still wasn’t functional? I did say “realistic pantry organization,” right? We have to be mindful of the area we are organizing. Don’t forget the end goal you set. For me, it is important to have snacks easily accessible for Maddox, a clean appearance, it doubles as storage, and labels displayed easily.
I use the top of our pantry for storing my larger entertainment pieces. Vegetables that like the dark pantry can be displayed on a tiered stand so that you can quickly assess what you need before heading to the store. I leave utensils in their caddies so that I can grab them as needed and quickly set them out for guests. Ultimately, the pantry has to work for your needs, so be sure to consider them while organizing.
Make Organizing a Routine
We get inspired to declutter our home, and before you know it, every space is as clean as a whistle, neat and organized. Fast-forward two months, and everything is back to bulging at the seams, and I am as guilty as the next. Staying organized is an ongoing battle. Take time to schedule organizing different areas of your home. Keep it simple to one drawer or room a month. Something that helps me is putting things away where they belong—cutting down on my time in the long run.
This month’s organizing project is tackling kitchen junk drawers. It feels good, so good!
Donate Goods
Now that we’ve discussed realistic pantry organization, let’s talk about leftover items. It is no surprise that when organizing our home throughout the year, we get rid of items that still have a lot of life left. I genuinely urge you to donate these items rather than trash them. If you don’t have a regular home for your donated goods, I highly recommend contacting your local AMVETS chapter. They make donating super simple and will come to pick up your items. We have enjoyed our “real” pantry; it is organized and, most importantly, functional. A swoon-worthy pantry isn’t just for Instagram celebrities, and I can’t wait to see how you turn your dark pantry into an organized piece of art!
Thoughts?
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