Nicole’s Not So Perfect Pantry Consultation ~ Before and After!

Nicole at The Acticity Mom contacted me regarding her not so perfect pantry. Here is what she had to say…

The main thing I don’t like about the pantry is that it looks like everything is thrown in there. I do know where everything is. It is grouped by category (snacks, party supplies, pastas, breads, baking goods, canned goods and stuff I need for that week’s recipes,  extra condiments and drinks, coffee, dog stuff, garbage bags ziplocks, and on the bottom is recycling, brooms, dog food, and paper towels) BUT it just looks so unorganized. Often I leave the doors open. So often that I don’t even notice if they are wide open and I have visitors.

Then she went on to say… I am extremely organized in other areas of my life (I even own a label maker) but can’t seem to get this one figured out.

————————————————————————————————————

Initial Thoughts:

My first impression of Nicole’s pantry was “way to go!” I love seeing a pantry that has some empty space and things are not stacked 10 items high. However I do “get” why she still feels like it is disorganized. The fact the she mentions she is an extremely organized person and also leaves the pantry open tells me she probably leans towards being a “visual” organizer and desires easy access to everything when she needs it.

Product Ideas:

Recommended Solutions:

#1 Wire Shelves Can Cause Chaos

Nicole’s pantry looks a lot like mine and I think most of my qualms with my pantry are the wire shelves. Besides going all out and doing wood shelves, you can get sheets of plexiglass cut to size to lay over your current shelves or a shelf liner to keep things from falling through the cracks. There is even a shelf cover but then you have to ask yourself if you can put in wood shelving for close to the same price. Nicole does have a board in place where some of these items obviously cause problems. This would be the most expensive update and really is more about making the pantry more aesthetically pleasing.

#2 Cans and Condiments

You can organize the cans by using an expandable shelf to straighten them up. A lazy susan will work wonders to corral those extra condiments stored in the pantry.

#3 Set Up Zones

Although Nicole feels like everything looks like it is just thrown in there she has done a great job at getting things categorized in groups. By clearly identifying  zones in your pantry it lets you establish a place for everything and be able to put everything back in its place! For things that you don’t use daily, for instance party supplies, could be stored in a basket with a nice hanging label on it. That will give you the visual look you are seeking and keep those supplies in their own zone.

Here is an article from BHG about organizing your pantry in zones. They show the ingredients for each meal being stored in metal baskets with the day of the week label attached. However, I recommend that you determine if that is too much to keep up with. It is easy to over organize and create to much work to maintain.

Final Thoughts:

Nicole’s pantry was fairly organized to start with, it just left a little something to be desired aesthetically. While Nicole’s before pantry might be a dream for some of you, she still felt like it wasn’t complete. We all have to decide when we have reached the point that we have “organized enough“. That point will be different for each individual.

————————————————————————————————————

Do you have a clutter problem that you need help with? Read more about my Clutter Consultations.

Your confidentiality is always my priority, having your clutter consult posted on this website is completely optional.

Be Sociable, Share!

• 

Tagged as: Clutter Consultation, Pantry Organization, The Clutter Buster