The Pantry Makeover

OK, so I may be a little over the edge...I'm now taking pictures of my pantry.  And I didn't even try to crop out the Oreos or the Christmas tin full of popcorn!

I am just so thrilled that I had to document my joy with photos!  Ryan and I spent New Year's Day afternoon organizing our kitchen pantry using our new food storage rotation shelves.  They've been sitting in our garage for 3 or 4 months just begging to be put together.  Thankfully, my incredible husband decided that rather than move the shelving boxes yet again when he put the Christmas lights away, it would be better to just put them together.  So instead of spending the afternoon playing with my new Photoshop or sewing or reading Sarah Palin's Going Rogue or doing one of the 10 things I was hoping to do during this holiday break week, I cleaned my pantry.  

But, I couldn't be happier with the end result (unless someone else would have come over and did it for us!)  It look longer than I thought to clean the whole pantry out and reorganize it all - pretty much all afternoon - but the results made me smile.  I've caught myself a couple of times just standing in front of my wide open pantry doors admiring the beauty...

So I am sharing the joy with all my blog reading peeps.  How great is it that all my cans are date organized, my beans, chilis, jalepenos, olives, and enchilada cans are all grouped, my Italian food is all grouped, and all my baking and sweet stuff is in one orderly place?    Don't answer that...I already know it's amazing.  Especially for me. And long overdue!  One of the really great things about having a huge pantry is that you can fit so much stuff in it.  But that's also one of the bad things.   So much space quickly got filled with an unorganized mess and no great system for rotating the food.  I am happy to say that those days are behind me!  Hopefully, we'll have less waste too since I can easily see what all I have on hand.  Now I just need to tackle my food storage room again and get that a little perked up.  

One funny story I have to share.  Last night we went out to dinner with Mike & Shari and my parents to celebrate our upcoming birthdays (Ryan and I are both turning 38 this week).  As we all sat down to eat and were talking about what we'd done that day, I told my family about our pantry makeover.  Then I told them about my kids' reaction.  Afton and Rowan seemed impressed with the new look, and Easton was just thrilled because he got to help with it all.  Barrett came downstairs and checked out the progress.  I asked, "So what do you think?"  She looked, smiled, and said, "I like it.  It looks good."  

Pause.  

Then, "Mom, have you seen Aunt Shari's pantry?"

I knew where this was going.

Me:  "Yes, it's amazing."

Barrett:  "Her whole pantry is totally neat and organized and just perfect.  All the containers are labeled with these perfect letters, and it's just so simple and clean."

Me:  "Yes, I know.  She's awesome."

Barrett:  "Mom, do you think maybe we could get those labels like Aunt Shari?  You could just turn our containers around so you wouldn't have to buy all new ones?"  

I smiled and said, "Maybe someday, but for now, I am just thrilled that we're all organized."

Shari is my pantry hero, just so you know.  When I grow up, I want my pantry to look like hers!  Until then, I am happy as a clam with my newly made-over pantry at 2047 N. Hall.  Happy New Year to me!