“I fowhnd fe fin mints!”
I offered up a muffled but triumphant proclamation from inside the pantry to where he sat on the blue sofa in the school room. I peered out from behind then screen door and showed him the familiar green Girl Scout box, lifted up in Lion King fashion. I’m pretty sure a golden ray of sunlight fell from the ceiling. My box. The last box of the season.
“You know… it totally pays to clean out the pantry.”
“I found something else,” Jamin grinned at me from his now equal place of triumph. My eyes grew wide, and I knew he was referring to the piéce de résistance…. the last Cadbury Egg he must have discovered, as we hid our loot from the kids about two months ago, and then forgot its whereabouts. We’d given up after a fruitless search.
“Where is it?!” My greedy eyes grew wider from where I now sat perched and frozen, in a half hearted Rafiki pose.
“In MAH BELLY!” He laughed, knowingly.
“I would be mad. But I can’t be because I just shoved like, five ten cookies into my mouth,” I resigned. “And that would make me a horrible person.” I folded up the sleeve before I ate the remainder in its entirety, and hid it from myself… back in the pantry. I needed to forget about them again.
A few moments later I looked up from where I was loading the dishwasher, and he stood there, spinning the egg like a top… its familiar primary colors in a happy whirl of metallic sheen. I looked up at him and he was grinning again.
“I knew you wouldn’t eat it without me,” I laughed. And then I froze. “Quick before they see,” I said, referring to the vultures kids looming in the next room. “Let’s hide it again, but remember this time. And when we sell this house, it will be the last Cadbury Egg of celebration.” I stayed for a moment in mid-dish removal, beaming at my poetic intentions. It just felt right.
“You know you can buy these on Amazon, right?” He asked, raising an eyebrow.
“No,” I replied. And I felt my poetic pride with celebratory intentions fall a notch.
In my defense, you can also get the Thin Mint knock offs at Publix, and I don’t purchase those, either. Probably because a. my waistline would significantly triple, never leaving the sofa for a never-ending round of Friends binge eating whilst silently contemplating the fact that I’m in the wrong profession, {duh, should have totally gone into set design} ignoring the kids while they ask Daddy why Mommy stopped doing anything, and b. there’s something about it that makes it special with the seasons: I’m determined to eat that last Cadbury egg in sheer, unadulterated triumph.
My point amid my run on paragraph rampage? It pays to clean out the pantry.
Molly wrote in recently and said:
…I love your pantry and was wondering if you have any tips for organization? We are ready to make over our pantry and I wanted to hear what your best tips are for such an overhaul? …
Because obviously it’s not always perfect. But it has made a big difference in our daily ins and outs with all things kitchen activities. We know ourselves, and we knew that if we made it ‘pretty’, we were bound to keep it that way. Things were piled up, topped over and overwhelming… no matter how many times we tried to clean it out. There is such a thing as a pantry that’s too big. There was simply no space planning involved and it was a big, overwhelming eyesore of a closet. So down with the wire shelves, and the final shade of that horrible builder’s beige. {That was quite the happy moment} And of course, just like all the things we’ve done, it made such a big difference that we wondered what took us so long. It really is all about accountability.
Without further ado {or cadbury stories} Here’s a few of our fave tips for a happy, organized pantry:
1. Keep containers instead of boxes.
It may seem fussy at first, but we’ve found that we can actually see what we have and it helps hold us accountable for over-buying when there’s big sales at the grocery store.
Sure, we still take advantage of the buy one get one, but we also make sure we will really use it instead of simply just bringing more into our home. That way, we don’t overbuy, and forget what we have. {See: ten containers of salad dressing}
Those containers are worth the investment. So check for coupons, save up, and go for it. Combine them with cheaper options like the painted crates we use to corral all things cleaning supplies/extra boxes. You won’t regret keeping it neat and contained in the food department.
2. Have fun with labels.
From hardware plates on the front of shelves, to little dollar spot finds at your local target or craft shop… the labels are what make it worth it. It helps us keep things in their place and organized. It’s pretty easy to get inventive, and keep it affordable when you use them in different ways.
3. Keep things placed according to use
If you use the bread daily, keep it in a place that’s easy to grab… not shoved behind the brown sugar and potatoes. And if your kids go for the {organic, sugar free we-don’t-just-eat-cadburys} fruit snacks on a regular basis, keep them at eye level along with the other snacks so that they can grab them on their own.
One of the biggest game changers for us, was putting their foods in an easy-to-grab location, so that the kitchen now becomes self-serve when they ask for a snack. They’re also old enough to help prep for meals now, and it becomes a family event. Mom and dad are no longer getting every little thing out of the pantry, and they can participate. It’s the little things.
4. Rethink clutter often
Do as I say, not as I do, per the story above.
No, it’s not always perfect. With a busy family of five plus two pups, it gets a little out of hand quickly if we don’t “stay on it.” Especially with our home for sale, we like to cut down on the clutter. So do it weekly. Check out all the things that have piled up over time and don’t feel guilty about getting rid of the stuff that’s old {see us with the easter candy} … plus you never know what treasures you may find. ;}
5. Know thyself
I feel like every post we write on tips for organization comes with this one as a given.
We think it’s important… so know yourself and your family’s patterns. If making it pretty helps you, then make it pretty. It doesn’t have to be a full on makeover. If it’s clutter, get rid of the clutter and then make plans and work with changes that will help. Pick a nice color and add a cool door and light. It’s an affordable makeover to add a little glitz to make it more appealing. You’re less likely to shut the door and wait for an avalanche of baking supplies and frosted flakes {see: us}.
Figure out what works for you, and don’t be afraid to try try again if something isn’t working. That’s the way you get the fastest results with systems in your home. And you can apply this to any space, as a blanket rule.
Check out all of our sources for our pantry here!
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We hope these little tips help, Molly… or anyone else who may be looking for a bit of a pantry revamp. What are some of your best tips for an organized pantry? We’d love to hear what works for you!
Janet says
This is hilarious. Y’all crack me up- love the tips too!
Jenna says
Your advice is spot on! We redid our pantry last month and there has been no turning back! I would hide the Cadbury egg, too… For what it’s worth 😉
Britt says
I adore your pantry!!!!
ashley @ the handmade home says
Thank you so much, Britt!
Kim says
Hi! How I love your blog! I love your organization tips, so I am wondering what you keep in all your baskets in your school room? Also, how do you keep your homeschooling work books, projects, etc. organized?
ashley @ the handmade home says
Hey Kim! Thanks so much! We have a post on it here but the baskets are pretty much how we keep it all organized. One holds paper, one for each child and their individual workbooks and subjects, one for big books that all three kids use, one for hands on math supplies, etc. We touch on it a little more here too. I hope that helps a little! ;}