Pantry Reorganized!

So when I went to that fabulous store the other day I got some of these Linus Cabinet Organizers.  When I got home I put some food from our disorganized pantry in them and was very happy with the improvement.  But this little voice in my head said....."Carrie, you need more!"  Don't you hate love that?  Well apparently this voice spoke so loud that my cuz up in PA heard me and got me 4 MORE for an Xmas present.  Yeah you heard me 4!!!!  JACKPOT!

Tonight I attacked that cabinet.  I'm sorry that I don't have a before shot for you.  But I think the after shots more than speak for themselves!

So pretty!

Missing Labels so I added them digitally!

The other item I bought at the container store was a lazy susan for all the oils and spices.  I'm always afraid that I'm going to knock the bottles off the shelf.  The lazy susan takes up more space, so it is not a space saver,  however from an ease of use, it is well worth it!   I put all the stuff I use most often on it or at the front right to the left of it to grab quickly.  

Organizing your own pantry:

Start by taking all your food out.  Everything!  Throw out expired food, put food that expires in the next 3/6 months somewhere so you can put it towards the front when you put everything back.  Then think about what you use most often?  What do you need to grab quick?  Organize like things together!  Organize like shapes together.  We put the new Linus drawers on the top shelf.  We are small people so it is not only hard for us to reach the top shelf, but stuff gets lost.  I'm not even going to gross you out with what I found up there way in the back!  So everything on the top shelf 1) We don't use THAT often.  2) Is in a drawer so we can easily pull it down grab what we want and put it back!

Final Details:

• On the cabinet doors, I'm looking into adding some cork/metal so that I can put up our weekly menu and a reminder to purge the pantry every three months and throw out what has expired.  
• I'm also going to buy some of the Avery Circle labels to make simple labels for the tops of the spices so we can pull out the spices and glance down to see what we need.  I might will even alphabetize them! 
• I also have to label the containers when I get my label maker.

Credit:

I have to say that Alejandra at alejandra.tv inspired much of these ideas.  Her pantry organization tips and ideas really helped get me focused.  What I love about her philosophy is that by being able to see everything and get to everything quickly, you know what you have and can use it.  If you don't use it, then you don't need it!  Get rid of it!  =)