The Pantry Project

Thursday is a pretty easy cleaning day....usually. Spring cleaning changes everything!! Today, I decided to tackle my pantries. I found this contact paper I have had for at least a dozen years!!!!Perfect for my big pantry! Only problem.....I am terrible with contact paper. I end up with large bubbles and paper sticking everywhere but where it is suppose to. I remembered this after I cleared out one side of the pantry. What's a girl to do? I asked Sweetheart. He made a face that said, "not hardly." so I put the contact paper away resigning myself to the fact that the pantry would just get a good cleaning. Sweetheart built me this pantry in November of 07, and I love it! It is the back coat closet and I keep overstock food, and all my appliances there. Here are some before pics....this is the food side....and here is the appliance side....there are even cans of paint on the floor!! See the plastic bag hanging off that top shelf? Awful!I got everything OUT of the pantry and wiped it all down! What a mess my kitchen was! When doing a big cleaning project, don't you find it is darkest before the dawn?Only a few of these boxes went down to storage....most of it went back into the pantry. Sweetheart came in and saw what was going on and the next thing I knew he was laying contact paper!! My hero!!! Really, it would have been ok, but I am so glad he took a break from his own deck project and helped out.Not a bubble, ripple, or seam!!!! Beautiful!Everything went back in it's own place....the appliance side with the vacuum attachments on the floor....The food side all organized and neat!Kyle loves his Apple Jacks!!!! On the top shelf I have a spot in the corner for those things that are "Hands Off!" This means they are slotted for an occasion. Right now the punch ingredients are there for Emerson's dedication banquet here on Sunday.
Now I have a nice sized pantry in my kitchen too. It has a top and bottom. I think I may have just enough contact paper to do this pantry too....today it got a good cleaning, but no fresh paper. The top part holds Kyle's cereal (he is just like Jethro on The Beverly Hillbillies when it comes to cereal) on the top shelf, pasta on the middle shelf and on the bottom shelf I have various oils, syrup, rice, emergency potatoes, and oatmeal. Notice the tin of 100% Maple Syrup in the bottom right corner....Niki sent it to me from Canada. They made it from the sap from their own trees!! Can you imagine? I just got it and have Pancakes on my menu this week. I can't wait to try it!!!!
The bottom has 5 drawers. The top drawer holds excess spices, teas, dry mixes, etc., the second drawer holds canned foods for the week, and the middle drawer holds bread and chips.The 4th drawer holds coffee creamer, nursery water and formula for Emerson, and some crocks and canisters I am not using. The bottom drawer holds my nicer rubbermaid/tupperware containers.My pantries are areas where I fall down....I am not great about keeping them organized and wiped out. They are certainly worthy of constant cleaning along with our refrigerators. Food storage is vital for any home and a clean storage area is best! Now that mine are done, it feels good! Spring cleaning feels wonderful. What have you done on your Spring cleaning list??