Pantry Overhaul

Next month will mark the tenth year we’ve lived in our home. We built it from the ground up, my husband and I, and it took a looooong time. Something I’ve learned in the process between then and now: finish everything before moving in, because once you’re in–you’re tired and you don’t want to tackle niggly finishing touches for a long time. Like ten years. Because you’re tired. And you’ve got other things to take up your time and attention. At least I do.

So, one of the niggly finishing touches that just hasn’t hit the top of the list in the past decade has been my unfinished pantry shelving. I’m almost embarrassed to post this photo, but it’s hard to appreciate the finished project without seeing the before:

Shudder. Now you’ve seen the reality that was my pantry, we’ll move on to the inspiration. I’ve had the pantry re-do on my weekly list for several months, just kept moving it to next week…and next week…and next week (I love Outlook–makes it so easy to move things to next week!), until a month or so ago I really looked at the task and decided to take a little time and think about what I’d need to actually DO the job. Baskets! Cute ones! Because if I’m going to re-do the closet, I want it to look pretty for at least the first week. Here’s what I found:

A stack of these wire grocer’s baskets sat in my bedroom for several weeks more while I moved that job to next week…you get the drill…and then last week I finally decided it was time to get the job done. I hauled everything out, slapped several coats of white paint on every surface (I thought about doing some fun color, but decided it’s a PANTRY, and I want bright and clean), had panic attacks every time I walked through the messy kitchen, and then finally, at long last, my closet looks like this:

Sigh. Much better. Now I’m going to take a nap.