Project Simplify: Pantry and Spice Cabinet
This week Tsh challenged us to tackled the fridge and pantry. I didn't get to the fridge, but took on the pantry and the spice cabinet.
I don't actually have a pantry, as in a big cupboard, but I do have tall cabinets in my kitchen (and they are working fairly well).
Here is my before of the spice cabinet (embarrassing!):
What can I say, I like to cook!
This cabinet has been frustrating me for a long time! It's too full and difficult to use. I also don't like having so many spices in bags.
I put most of the bulk spices into half-pint mason jars. They stack nicely and look pretty. (Although it would be lovely to have attractive labels. But we are going with masking tape for now.)
The extra spices that didn't fit into the jars are in the freezer, so they will stay fresh. Hopefully I won't forget to look there when I need to refill a jar!
I was shocked at the extra space this made:
So I moved over my oil and vinegar collection from the pantry. This is a much more logical place for the oil and vinegar since they are often used along with spices.
Here is the Spice Cabinet, after:
I also decluttered my utensil holder:
Isn't it cool? My mother-in-law made it. I love the carving!
The Pantry, before:
Obviously I buy in bulk!
Pantry, after:
It doesn't look as tidy as I thought it did. But at least it is more functional and organized. I obviously focused in the bottom two shelves 🙂
Also, I recently moved some of my bulk grains and beans out of the pantry to provide more room. I think they look nice on display:
So there you have it, a mini kitchen makeover.
A bunch of busy ladies have been working in the kitchen this week and are linking up at Simple Mom's Project Simplify. If you are nosy like me, you must go and take a look at what everyone has been up to!
What are your tips for keeping the kitchen organized?
This may sound crazy, but I tighten up our grocery budget last year, and started buying less food. It really helped in organizing. Amazingly, it has really simplified meals and I can find everything which means less waste!
Masking tape….I love it. I think it shows more character than the label maker. I like the personal touch. I have several containers that my grandma had. She wrote what was stored in the container on paper and then taped it on. I used clear packing tape to secure it and have a loving memory of my grandmother through her handwriting.
I love the idea of using mason jars for bulk spices! Why didn’t I think of that?! 🙂 So much better than spices in bags!
I also love the look of your pantry with all of your bulk food and glass jars – hardly a package in sight! Where did you get your wide jars on the bottom right? I would love to have some wider mouthed jars like that for holding flour, sugar, etc.
Thanks Emily. I got those jars from Azure Standard. They are 1/2 gallon size. They cost $14.80 for 6..which is less than $2.50 a jar. You have to buy the lids separately. I’m not sure what they cost.
http://www.azurestandard.com/shop/product/9291/
I like them a lot. I do wish the lid screwed on a little tighter though.
Do the ball wide-mouth canning lids fit on those jars? Thanks so much for posting this link – I had no idea Azure even sold jars (and now I see they sell food grade buckets too!). I added them to my order for this month – sooo excited!
No they don’t. (I wish they did!) Azure does sell the right size lids though: http://www.azurestandard.com/shop/product/8087/ They don’t seal as tightly as canning jars. But I still like them.
I keep finding things that Azure sells that I had no idea about! It’s fun 🙂
Thanks so much for your reply!