Perked Up Pantry and a Spicy Proposition

Well, we are 2 weeks into 2011.  How are you doing with your resolutions?  I have been spotty but have made some progress on the organization front.

Here is a picture of my pantry right before the New Year. 

This closet of chaos was the result of packaged goods being haphazardly strewn about in the baking, cooking and eating frenzy of the holidays.  My kids also tend to leave almost-empty containers in there.  Really?!  So while my husband was watching Bowl games, I "tackled" this mess.

I went to Dollar Tree and bought about 13 little plastic bins that are almost the same depth as my pantry shelves.  Total cost:  $13. 

Then I made some paper tags using cardstock, cut them into ovals with decorative scissors, and hung them from the bins and baskets.

It makes me feel so much better to have my pantry organized!  It may not be a dramatic change, but I can actually find things again.  Maybe The Family will actually be able to put things back if they're categorized?  It's probably too much to hope for, but we're still looking pretty good on Day 5.

While I was on a kitchen mission, I decided to also tackle my spices.  I have quite a few on the right hand side of the pantry on the above picture, but I also have this spice drawer with fixed wooden dividers next to my cooktop.

 I know that I haven't been using it to its full potential.  It is in a handy location, but it just always looks jumbled because I'm kinda lazy and don't keep it tidy of the different sizes of spice jars.  Today I went to Ikea and bought several packages of these (4 for $3.00).


Rajtan Spice Jar

There are a few things I like about these besides their low price: large capacity, wide mouth, and they either rest on their bottom or lean to the side.  (Hmm, sounds like some couch potatoes I know.)  The downside is that they don't have a shaker top, but I mostly use measuring spoons anyway.  If that is an issue, though, you might prefer these which are a little pricier (4/$5) but still big and sturdy.

Ikea 365+ Spice Jar


I also had a set of spice jar labels from CostPlus World Market that have been laying around for awhile, so I put those to use as well.

Since they are clear, they don't obscure the contents of the jar.  I think they're in the Arial font, so you can always print additional ones if you have an unusual herb or spice that's not on these pre-printed sheets.  I haven't found one that I'm lacking yet, though!

Here is a before and after:

Before:  A Jumbled Mess

After:  Success!

I cannot believe that 23 jars fit in this drawer!  And it only cost me $18 and a little bit of time.

I linked this to Beneath My Heart's and Thrifty Decor Chick linky parties.