Even though I am crazy about our 1928 bungalow, the one thing that it was missing was a kitchen pantry. I know this is a First World problem, but I was always hopeful that we could find the space for one someday. The perfect pantry photos on Pinterest only made me want one even more. When we were in NYC a few weeks ago, we took the dimensions of our hall closet to the Container Store, and one of their designers was able to draw up the perfect use of that closet’s space.
This was our hall closet that the previous owner tried to make into a pantry. It was a horrible set up. He built some strange shelves that filled only half of the closet. For the longest time I never even thought to change it.
The thing that really drove me crazy was the tupperware situation. I was keeping it in that green bag hanging on the door. It was not a good system.
Lucky for us that when we were at the NYC Container Store, they were having a Elfa sale. We met with one of the designers and gave her our measurements for our master closet and this so-called pantry. Mary, our designer was amazing and created a design that would work for us and our tupperware problem. (Stay tuned for our master closet’s Elfa overhaul in the near future.)
When we removed everything in the pantry, including the shelves, I was shocked to see how big it really is, and I was thrilled. What took us so long to change this little room?
Mr. Spring got to work installing the system, and I was shocked to see how it did not take him long at all to put it together.
Voila! Take a look at the new and improved pantry. I still stare and love all the space this room now gives us. Also, we finally have a solution to the tupperware. See that basket on the bottom? One half holds the containers, and the other half holds the lids. I am in heart with how we store our tupperware now. It’s so much better than the bag on the door.
Another quirk of the small room is that it is dark, and at night we cannot see what we are looking for. We thought about hiring an electrician to change that problem, but I was at Sam’s the other day and discovered these lights. These little LED puck lights can stick on a wall and even have a light switch. They sell more light pucks if needed, but we thought this was plenty. Plus, the kit was only around $20. I stuck these bad boys on the inner walls and now we have lights with a switch!!!
Here is the new and improved pantry. Now, it isn’t as beautiful as the ones on Pinterest, but it is a huge improvement, and I am one happy lady.
It is hard to tell from the pictures, but I still have a ton of space on those shelves to fill with goods. Ahhhh!!! I love it when the little things in life are so satisfying.
Cheers!
We were not compensated by The Container store. We are just huge fans.
Nicki says
Awesome Jordan! Those Pinterest pantries are unrealistic anyway. I mean, who does that? I know I certainly don’t have time or energy to take my food out the store container and put it all into matching containers. I do that with some things, like cereal, because it stays fresh that way. But I have a very organized pantry, it might not be pretty, but it works for us!
Vanessa says
What an awesome solution! It looks so great!!
Vanessa
Michele in IL. says
very cool and the lights with the switch is awesome. Will have to look for that for under our basement stairs.
Beth says
I know you will love this. Isn’t it fun when you can finally make it work!. Great job!,
Alicia@ eco friendly homemaking says
WOW!! It looks amazing! Such a great transformation and with room to spare on your shelves. I am going to have to check out those lights next time we are at Sam’s.