Pantry Organization with Free Rae Dunn Labels
I don't know about you, but no matter how organized I am, our pantry seems to get a little chaotic every few months. I'm typically a very organized person, but for some reason, I just start throwing things into the pantry after a while, and then I struggle to find what I'm looking for. Enough was enough, and it was time to tackle this project.
I LOVE creating labels for things. It soothes my overly organized soul. I like these pop top containers you can find at a number of stores (Walmart has good prices or you can find them on Amazon here) because they're easy to open, clear, and plastic, all of which are important considerations when you have little ones running around. Originally, I wanted to get glass jars from IKEA, but then I thought, "Who am I kidding? Ricky will have those broken in less than a week."
I created the labels with a free font I found called The Skinny, which looks just like the always popular Rae Dunn font. You can find the font here or you can download the free labels from me here. I used my Silhouette Cameo to cut the words out of white vinyl. If you're printing yours at home, just print them onto clear sticker paper, cut out the rectangles, and slap 'em on.
I hate wasted space on the floor of the pantry, but I'm also a weirdo about putting actual food containers down there. (Is anyone else like that?) This is where I like to keep items that I want handy but don't use too often. All of the mint-colored storage tubs came from Hobby Lobby when they were 50% off (Woo Hoo!) I have a drawer for cake decorating supplies and a couple tubs for party supplies and extra spices.
I have smaller tubs for baking supplies and snacks that are easy for the kids to reach and see what's inside.
I have an inexpensive IKEA turntable on one of the shelves that holds canned goods. I love how it's so easy to see what's there just by spinning it.
On the door, I have an adjustable system I bought from The Container Store years ago that holds oils, frequently used sauces, plastic baggies, foil, and parchment paper. I have a Farmer's Market tray I found last year at Target's Dollar Spot hanging because who says your pantry can't be cute. I have a couple vintage-look iron hooks on the wall to hold aprons and reusable shopping bags.
I used to store my cookbooks in a cabinet above our cooktop, but they were so hard to get to that I barely used them. I moved them to the top shelf of the pantry and now I can grab what I'm looking for super quickly. I also keep our blender in here so I can grab it easily, but I don't have to keep it on the counters (it's not the most attractive appliance).
We don't east too much bread in our house (my hubby and kids are sensitive to gluten) so I keep a bread box with the toaster in the pantry so it's still easily accessible but doesn't take up valuable counter space. I also have an all-important wine rack in here because Mama can't be running out of wine (I know you know what I'm talking about).
And, there you have it: a beautiful but functional pantry. Don't ever feel bad about wanting to make a space pretty, even if it isn't seen much. I find myself cooking more and finding the experience much more enjoyable when my pantry looks like this.
SaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSave
