This is a great week as we have another Project Design: Pantry Organization! My take is: Five Steps To Organize A Rental Pantry. In case you are new, we are renting a 100-year-old apartment in a high rise in San Francisco. I love our apartment but I am not crazy about the dated kitchen. Annie, Cindy and I have an editorial calendar of Project Design topics…and I was dreading doing our pathetic pantry.
But good news! I’m so happy I did it and you will be, too! You will be inspired by the other bloggers’ awesome ideas that are linked at the end of the post.
Five Steps To Organize A Rental Pantry (Or Any Pantry)
Step One: Remove Everything
Yes, I know you don’t like this part. No one does! It’s the same thing I request when organizing bookshelves. Put everything on the floor or counters and discard expired items (we had a corroded really old baking powder can and some other gross things).
BEFORE
Step Two: Wash the Shelves, Walls, Etc.
This felt so great!
Step Three: Apply Removable Wallpaper or Paint If Desired
I used a black and white check from Target. Don’t look too closely as there are some mistakes (I blame the installer–me). But you can hardly notice them once it’s loaded. And I used a black grip shelf liner from Target.
Step Four: Organize Your Items With Baskets and Bin Labels
I had a lot of the wicker baskets around the house (similar here) and bought the wire-framed ones at HomeGoods (similar). They have them at The Container Store along with the bin labels.
Step Five: Add Some Decorative Elements
Like a notepad and clipboard (similar) for grocery lists, cookbooks (so glad to have them off the counter) and trays.
This tray, made from the old SF Giants scoreboard, was a gift to my husband. It works in black and white!
It’s not perfect but it makes me a lot happier. And those are “Five Steps To Organize A Rental Pantry!”
And since some people were asking where the pot/pans/liquor went…I put them in the adjacent deep cupboard. The most used pots and pans are in front and the others in the back (the roasters, etc are above this cupboard). The liquor was “edited” and put in rows by type on the bottom shelf since it’s not used that often.
Here is the other side of the kitchen…
And this is the view from the dishwasher.
And now let’s see what these lovely ladies have in store for us…
After Orange County
Classic Casual Home
Driven By Decor
Modern Glam
Most Lovely Things
My Sweet Savannah
Northern California Style
Rough Luxe Lifestyle
Sheri Silver
Vignette Design
You did a wonderful job! An organized pantry is such a stress reliever- although stressful to clear it all out and reorganize but the pay off is worth it. I use Pantry Check app which helps me know what I have in my pantry. It’s quite helpful when I’m at the grocery store and find a good sale, I can just look at my app to see if I already have the item in question. You just scan the UPC code to enter the item into the app. You can also enter the expiration date and get reminders when something is nearing expiration. Just thought it might be of interest to you in helping maintain your lovely pantry. Love your use of baskets to corral items. I love pretty AND functional design!
Mary Ann,
This looks great. I just finished organizing my pantry and what a difference. Note to self must do this on a regular basis.
Thanks for another great series, filled with inspiration for us.
Karen
You win! With a view like that, I wouldn’t care how my pantry looked.
HAHAH…that’s how I feel.
It looks fantastic, Mary Ann! The wallpaper was a great idea and your baskets are so pretty. If this were my place I’d leave the doors open and just admire it all day! xo
Your pantry is perfect! We had the same idea to cleaning it. It feels so good to start the new year with a fresh and clean pantry. I am missing the cookies though 😉
Well, you might have been dragging your feet, but once you threw yourself into this project…WOW! You now have one fabulously organized pantry and it’s not only functional but very pretty to look at! Great job! I just got Ottolenghi’s newest book, “Simple” and can’t wait to try some of the dishes.
Thanks, Gail!!
Great Job Buddy!!
Mary Ann! I can’t believe what a great job you did to make your pantry look like a room! The black and white large check wallpaper really makes a huge impact. And even the black shelf liners make everything look so organized. I love how you used some things as decor (like the tray and the cookbooks) while still storing them. You make everything beautiful! Baskets, bins, jars and tags! It all looks amazing the way you have it arranged. It must bring you joy every time you open it!
Mary Ann this was ADORABLE!! Love the stick on wallpaper and and the cute baskets. Also love the white dishes on their one shelf and the wine storage! Love this so much. You all did such a great job, I really feel like mine was nothing to compare. I am now inspired to get to work on the food pantry. You made this look so great. Thanks again for asking me to do this with you all. xo
Such a beautiful job, Mary Ann! So organized, pretty to look at and efficient!
Is it weird that I’m obsessing over your handwriting?? Seriously, such beautiful, DOABLE ideas! Thank you so much for including me!
HAHA…Thanks, Sheri!
That wallpaper just made the space! I ordered paper from Home Depot and it didn’t come until a few days ago so I bagged it. I don’t think it would have looked nearly as pretty as yours because the shelves are too deep. I hate to say it but it looked like it was beautifully organized even before the purge! All great ideas and beautiully done!
It’s stunning and inspiring! I love the floorcloth/rug whatever – beautiful.
Love the wallpaper idea and your view!
This is gorgeous! Thanks for your inspiring, fun and helpful posts! They brighten my day! But where did you move your pots and pans? Any tips for that?
Ok…I’m going to add that photo!
Thanks for sharing about the pots and pans, too!
Thank YOU, Heidi
I’m so inspired Mary Ann! First of all, the black stripe wallpaper is wonderful! Love how you’ve organized your rental pantry! Oh, and that view! I just love your apartment! ~Delores
Ooops! I commented twice! Oh well, I had more to say about your wonderful pantry. haha.
Thanks, Delores…love what you did!
That view is amazing! I love how organized you are.
Thanks, Jen!!!
CHIC CHIC CHIC!!!!
WHAT A VIEW FROM THAT KITCHEN!!!!!!!!
NOW where are the spices hiding?DO you have them in ALPHABETICAL ORDER like me so its easy to FIND THE ONE YOUR LOOKING FOR?!!
LOVE THE BLACK AND WHITE STRIPES!
BRAVA!
XX
Howard organized the spices on one of those tiered spice shelves…over by the sink.
It does look better but I’m wondering what you did with all the liquor and cookware that was in the before picture. Did you find another place to store those items?
Yes. There is a deep cupboard right next to the pantry. I put the pots and pans that we use all the time in front and the others in back (even my husband, the cook, approves). I also got rid of some liquor and have it stored by type in rows on the bottom shelf. Think I should show a photo of it?
I’m inspired Mary Ann! You did an amazing job organizing your pantry. I realize what I’m missing in mine are little signs or tags. Thank you for including me in this fun group of bloggers. It got me motivated to finally get organized! ~Delores
WHAT A TRANSFORMATION! And what a terrific job of turning a small space into a beautiful, utilitarian place that maximizes every square inch. And with that view I’d sacrifice pantry space any day! I love the little blackboard signs. If my handwriting were as beautiful as yours I’d utilize them too. In my case I resorted to a label machine. Enjoy your organized new year!
Your pantry looks fabulous and it has inspired me to clean up mine. Do you have a source for the La Maison plaque? So cute.
It came from Etsy 10 years ago…sorry I don’t have the source anymore.