Before & After | Organized Pantry

Happy Monday, friends, and welcome back to a new week! I’m feeling like a new human and could not be more grateful! I hope good health is thriving in your home, and your year is looking up!

If you’re anything like me, the New Year creates an undeniable urge to purge! I want to organize and declutter every nook and cranny of my house (except the attic, ain’t no way I’m going up there!). Seriously, what is it about January that makes us want to move towards minimalism?!

For those of you with the organizing bug, I’ve got a real treat for you today… not only do I have some serious organizational eye candy, but it comes with a drastic before and after transformation! Actually, I’ve got a little tick just thinking about sharing the state of our pantry ‘before.’ Can you hear my nervous laugh?

But we’re all friends here, right?! *cue more nervous laughter*

Let’s go back a few months to last year’s busted pipes… that lead to major water damage and mold…that lead to us moving out for major renovations. And like most home renovations, ours snowballed! It was overwhelming at the time, but worth every particle of dust, sweat, and tears now that we’re on the other side!

But back to the pantry… turns out moving out of your house means moving every. single. thing. out of your house… contents of your pantry included! And once your house is cleared, the last thing you want to do is bring back all your old clutter and crap!

Our pantry is actually the storage space under the stairs, so while it’s a good size, it’s a totally awkward layout. We’ve made the most of it, but it’s never truly been a good usable space for us. Since the floors and baseboards had to be ripped out, we used it as an opportunity to overhaul the storage area to reach its full potential. I knew I was in over my head with the scope of this project, so I brought in the professionals of The To Done List.

Julie and her crew came out before the demolition began to see how we use the space and take measurements. Here’s a peek of the pantry area from the doorway… you’re thinking, ‘Not so bad!’, right?!

Just kidding…. here’s a look when you turn the corner! You can see our attempts at organizing and making the most of it with these water bottle racks, spice racks, and storage bins. But the builder shelves just weren’t utilizing the full space, and over time I gave up trying to keep it orderly.

So we ripped out the shelves, patched and painted the walls, and let The To Done List do their thing!

Hello, beautiful!!! Can you even believe it’s the same space?! This is right after they installed the new Elfa system, and before we moved back home, so obviously all those bins and canisters are now filled with food and snacks. And I can honestly say that six months later, it still looks pretty much exactly like this! That’s the great thing about well organized spaces… there’s no question where things go! (Labels help, too, ha!)

Elfa Pantry Wall System | Cereal/Pasta Canisters | Acrylic Lazy Susans | Wire Baskets | Acrylic Expandable Organizer

Before //

And AFTER!

Before //

And AFTER!

Before //

And AFTER!

The To Done List thought through not only how to make the space look and feel good, with less clutter, but overhauled it in a way that makes sense for how we live and what we needed of the space. I’m still blown away every time I open the door!

Now I’m inspired to tackle more spaces in my house, from bathrooms to closets, and of course Amazon is my go-to spot for finding the best affordable options! Here are a few I’ve used over the years…

one. Food Storage Containers // two. Label Set
three. Jewelry Stand // four. Fridge Bins
five. Plastic Drawer Dividers // six. Jar Set
seven. Rolling Cart // eight. Dresser Drawer Organizers
nine. Canvas Basket // ten. Plastic Bins
eleven. Stacked Drawers // twelve. Foldable Canvas Bins

Storage doesn’t have to be utilitarian and practical, it can also come in the form of stylish accessories!

one. Rattan Tray // two. Gold Bowl
three. Jewelry Box // four. Acrylic Tray
five. Clear Drawer Dividers // six. Food Containers
seven. Cabinet Organizer // eight. Organizing Book
nine. Blanket Ladder // ten. Striped Basket
eleven. Canvas Bins // twelve. Wicker Step Basket
thirteen. Underbed Storage Bin

Does your New Year include major organizing and purging? Science proves our minds are less stressed and more at ease when our homes are free from clutter! It can be overwhelming to think of organizing your entire house, but when broken down into small spaces one at a time, it’s easier to manage.

And even the smallest organizing project can bring peace and a sense of accomplishment. Seriously, try adding these baskets with two rolls of paper to the back of your toilet and see how accomplished you feel, ha! But please tell me you have spaces that look like our pantry ‘before,’ because I have a lot more where that came from!

I added a Storage & Organization list to my Amazon Storefront with tons more great gadgets for getting your spaces clean. Find my store HERE. What great things have you found on Amazon?

[More Home & Organization Posts]

Kitchen Essentials, Vol. 1
Kitchen Essentials, Vol. 2
The Sugar Shack | Kitchen, Bath, & Bed Essentials
The Sugar Shack | Kitchen Reveal & Other Updates
Best of Amazon Prime | Around the House
First Apartment & Dorm Essentials