I always knew I loved organization, but it wasn’t until I worked from home that I understood how much I needed it to function. I’ve worked from home for the past 4 years, add in a baby and if my space is messy I’m positively unproductive. Studies show that organization can ultimately allow us to lead healthier lives both mentally and physically. I can definitely get overwhelmed easily, so I find that little tricks like making my bed each morning, religiously organizing my beauty products and keeping a tidy kitchen keep stress at bay.

I’m thrilled to take you on into our kitchen and pantry. I feel like I’m always in the kitchen making Maxi food, meal prepping or throwing something in the crockpot. It is the center home {figuratively and literally} and therefore can become a mess if I’m not careful. The pantry? You’d think it would stay clean, but it can honestly get the brunt of it all.

In our last home, I make an organizational goof in our pantry. The space was quite small, so I thought that if I organized it in a manner that would make Monica Gellar envious, we would be golden. The result? It ended up not even being functional! I think that’s the trick to being Goldilocks organized. If you are “too” organized, space cannot be livable. If you aren’t organized enough, your space can feel stressful. You’ve got to get it “just right.”

I had immaculate jars labeled to perfection with flour-filled to the brim. I got a lot of joy looking at the little space, but then I’d come home from Kroger and think, “Um…where do I put everything?”

I ended up stacking things on top of mason jars and hiding cereal boxes in the cabinets. It was a joke! So as we moved into this home with an l-shaped pantry, I decided to live in the space for a few months and then tackle the clutter. I made notes in my phone on what really stood out to me.

• I learned that I needed bins on the floor with grab & go snacks. Maxi can crawl in, grab a bag of Annie’s crackers and bring them to me to tell me she is hungry.
• I learned that if I keep Diet Coke in the pantry as opposed to the fridge, I seldom reach for it. *But* I do want to keep it on hand for when girlfriends come over! If it’s just cold in the fridge, I’ll drink one daily.
• I needed my kitchen appliances in the pantry because I found them easier to grab off a shelf as opposed to moving things around in bottom cabinets. I also recommend Appliance Hunter if you’re looking for trusted appliance reviews online. Also, check the comprehensive safety inspections guidelines to determine the condition of appliances.
• Maxi loves smoothies and I love crockpot recipes, so I knew whatever I did I needed room to stockpile almond milk and broths!
• I found a clear lazy susan was key to organize my oils and bottles of vinegar.
• Because Paul and I are protein bar obsessed, we needed separate jars so we don’t steal one another’s. I.e, he can’t steal mine because I don’t like his.
• I wanted baskets that were easy for to understand like salty snacks or sweet snacks. If Paul is able to help put up groceries, I wanted it to be easy for him.

I took all those notes and combined them with my past frustrations in the old pantry. I didn’t want anything “too stiff.” Naturally, I also wanted the space to be cute. I’m home all day and like my home to be my little happy space. I decided to take my love for MacKenzie-Childs and combine it with baskets from Container Store. Then, I added in modern touches like these lazy susans and these risers for spices and canned goods. In one arm {seen above} I placed hosting pieces and then the items we reach for daily! From snacks to pasta to Maxi’s oatmeal, we have everything we live off of in this one nook. On the other arm, I used items we use a few times a week along with spices, cooking liquids, and dry goods.

First Arm

Front

Shelf #1: Wine, champagne, serving tray

Shelf #2: Courtly Check Kitchen Canisters to hold snacks for Maxi {large, medium}, Courtly Check Enamel Canisters to hold his & her protein bars

Shelf #3: Left basket for salty snacks, right basket for sweet snacks

Shelf #4: Champagne Bucket, Pitcher, Basket

Floor: Left basket for single-serving snacks, right basket for unopened snacks. When the baskets from shelf #3 get empty, we pull from this basket.

Right

Shelf #1: Paper products & placemats

Shelf #2: Risers for canned food, clear lazy susan for pasta sauces, clear lazy susan for bottles of vinegar, clear lazy susan for oils.

Shelf #3: Baskets for protein powder, pasta, nuts. Basket labels here.

Shelf #4: Baskets for towels, Maxi foods, and breakfast foods

NOTE: I love these for the lazy susan option. The price is great!

 

Second Arm

Right

Shelf #1: Left basket for table topper placemats, middle basket for lunch boxes, right basket for plasticware {these baskets are old from Target, couldn’t find exact}.

Shelf #2: Cookie jar for coffee pods, Goop Glow, and almond butter packets. Clear bin for almond milk and cooking broth.

Shelf #3: Teas, baking needs, dry goods in round jars.

Shelf #4: Kitchen appliances

Left

Shelf #1: Tray of Diet Coke

Shelf #2: Clear lazy susan for baking sweeteners, spices on riser.

Shelf #3: Kitchen appliances

Shelf #4: Kitchen appliances

I hope you leave this post with a few new ideas to organize your pantry! What are your organizational must-haves?!

Photography by: Madison Katlin