Coming out of the closet

Guess what?  I got bored again.  Happens all too often.  This time I tackled something that REALLY needed help.  I mean, it was downright horrendous.

The kitchen pantry.

Yikes.  It ain't pretty, folks.  I'm truly embarrassed.

Ugh!!!!!  This is a mess - and one shelf was removed BEFORE I took this picture

You know, I try, I really do, to keep this closet from looking like something out of a show on hoarders.  But this is real life.  No fantasy here.  In this travesty, I find empty boxes of Ding Dongs and expired bottles of vinegar (really? that stuff expires?).  I reorganize it every few months and days later it's a disaster again.  Things fall on the ground and, beaten into submission that this is just a hopeless mess, we give up.

See the floor (well, the bottom?)  Reusable shopping bags and anything that fell.

Why?  Why would such a seemingly normal person have such a ridiculous mess of a closet?  I'd like to blame the kids - and I will for the empty snack boxes (really people... can't we just throw the empty box in the recycling?).  But I can't for the overall state of things.

I blame the previous owner of my home.

Yep. They are the ones who put in these lovely shelves (I'm not being entirely snarky) that are 21 inches deep.  21 inches!  How in the world am I to find anything in shelves that are that deep?

21 inches deep. STUPID.

I've tried putting the soup cans on shoe boxes so I can see them hanging out in the back of the closet.  But they inevitably fall down.  And then they expire.  And I can't find them.  And I get hyper and angry and... I reorganize again.

This time I was DONE.  DONE, DONE, DONE.  So I shelved the deep shelves and, with the help of my trusty husband who is so kind to oblige my insanity, I had wood shelves cut to the width of the closet.  And guess what?  They're only 10 inches deep.  Shut up!  I can SEE!!!!!

sooooooooooo much better.  YOU CAN SEE THE FLOOR!

I can actually see the items, reach for them and not topple everything in my way -- because NOTHING is in my way.  We put little baskets I got at the store on the wall that now hold the paper towels, the chip bags, onions and potatoes.

Beautiful.  Simply beautiful.

I just love my pantry now.  I keep marveling at it.  The kids are equally amazed at its beauty and organization (okay not equally, but they are very happy they can see their snacks better).  I can even walk in, shut the doors and hide in there if I want to.  And I just might want to.  Because the basement is a disaster area.

...til next weekend!