Pantry Tour

I recently had the blessed opportunity to revamp our pantry storage system. What prompted this opportunity, you ask? Why, none other than charming little ants taking up residence in our kitchen.

They actually didn't even make it inside our pantry. They were more interested in the dishwasher. I've read this is common as ants typically come in looking for water, and only make a pit stop for food if it happens across their paths.

Didn't stop me from mentally tallying up the hundreds of dollars worth of food just sitting in my pantry, waiting to be contaminated and thrown out if the ants found their way inside.

So off to the store I went to get some storage containers to protect my favorite household assets. We're on a strict budget right now, with our new little one on the way, so I bypassed all the cool pantry gadgets and decorative containers and went straight to the cheap, utilitarian stuff. I focused on getting grains and sweets stored away in airtight containers.

I've been having such fun since discovering Pinterest, browsing clever storage solutions and lovely organized spaces. We're in a "function over form" place at the moment (we have neither the time nor the money to paint pantry walls or invest in matching wire baskets), but I thought I'd go ahead and share our new spiffed up pantry, just in case you lot are as nosy as I am when it comes to browsing others' homes. *A note to remind you that I hate to cook. I take shortcuts wherever possible, and my pantry reflects that.*

I didn't bother investing in cereal keepers, as we seldom have cold breakfast cereal on hand. Our current glut was a result of hyperemetic cravings a few months ago. We're making do with clipping the bags closed inside the boxes until we finish it all off.

A plastic shoe organizer hung on the back of the pantry door keeps all our spices handy. I considered labeling the pouches, but I like being able to switch things around. We don't have trouble finding things in the see-through pockets anyway.