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My pantry serves as our laundry room, storage room, cleaning closet, china hutch and tool shed. It can get a little crazy up in here. There’s lots going on.
We have two huge bookshelves (twice the width you see here) for holding everything, as well as the big filing cabinet, which holds all of our bigger tools.
A while back we installed two pegboard panels above the tool cabinet. I usually say that everything should be put away for a clean, uncluttered look. But sometimes, especially in a small space, things can get buried quickly. Making this pegboard has made my life so much more efficient.
Since the pantry door is usually open I wanted the pegboard wall to be as clean and simple-looking as possible. I thought about painting the pegboard a cool color at first, but I didn’t want it to stick out more than it already does, so I left the white. But I did spray paint all the organizational hardware the same rose gold color.
It’s subtle, but I like the little bit of shine.
I also use about a dozen clear tupperware bins. I bought them at Home Depot for a dollar each.
I have them labeled with these cute chalkboard labels from Martha Stewart’s label line for Avery.
Each bin holds something small and specific, like upholstery staples or tape or wall anchors.
Another thing that helps keep this room running smoothly is my little whiteboard. I jot down things on this board that we’re running out. They’re usually things I wouldn’t remember while making a shopping list (like laundry detergent or light bulbs).
Other things that make the room special to me- the persian rug I bought in Belgium for just a few euros (I think it was only three!) and the pair of porcelain animal hooks I got in Delaware at the Amish flea market. We usually hang aprons from these and the girls adore them.
The pantry is sort of like the command center of our home. It’s been surprisingly good to us these past two years (not that I won’t be excited for a little more space when we move!). I think this room was a great learning experience for me and reminded me how well a space can function when it is well-organized.
So, I’d love to hear about your best organizing tip. What do you do to keep your challenge spaces tidy and running smoothly? Share your tip in the comments section for a chance to win a whopping $500 in gift cards! $250 to Target AND $250 to the Container Store!
Contest ends June 24. Rules can be read in full here. Good luck!
I purchased two, small, three drawer storage bins and organized all of the kids craft stuff in it and labeled each drawer. It has helped SO much! The kids know where to find stuff and know where to put it when they clean up.
My husband would laugh if he knew I was giving an organizing tip! I really struggle in this area, but the only thing that has ever worked for me is getting rid of stuff! Too much stuff can never be organized into too small a space. So, declutter first and organizing gets easier!
My best organizing tip is trays! I have lucite trays in my bathroom drawers, closets, etc. and would love to win so I could get some in my fridge. The clear makes it feel more organized like everything has a place without taking up any visual space.
My best organizing tip is trays! I have lucite trays in my bathroom drawers, closets, etc. and would love to win so I could get some in my fridge. The clear makes it feel more organized like everything has a place without taking up any visual space.
I've always struggled with organizing, so my new method has began with really going through my stuff and figuring out what is simply taking up space. Since I live in a small apartment and it can get messy quickly, this has given me the most satisfaction – if I have less stuff, it's much easier to organize it!
Great minds think alike ~ I have peg boards in the entry to our garage where we have a small command center for household items (much like yours). In the play room I have utility cabinets where we keep craft items and hot glue and other such mess. We use the clear tubs as well – only your labels are cuter than mine and I think I might be inspired :). I have 5 kids so I have stream lined a system for keeping shoes in baskets and dirty clothes in hampers in each kid's room. it helps because everyone is on the same page! Love your blog btw.
I never would've thought to put a washer and dryer in the pantry! (if we had a pantry). Since we don't have a pantry, we've turned one wall of the closet under the stairs into one by adding a book shelf. My best keeping clutter at bay tips are
1. put things back where they came from
2. declutter, declutter, declutter (preferably after my daughter is in bed so I don't have to fight when she's suddenly interested in a toy that she hasn't touched in months).
Everything has a place! I love those chalkboard labels. I might have to buy some of those for home and school organization. Thanks!
My tip is scouring the thrift store for items like silver serving trays and crystal or glass containers to organize the the things that I like to keep on my dresser tops. Its a thrifty and cute way to stay organized while decorating at the same time.
Declutter. I constantly have a give-away bag on the ready. If you don't use it, get rid of it.
Three euros for that rug? Awesome score!
I really like what you did with the hanging hardware. Spray painting it the same color to unify the look. I guess what I do is decant as much as possible. That way things are labeled and organized, but also pretty depending on the container. I've been reusing and spray painting containers for a long time.
I use wicker baskets and wire baskets all over. I also love apothecary jars in the kitchen or office!
Simple & sweet: just a little bit every day!
For my pantry, oxo pop containers and shelf reliance food storage racks are amazing!
I recently organized my very scary fabric shelves- they were getting out of hand!! I went through every piece of fabric and put scraps smaller than 1/4 yard in a "scrap box", pieces around 1/4 yard were folded to the same size and stacked by color, and I did the same with the larger pieces- SUCH an improvement!! and so pleasant to look at:)
I recently organized my very scary fabric shelves- they were getting out of hand!! I went through every piece of fabric and put scraps smaller than 1/4 yard in a "scrap box", pieces around 1/4 yard were folded to the same size and stacked by color, and I did the same with the larger pieces- SUCH an improvement!! and so pleasant to look at:)
the rule in our shoe box sized apartment is: if you haven't used it in 6 months you probably don't need it!
My organization tip is to keep an open bin for clothes that the kids have outgrown. If I try them on and they are too small, they go directly into the bin.
We're in the process of putting industrial type open shelving in the kitchen. I've been collecting glass containers and painting chalkboard labels on them (my matches are in a small glass bottle with stiker paper glued to the bottom). It's nice to see what's in the containers and it doesn't matter if they are left out – they still look pretty!
For me there is a lot of back and forth between my garden and my house. Old planters and terra cotta pots get repurposed into indoor containers for craft supplies, yarn, kitchen utensils, etc. while indoor organizational things (especially Ikea ones, like the wire baskets and hanging kitchen organization) get sent out the the garden and filled with ivy and other fun things.
I think my tip is similar to yours. Going through and making sure everything has a home is the only way for me to keep our small space organized. If something doesn't have a home I need to figure out a container, or piece of furniture to hold those items.
The only way I can keep things organized is by having as few things as possible and coming up with as many uses as possible for the things that I do keep.
I have trays/shallow bowls in convenient locations for keys, jewelry, hair ties, etc. I've found really nice silver and brass ones at thrift stores for just a few dollars!
oh, i'd love this!!
my tip… do the dishes! i hate when dishes pile up, making them even more difficult to clean, making the kitchen less desirable to be in, and taking up way too much precious time. do them while you go and then you have more time and less dishes!
:-)
with four kids beds plus my husband and mine the changing of the sheets can be a chore. To keep it organized I keep a plastic bin, the long ones that roll under the bed, in each room. That way each persons sheet are right there when the need to be changed.
with four kids beds plus my husband and mine the changing of the sheets can be a chore. To keep it organized I keep a plastic bin, the long ones that roll under the bed, in each room. That way each persons sheet are right there when the need to be changed.
I live in a NYC-sized apartment with my boyfriend, two other guys, two dogs, a cat and some fish. I wish I could say I have a great organizing tip for my hallway closet and under the kitchen sink (my home's equivalent of your pantry), but those are the two most problematic, unfinished spaces in my home. I'm definitely going to use this post–and all these great tips– for inspiration to tackle them!
My method so far to embrace the clutter related to these spaces is two fold: One, I gave my boyfriend, by far the messiest, little boxes and bins around the apartment for his clutter. When the screwdriver isn't where it belongs, I can usually find it in one of those boxes. And two, to embrace the fact that some things will never be put away. While the rest of our tools are mostly organized into toolboxes, the measuring tape has it's own spot on the closet shelf so it can be easily grabbed and tossed back.
I still have a long way to go, but I'm trying to find logical, easy spots to store the things that get dumped all over. And I try to clear flat surfaces off by the end of the day.
Putting it away the right way, the first time. This is the best thing that works for me, but I usually need to do a major decluttering sweep every few months :)
Put everything away as soon as your done using it.
so many bins. big bins, small bins, labelled bins. and for small desk items, I pick up little boxes whenever I'm in a new city–makes mundane office tasks much more fun when you remember all the fun places you've been.
I'm a big big fan of labels! I just bough some of those MS labels – love them!
Sorting the mail into recyclable paper and things that need to be shredded before it even gets into the house has been a life-changer for me.
a place for everything and everything in its place…cliche, but it works :)
With a one year old and a two year old my advice is baskets baskets and more baskets. They work well for us. They hold up well. And the kids can easily access their things and sometimes even put them back :)
What a great giveaway, I love Target!!
Here is my tip: We used to have all these lists around the house with grocery items, mainly but now we use an app called "groceries" and everytime we think of an item we log in and put it in there. It organizes the items based on type and you can access it from computer and mobile device.
I dream of being this organized….I don't know why I don't just pull the trigger. Love those chalkboard labels. I'm going to buy some today!
My best tips–I keep stain remover in my kids room so when they're dressing/undressing and I need to spray their clothes I don't have to run all the way to the laundry.
I also have a little pad of paper with a magnet on the back on the side of the fridge for writing shopping lists. Helps a ton.
My most recent idea is I made one huge inventory of everything in our house that needs to be purchased regularly–grocery's, spices, cleaners, lightbulbs, detergent. I divided everything into categories and printed out a list for each area of the house where these items are stored. I'm not quite using the list to it's full potential, but right now I can scan the list real quick and it helps me remember if I'm out of something (yes, something that's not already on the side of the fridge list). Eventually when I have a decent storage space these lists will be a little more helpful.
Thanks!
I am constantly editing, getting rid of clutter to charities and utilizing my lovely Seagrams baskets all over the house for books, toys, hodge podge. If things no longer fit in my organizational baskets, they must go!!
Oh I love your organization in here, it looks amazing! I will be using some of these tips for my laundry room. I guess the best thing that has helped me is a family notebook. Its just a spiral notebook where I plan our week, must do's, would like to do's, our meal plan and shopping lists. This helps me not forget things and stay organized with schedules and projects.
i keep up with dishes, and putting away little things around the house each day, and every day of the week, i have a different larger chore i get done.
we have an old set of metal school lockers right as you walk in the door. the grating provides enough coverage that i can hide all the little "drop off" items in there that my husband forgets to put away. like Melissa, though, i have found that doing a little pick up each day makes a HUGE difference.
Your room looks great! Mine is probably the same as everyone elses… but lots of baskets and bins. Everything has a place. And purge. I don't hold onto things that we don't use!
My favorite thing that I've ever done was a 'dumpster dive' move where I found discarded wooden drawers from a dresser and used them as storage bins underneath my coffee table. My apartment is very shabby chic – so it worked like a charm – and cost nothing :)
I use either clear plastic boxes with lids or metal locker style bins to group like items. And wall space, wall space, wall space. Hanging stuff like tools, brooms, mops, etc, is great.
When I'm feeling overwhelmed I just tell myself to pick up 10 things and very often that gets me going and I quickly see the benefit of picking up which pushes me more.
Lots of bins/boxes for things. And those bins/boxes need to be specifically labeled. Otherwise I shove something in a box and then forget which box it's in. Also, routinely going through spaces like closets and the garage that can accumulate clutter and throw out whatever I'm not using.
I love over-the-door pocket shoe organizers. They are great in kids' closets for American Girl accessories, Hot Wheels, craft supplies, anything really.
My best organizational tip? De-Clutter as often as possible!
Your pantry/workroom is enviable. I know I'm not the only one, but I have about a million baskets that keep things organized in my home. Baskets for children's books, toys, toothpaste and toothbrushes, magazines, shoes… Helps keep the clutter from piling up in random places. Thanks for this giveaway!