Wednesday, December 7, 2011

32 Reader Space: Jenn's Pretty and Practical Pantry

One of my very long time dedicated readers, Jenn from Peas & Crayons, recently moved into a lovely new home.  And with that lovely new home came a very lovely kitchen. 


And with that very lovely kitchen came a pantry.


I love that she looked at this amazing pantry and decided that she wanted it to be better.  Oh, and let's just say that this girl can cook.  I mean REALLY cook, it is her passion!



So an organized pantry is a really great thing for this girl.  I am just sayin'... someone that loves to cook should love her pantry!

She really wanted some pretty glass jars for her pasta, grains, nuts and seeds, but those jars typically come at a hefty price tag.  Then, she realized that she was already paying a hefty price for some pretty bottles that she was drinking tea from. 



She smartly decided that they would be the perfect solution to her pantry jar dilemma.  So now she had the jars, but she also wanted a way to label the contents.  Enter these stickers found at most craft stores:


Oh my goodness who would have thought that pretty tea jars and stickers would be such a perfect match made in heaven?


Q for Quinoa, P for Panko, and so on.



The opening of the bottles were wide enough to be filled with nearly anything!  Quinoa, Chia Seeds, Pasta, Oats, Millet, Salt, Sugar, Panko, Corn Meal, etc...
 
"Some of these came from bulk bins, and others were liberated from their bulky cardboard boxes.  It looks 100x better with them all in the same container, and the labels help tired chefs avoid mishaps.  Plus they're super cute and unified with their snazzy new labels.  "
 
Her next step was to take some plastic storage drawers that she has had for years, and use them to corral all of those random items that really needed a place to call home!


Then she played with stickers some more!  See how much fun organizing can be?


Dollar plastic shoe bins were the perfect solution for corralling all of her spices and canned goods!


Leaving her with a pretty and practical place to store her passion!

But she didn't stop there.  You see, organizing is addicting!

Take a peek at her drawers!  {That really didn't sound right, but we are a PG blog so you know where I am going with this, it's OK to keep reading}




For someone who LOVES to cook, she really has wonderfully condensed drawers!  So proud of my blog friend!
  • She used items she already had to create an organized haven.  Wins every single time.
  • She streamlined her pantry by moving to glass jars for storage.  This is a win because they take up so much less room than bulky boxes and packaging!
  • She created adorable monogram labels from simple stickers.  Such a fresh and fun look!
  • Spices and cans don't always sit right on those slotted shelves and can be hard to reach when stacked in front of one another, but corralling like items into clear inexpensive storage bins not only looks fantastic, but allows her to pull down the bin to grab exactly what she is looking for.
  • Kitchen gadgets can take over any kitchen, especially when cooking is your passion and you are preparing endless varieties of foods, but she is keeping it streamlined, organized and clutter free!  So inspiring!

Seriously, what's not to adore about Jenn's incredible organizing project?  What's your favorite way to pretty up your pantry?



ATTENTION!!  Want to be featured in a Reader Space edition?  Have an awesome organizing story to share?  I am looking for projects that have made a positive impact to your life.  Please send your story and photos to iheartorganizing@gmail.com and I would heart to feature them right here, on the blog!!  Photos should be high resolution and unedited.  Please include a description of the project, including any costs, inspiration, and how it has changed your life and routine for the better!  Oh, and no worries my friends, we will NEVER judge "before" pictures because that just wouldn't be nice!  Only love goes on at this blog!  More info HERE.

32 comments:

  1. This pantry is beautiful! I am slowly transferring my pasta, grains, etc. into transparent storage containers. What is your suggestion for organizing the nutrition labels for products you remove from their original packaging? I was going to snip out the label and put it in the container, but it might not look too pretty. The reason I keep them is because I like to refer to the labels for dieting purposes.

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  2. ohmygosh girl thank you so so much! I'm so proud that you [along with Jane @ A Borrowed Abode] have been there by my side all this time in blog land =) Love you mucho! Thank's for the super-sweet post and I hope your readers get a few fun ideas from my quirkly little panty! <3

    heart your face! <3

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  3. Wow, I love how she used the glass jars!! I don't think I have ever seen those bottled teas before... will have to look more closely at the grocery store...

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  4. SO much fun seeing Jenn's pantry on here - she's such a food blogging rockstar!!

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  5. Wow, using those kombucha bottles for the grains/pastas is brilliant! Definitely saving that idea!!

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  6. Love the kombucha bottle idea!!

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  7. The kitchen is beautiful, and the reused the tea bottles - pretty, functional and earth friendly - whats not to love?!

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  8. Love seeing everything in the same type of container, it immediately makes everything look cohesive.

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  9. I LOVE everything she did. I will steal some of her ideas. :)

    ~Bianca

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  10. I need to know! Where did she get the plates (the little man eating the strawberry)? I am in love and I want!!!
    Kdunnigan(dot)williams(at)gmail(dot)com

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  11. LOVE the mats in her kitchen! Can we find out where she bought them? Thanks!

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  12. Hookay so I talked to kelly but in case anyone is wondering -- the appetizer plates are from CB2.com and are oliver plates! <3

    Lindsey, the mats are from crateandbarrel.com and come in like 5 different shapes/sizes! =)

    mwah!

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  13. I am currently NOT a homeowner, but I am definitely an organizer... and this blog just makes me want to buy a house so I can organize everything in it! What a beautiful pantry! Never thought I'd say that....

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  14. This makes me really want to organize my kitchen! Such great ideas.

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  15. Love, love, love her kitchen! And those PLATES!!! The cuteness, I cannot even take it (definitely ordering some). I also love the silverware organizer that has alternating fork, spoon and knife storage. Smart way to do it! Can you share where you got that? Unfortunately the drawers in my current kitchen are too narrow for any silverware organizer, but I'd love to know for future reference since it looks like it can be customized.

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  16. I think I have a new tod o this weekend! I love the bottles with stickers, great idea!

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  17. Oh boy do I ever want that kitchen!! Amazing & organized - what more could anyone ask for? :)

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  18. This. is. AMAZING! I wish I had a pantry to organize!!! I just discovered your blog and I'm so happy I did! I can't wait to start reading :) Following!

    PS: I'm a newbie to the blogging scene and I'm having a little giveaway.. Go check it out!!

    A Cupcake for the Teacher

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  19. oh how I wish I had a pantry!!

    http://www.tamingthewildmans.com

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  20. Jenn definitely inspired me to start drinking synergy kombucha again!!! I love being organized, sometimes it's just a task to get there -- baby steps:)

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  21. Love love love her kitchen!! Love seeing products out of ugly boxes/bags and put into pretty jars. :)

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  22. I just found your website, I must say I love it. My new goal for the new year is to get organized. And your site is going to help me get that done. I have already browsed several projects that I know I can get done. Thank you so much

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  23. where did she get those rugs?? i want them! any way to find out?

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  24. I love Jenn's blog! And her amazing recipes she shares! I'm so glad she linked to you, as I am now in love with your blog as well! I've been searching on your site for what feels like hours now! So many amazing tips and ideas on here! I want to be more organized, always have it in mind, yet never have the ideas on what to do. Can't wait to put some of your ideas into action now! Thanks for sharing!

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  25. Gorgeous kitchen! I love how she's used the glass bottles to store items...it looks so impressive.
    This might be a dumb question, but what does one do with the directions for how to cook the items that are in the glass jars??

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  26. If I were to decide to keep the cooking instructions/nutrition facts, I would probably just cut the info from the packaging and keep it in a little 4x6 photo album to reference {or diy something} or in a small container/box.

    xoxo,
    Jen

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  27. ooh good call Jen! I just recycle the instructions with the box and then google as needed =) bahaha! I like your more streamlined solution/idea though! <3

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  28. Love the grey, white, and black in the kitchen. What color is the kitchen painted?

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  29. The color is Glidden's Veil Grey [flat] -- it makes me happy every time I look at it =)

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  30. Jenn, how did you get the labels off the jars so nestly?

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