Pantry Organization

My pantry is a great source of pride for me! Yes, I know that sounds silly, but I am very particular when it comes to my groceries.  The cashiers at the grocery store often look at me funny when I sort my groceries as I put them on the checkout counter.  You see, it is much easier to put the groceries away in an organized fashion if they are bagged in an organized fashion!  No one else in the family is allowed to help put away the groceries.  Because I try to shop for the month, I have lots of food to store, and I like it done my way!  (I'm not like this about most other things; my family is encouraged to help around the house.  Just don't mess with my groceries!)

Now, my pantry is rather large, especially for an average-sized kitchen in an average-sized house.  But the principles I want to share with you can be applied no matter the size of the pantry.  The key is creating zones and sorting items into those zones.  I'm going to break down each zone for you and share ideas for items that you want to keep on hand at all times if you are working toward creating weekly (or even monthly) menus. 

Zone 1: Baking Supplies

Okay, so I don't bake that often, but the items on this shelf are staples that can be used in many aspects of cooking. Items to keep in stock:

all-purpose flour
white or yellow corn meal
Bisquick
pancake mix
cooking oil
olive oil
shortening
baking powder
sugar/powdered sugar/brown sugar
muffin mix

You'll notice that my coffee and coffee liners also find their home on this shelf. And of course, Cafe' du Monde beignet mix!

Zone 2:  Boxed Breakfast Items

On busy mornings, my kids can fix a quick breakfast without any help from Mom and Dad!  My sweet husband likes to cook breakfast for the kids in the morning.  He's done it for years!  There are times, however, when we need something "in a hurry" and the kids know they can go straight to this shelf.  Items include:  boxed cereal, instant oatmeal, instant grits, chocolate milk mix, and protein shake mix (for when Mom's in a hurry).

Zone 3:  Seasoning Mixes and Staples

This is probably the most "miscelleaneous" shelf in my pantry.  The basket houses envelopes and packets of the following types of items:

taco seasoning
stir fry seasoning
fajita seasoning
country gravy
pork gravy
onion soup
ranch dip/dressing

In addition to the basket full of various seasoning mixes, I also use this shelf to store extras of condiments like mayo and mustard, salsa, salad dressing, and pancake syrup.  There are also containers of bread crumbs and drink mixes.  If it doesn't fit into any other "zone," it goes here!

Zone 4:  Snacks and Crackers

These two shelves house a variety of crackers:  saltines, Ritz, Club, and our favorite - Pretzel Crisps!  These are yummy pretzel crackers that my husband and I eat with hummus or Laughing Cow cheese wedges.  They are a great low-calorie treats!  We also keep other snacks: regular pretzels, chips, microwave popcorn, and Chex Mix.  I love my baskets for keeping these snacks organized.  I took this picture right after a shopping trip, but what I also usually like to do is use snack-size ziploc bags to make baggies of these snacks in kid-sized portions.


Zone 5:  Canned Goods

I keep LOTS of canned vegetables and soups on hand at all times.  Some of my staples are:

cream of chicken soup

cream of mushroom soup

cream of celery soup

diced tomatoes

stewed tomatoes

lots and lots of ROTEL tomatoes

Margaret Holmes seasoned vegetables

Glory seasoned vegetables

alfredo sauce

spaghetti sauce (We like Hunt's Four Cheese or Zesty and Spicy.)

Blue Runner red beans

all kinds of beans (for chili, taco soup, etc.)

I try to keep "like" items together, but I've heard of people who take their canned goods organization to the extreme and alphabetize their vegetables!  I'm NOT that crazy!!!

Zone 6:  Boxed Items

I keep two different groups of boxed goods on this shelf.  To the right, you'll notice all kinds of pasta.  I also keep a supply of instant rice and instant mashed potatoes on hand at all times.  To the left are "supplies":  freezer and storage bags of all sizes, aluminum foil, plastic wrap, waxed paper, and slow cooker liners. (A MUST HAVE for using the slow cooker!)

Zone 7:  Paper/Plastic Products

One of my goals as a busy mom is to have my family sit down for meals together despite our busy schedule.  So I use lots of shortcuts and smart ideas to get meals on the table quickly.  Many times, though, we have to eat and run!  So, we often use paper and plastic plates, bowls, cups, and flatware.  I know not everyone is going to agree with me on this one.  I do own a dishwasher and I do use it, but there are just times that I have to prioritize.  After a late ballgame, washing dishes (or even loading the dishwasher) sometimes takes a back seat to more important things, like making sure uniforms are washed for the next day or reading my 8-year-old a bedtime story.  I pick my battles!

Organizing Kids' Closets

Ok, lately I've shared with you some of my past struggles and my recent messes (LAUNDRY!!!), but tonight I wanted to share with you one of my successes:  my kids' bedrooms, particularly their closets!  I've heard other moms talk about the never-ending piles of toys and the dreaded task of locating clothes and shoes amid the mess.  I know this can be a source of stress and tension in a busy family. However, I believe that an organized approach to a kid's room - especially the closet - can save you time and eliminate these headaches! 

Step 1: Clothes

As with any closet, clothes should be sorted into a system that makes sense for the child. For example, if the child wears school uniforms, all of the uniform pieces should hang together neatly in a designated place in the closet. All of my boys' uniforms are sorted into sections for khacki shorts, khacki pants, and polo shirts. 

Additionally, short sleeve shirts go together, as do blue jeans, button-downs, jackets and sweatshirts, etc. I established a system in my kids' closets years ago.  When the boys were as young as five or six, they helped put their clothes away in the proper locations. My 8-yr-old, who is learning to fold and hang up his own clothes without much help from me, knows exactly where everything should go because I modeled this system for him as he helped me when he was younger.  Why does this matter? I do NOTHING to help my 8 and 12 yr olds get ready for school in the morning. Because their closets and dressers are organized, they can find everything they need and get ready without my help. They have done this for years, not because they are naturally independent, but because they have been trained to be independent. And the organization certainly helps!

Step 2: Toys

As early in my children's lives as I can remember, I began using clear plastic tubs (Sterilite or Rubbermaid from Walmart) to sort their toys. As a 2-3 year old, my oldest son could put his toys away with only a little prompting from me. Why? Because everything had a place where it belonged. There was a box for blocks, a box for Little People, a box for Rescue Heroes, and the list goes on and on. Of course, he couldn't read to put them away based upon a word label. So, I found clip art, coloring books pages, or photos representing the contents of each box and decoupaged the pictures onto the boxes.  The super heroes box had a pictures of Spiderman, the Power Rangers box had a pictures of the Red Ranger, and so on.   As they were learning to read, I added word labels to the boxes. Now, most of the pictures are gone and the words remain. 

When they were young, I tried to encourage them to take out only a few boxes at a time. (I tried to stick to the one box at a time rule at first, but I decided that it would inhibit creativity if the "Cowboys and Indians" couldn't play in the Lincoln Log houses, and the Lego guys couldn't ride in a fire truck.) For the most part, they knew that they had to clean up the first mess before making a new one. Now that they are older, it doesn't take much prompting from me to have a clean room in no time. If my 8-yr.-old lets his room get out of control, I do have to give him "steps"; for example, I tell him to pick up the Legos, and I check back in a few minutes. Then I tell him to pick up the Hot Wheels cars, and I check back in a few minutes. I continue with this process until everything is put away.

  

This system of organization is now so ingrained in my kids that they can make sure that friends help them clean up when we have company. Last month we had a Super Bowl party, and several of our friends brought their pre-schoolers with them. When it was time to clean up, the moms and kids helped and we were able to straighten everything up in a matter of minutes, again, because everything has a place to call home! All of the toy boxes fit neatly in the closet and can be "out of sight" when necessary. Now, at ages 8 & 12, the boys have very little trouble keeping a clean room.   Every night, the oldest cleans his room while the youngest takes his shower and vice versa. This insures that the rooms don't get out of control after days of neglect.  However, even when we slip up and let things go wild for a few days, the organization systems we have in place help us to quickly restore order!!  My kids' closets are definitely one of my success stories!!!

Master Closet Organizing

In this project, my client wanted an organizing facelift for her amazing master closet! Because of a lack of clear organization, the beauty of this closet was hidden. You will notice in this first "before" picture that her shelves held a variety of different types of items. It was difficult for her to find what she needed because her belongings did not have a specific "home" in the closet. She had the right idea with the large basket under the shelves; however, it had been filled with a wide variety of pieces: winter gloves, bathing suits, summer cover-ups, hats, gloves, and more. Additional hats were stored on the shelves, and many paperwork items were mixed in here and there.

In the "after" picture from this same viewpoint, you'll see that I started by removing the items from the basket and making the basket the permanent home for nothing but her extensive collection of hats! The items that had been on the two shelves under the window were sorted. Many of them were boxed and included in her hall closet. (See previous blog about the "junk" closet makeover.) Other odds and ends were placed in cute baskets on the shelves that previously housed hats. Clothing pieces that had been placed amidst the hats were neatly folded and placed in the canvas baskets beneath the window. Both sets of baskets were found at Wal-mart and were relatively inexpensive. Be sure to measure your space to make sure the baskets will fit BEFORE you purchase them. As I sorted through the closet contents, I found many different purses and handbags - all in different locations in the room. I found a great hanging purse file at Bed, Bath, and Beyond for $7.99 and used it to house the purses. The pockets are large enough to fit most bags. 

These next "before" shots reveal her hanging clothes. Because they were not organized in any way, it was difficult for the owner to find what she needed AND she was unable to get a good picture of what she actually owned. When clothes are all mixed up like this, you may find yourself buying pieces you don't really need or forgetting about some of your old favorites!

I began by sorting the clothes by style. All of the strapless shirts were hung together, as were the sleeveless shirts, the short sleeve shirts, long sleeve shirts, and sweaters. Pants, shorts, and skirts were done the same way. Then, within each category, I sorted by color. For example, all of the client's black pants were hung together. When I finished, she realized that she had over 10 pairs of black pants. Now she's ready to purge and will have great yard sale items! I also used all new hangers to create a sense of continuity and visual order in the closet. These white plastic hangers are only $1.17 for a ten-pack at Target. Replacing your hangers may be something that you don't want to budget for all at once, but you can buy a pack a week and have a nice, neat closet in no time at all. 

So, what happened to all the items that were overflowing in the large basket on the floor? I actually sorted them into four medium-sized wooden baskets that we placed on the shelf above the hanging clothes. These baskets came with liners we had monogrammed so the contents would be easy to find: winter accessories, swim suits, cover-ups, and summer bandanas and accessories. This part of the project was the biggest expense because they were high quality baskets and we had the additional cost of monogramming. However, they were a needed element to make the project complete. If you are on a tight budget, try to shop around and look for sales and clearance items. Occasionally, stores like Michael's will have 40% off sales. If you are patient, you can find good deals!

Whatever your budget and whatever the size of your closet, you can use these basic concepts to create order instead of clothing chaos!

Hall Closet Before and After

   Last weekend, I had the exciting opportunity to complete my first "professional" home organizing project!  The first phase of the project involved a complete overhaul of the client's hall closet - which she called her "junk" closet.  Now, not everyone has a completely separate closet to earn this affectionate title, but most of us have at least one space in our home that accumulates "junk."  In this particular closet, the client and her children had stashed all sorts of items:  art supplies, school supplies, craft items, snapshots and other pictures, home movies, kids' artwork, even a sewing machine and foot bath! 

     I began the project with just one shelf - the one that appeared to house most of the kids' stuff.  I used $.99 clear plastic shoe boxes, as well as several larger (and slightly more expensive) similar containers.  You can find these Sterilite containers at Wal-mart.  You'll find that as you begin an organizing project, you will first have to make a big mess!  I covered the floor in containers and just started sorting!  Be sure to have a garbage bag on hand for the broken crayons, dry markers, and other odds and ends. 

     I continued with this process, shelf by shelf, until every item had a place!  The biggest challenge with the entire project was the photos.  I bought six photo boxes from Michael's.  We labeled one for each of her five children and left the final one for family pictures.  Each box held 1200 pictures, and we filled every one!  I think the client was relieved that 20 years of her precious memories were now protected and neatly stored in the closet. 

      I can't stress enough the importance of labeling the contents of each box.  The client's 4-year-old daughter can't read the labels yet, but she will easily be able to recognize the contents of each clear plastic container and be able to put her art supplies back in the appropriate box.  One idea for younger children is to decoupage pictures of the contents onto the outside of the box.  Be sure to include a word label as well to help with early word recognition! 

     You'll also notice from the "after" picture of the project that I placed the items that aren't regularly used on the top shelf.  The client doesn't sew often, so her sewing machine got placed up top.  These items may require a small step stool.  However, the items used most often, especially the kids' supplies, are placed within easy reach.  From start to finish the entire project took about four hours on a Sunday afternoon.  I was pleased with the final result, and most importantly, so was the client!!

More than just menus!!

     Well ladies, I've decided to make this blog about more than just menus!  I recently started a part-time organizing business and wanted to include my experiences helping others get organized!!  The earliest recollection I have of being an "organizer" is from elementary school. Around fifth grade, I decided that my extensive collection of books needed to be organized. I put them in alphabetical order on the bookshelves and numbered each one so they had a specific space on the shelves where they belonged. As I moved into high school and college, I became the queen of lists. Even to this day, I have checklists for absolutely everything! As a young wife and mother, I realized that running a household was much harder than I had ever imagined. I created a "Mommy Notebook" that I have used for years, including calendars, schedules, important letters and flyers, even Biblical or other motivational passages to help keep me focused.

     Today, this need for structure and organization continues. My clothes in my closet are sorted by style and color. They all face the same direction on the same style hangers. My pantry is neatly organized by food type...breakfast foods, canned goods, staples, etc. The odd thing about all of these behaviors is that while getting these systems in place is very easy for me, maintaining them has often been a struggle for me. I have a natural tendency to become overwhelmed very easily. I have a short attention span and can quickly lose focus. I need structure and order in my life to keep me sane! When I was much younger, I can remember looking at other women who seemed to "have it all together" and wonder if I could ever be that way. Time and maturity have taught me a great deal about managing my life. For several years now I have felt compelled to help other women, who struggle like I often do, to become all that God has designed them to be.

     So what have I learned?  I've come to the conclusion that spiritual and mental clutter are often the causes of physical clutter.  And the more physical clutter in our lives, the more prone we are to spiritual and mental clutter.  It can often be a vicious cycle.  By learning to control the physical stuff, we can free ourselves to focus on our spiritual and mental health!!  My goal with "The Busy Mom" is to share my successes and failures in leading an organized life in hopes that other women will learn from my experiences.  Thanks for joining me on this journey!