{charmed earth}

The Lifestyle blog of Katie Storms.: something simple, something sweet, something styled.

05 November 2011

{something organized} kitchen pantry and spices


I've been organizing. It turns out that my cleaning schedule is so easy to manage--and some rooms don't need the extras like dusting this second week around. Plus I've been avoiding a stack of student essays. I stack them in groups of five. After I grade five, I can stop for a break. I usually find something like reorganizing the pantry a good reason to stop.

Storage Solution: Vintage Glass for Grains
My pantry isn't perfect, but here's my list of tips. My first tip is to find something clear to store your grains, baking supplies, and pretty supplies. I've been collecting glass Ball jars, the blue ones, for three years. I also have a vintage fine China sugar bowl for Wilton icing tips, a vintage Miss Piggy jam jar for sea salt from Paris, and a Dolle's saltwater taffy box for food coloring. Be simple with your containers. Find something pretty. Clean it. And store something in it.

Storage Solution: Clear Canisters for Baking
The flour and sugar containers were purchased at a home store right after we got married. And I'd love to replace them with glass one day....

I did personalize them a bit with some pretty blue washi tape and Sharpie ink. And sometimes I use the same washi tape to stick to the bottoms of jars with grains that have expiration dates. It's an easy way to keep a record of that important fact.

I bought marshmallows last night to compliment the season of hot cocoa. Right now, the bag fits nicely on top of the powdered sugar. I'd like a prettier container, but you can see that space is limited. And marshmallows are seasonal.

Storage Solution: Vintage Books to maximize Space and View
To maximize space on the lower shelf of the pantry, I stacked vintage Reader's Digests and a bunch of free books I got from my library when they had a spring cleaning. I always love having hardcover vintage books around. They add height in a stylish way, like my fireplace display. I can never pass up a Reader's Digest with a beautifully designed cover. I never pay more than a dollar for one, and I think this is money very well spent. I can easily see the second and third rows of grains, sprinkles, vanilla extract, you name it.

Storage Solution: Kitchen Drawer for Spices
Since there's not enough space in the pantry to keep my spices all pretty in a row, I discovered that they are just the right size to fit in one of our four kitchen drawers. There are a few extras that I keep on the counter or in the coffee cabinet, but for the most part, they fit perfectly.

I lined the drawer with one of the 12 handmade bibs my Nani sewed for my wedding. We had meatballs and mostaccioli for our wedding supper. My parents had spaghetti at theirs, and my mother made bibs for her wedding party. I continued the tradition with the same style and pattern for the bibs {red gingham}. They are perfect for all sorts of kitchen needs. And they were great insurance in keeping my dress white all evening.

Storage Solution: Candy Box for Icing Colors
I keep my beautiful collection of Wilton Icing colors in this adorable box from Dolle's, a saltwater taffy company in Delaware. My friend Nikki brought it back--full of taffy--a few years ago. I just couldn't part with its strong lines and beautiful design. And now I'll never have to lose it; it's perfect for every color, and there's plenty of room for my collection to grow.

Storage Solution: Sugar Bowl for Icing Tips
My Wilton Icing Tips used to be in a small glass baby food jar, but the collection grew. So I found this fine china sugar bowl at a thirft shop for $2. It's Noritake, and the pattern is an autumn leaf type pattern. It's perfect for the icing tips and attachments. And there's even room for a few more.


That's our home sweet home kitchen with my tips for organizing your pantry. I'd love to hear your ideas if you have any! I feel like I should do some baking today...

xo,
katie scarlett

5 comments:

  1. so cute! i just bought my first blue Mason jar, with a glass lid, and so far, have decided all of my buttons will find a home in it. :) i may already be addicted to buying them though! my kitchen is a mess. yours is certainly an "aspire to" kitchen for me. :) thanks for the ideas.

    Barb
    www.beforeverlovely.com

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  2. Thanks, Barb! I adore them for all sorts of storage...I'll have to show them in my powder room eventually:) I love storing art supplies in them, too. xo

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  3. I've been attempting to find new ways to organized my spice drawers. It's a hot mess right now.

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  4. I hope you can bring them to feeling organized in a drawer. It's one of my best solutions yet. I'd love to see a make-over pic! xo.

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  5. I have been trying to think of what I want to use for jars for my baking items galore, and I like the idea of the clear jars.

    I have my spices in those magnetic things, they are on my refrigerator!

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