"The secret to a happy life is being inspired by the simple things!"
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THE STORY
If you follow me on Instagram, a few months back, you got to see
the behind-the-scenes of my process of figuring out what to do with my less-than-desirable spice cupboard. It was a disaster; Not functional at all -
unless you consider spice jars falling on your head when reaching for things "functional"! Ha!! (
not kidding)
The first step I started with was repackaging all of my spices so things would be organized and uniform and PRETTY...because yes..."pretty" is important - especially for me because you guys know I'm in the kitchen ALL of the time cooking or baking.
I decided to handwrite the names of the seasonings directly onto the jars using
this pen.
It's so easy and fast.
BUT...if you cringe at the thought of handwriting the names,
the set of square jars I used actually comes with adorable, chalkboard labels! There are some pre-printed labels in the set with common spices and then there are blank ones with a chalkboard marker to write your own. AND...the set comes with a cute, pink silicone funnel with a wide dispenser to make filling the jars easy. (
see my tips about filling your jars at the end of this post).
After my jars looked pretty and organized, it was then time to decide how to store them.
I originally thought I'd just stick them back up in the cupboard.
I did NOT love it for the mere reason I just have too many spices and felt it was cumbersome finding and reaching for the jars with as often as I cook.
So...I continued brainstorming storage solution ideas that would be cute and functional...and EASY!!
IDEA ONE - Antique Cabinet
I tossed around the idea of finding a pretty piece of antique furniture specifically for spice storage; something that would'n't take up a lot of space since it would be on a wall in my kitchen.
IDEA TWO - Wall Shelving
Then I decided shelving on the wall, photo ledges specifically, at the recommendation of some of my interior design friends and creatives on Instagram, might be a more streamlined option considering it is also connected to our long hallway.
In the end, I realized for our particular situation and the layout of our home, putting something on the wall, (furniture or otherwise), would just add a cluttered-vibe to the area. I was craving an organized, clean vibe.
Soooo...this is what happened instead ----->
I found some shelving NOT intended for spice jars that just so happened to be PERFECT, and utilized the empty space on the interior of our pantry door!
Guys!!!! I could not be more happy with how it turned out!
My kitchen has a significantly smaller pantry than the one in our last home so it's been an ongoing challenge trying to figure out the perfect storage solutions for all of my baking and cooking essentials...and let's be honest...all of the "non-essentials" too. *wink*
I could not be more happy with deciding on a storage solution that keeps my spices beautifully organized but also hidden with the close of my pantry door. Although the original ideas of using a beautiful piece of furniture as a spice cabinet or creating a visual masterpiece with the brilliant use of photo ledges are still wonderful ideas...THIS...this right here was exactly what my heart, (and kitchen), needed.
I don't often feel that way when a project is finished. I usually start making notes with what I wish I would have done differently, etc. But NOT with this project. I love it. 100%.
And just in case you are wondering, I can fit 10 spice jars per shelf - so I currently have 30 spices hanging on my pantry door.
These are all of my current cooking spices.
My baking spices, however, are currently stored in the same glass jars, nice and neat in one of my kitchen drawers. However, I'm thinking I may need to add another shelf or two to keep all of my spices in one place.
My only hesitation with adding more shelves to the door is that I'm considering adding a few hooks to hang some beautiful linen + cotton
kitchen torchons! (new word I learned from THIS BOOK)! I'm thinking hooks screwed directly into the door beneath the bottom shelf OR attached to the bottom shelf. If I do that though...there won't be any room for additional shelves. I'll let you know what I decide.
Friends...I hope you've been inspired to dive into doing some spice organization of your own. If you have any questions about this project I'm here to help! Simply leave a comment.
If you try this "Pantry Door Spice Jar + Shelves DIY...
PLEASE let me know. I want to cheer you on and celebrate the accomplishment with you.
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SOURCES + TIPS BELOW
SOURCES
SPICE JAR TIPS
1. Clean them. Make sure you run your jars through a dishwasher or wash by hand with hot, soapy water before filling with spices. (ensures they are 100% clean and sanitary).
2. Use a funnel. If you use the spice jar set I chose, it comes with a silicone funnel. I tried the silicone one but decided to use a metal funnel I already had since it doesn't catch any spice residue on the sides like the silicone funnel tends to do. BUT...if you don't have a metal funnel, the silicone funnel works great...just be sure to start with your fine, less fragrant powdered spices first and THEN the leafy spices - just to help prevent mixing. And I also suggest really banging off of the funnel into a trash can or sink between spices to help clean it out. (you don't want to rinse it off each time - moisture doesn't mix well with spices). *wink*
3. Paint pen. If you use the paint pen I used to handwrite your seasonings on your glass jars, the paint does not smudge or come off with everyday use. And yet, you can easily change or fix mistakes made during the labeling process by scrubbing with warm, soapy water. Yay!
SHELVING TIPS
1. They will fit together - I promise. It may seem, during the assembly process, pieces just aren't going to fit together. On occasion it even seemed impossible to me. But trust me...they do. You just have to use a little muscle and push them together. Promise.
2. Average quality. The shelving is mass produced - not the superior quality you'd find with custom shelving. BUT...they are a great price and are perfect for the interior of a pantry door. No complaints from me.
3. Spacing. Make sure when spacing your shelves you allow room for pulling jars out and putting them back in. Thankfully, I thought about that and didn't make the mistake of putting them too close together. (Mine ended up to be 3" apart - measuring from the bottom of one shelf to the top of the other. OR 9.5" from bottom to bottom if that's more helpful).
4. Level. There's a cute, mini level that comes with the shelving to ensure your shelves are straight when you put them together. You'll love it. I kept it for future projects.
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KEEPiNG iT REAL
I assembled.
I measured.
I used a screw driver.
I made sure things were level.
I drilled. (never used one before and figured it out)
And guys!!! I conquered this project!
All. By. Myself.
If I can do it - you can too!!
I literally smile every time I open that pantry door.
It looks beautiful, and cooking is so much more enjoyable with things nice and organized now.
Yep! I even alphabetized them too!
I hope you love it!!
