Other People's Pantries #140
From Amanda, in Ohio:
Our pantry was originally a coat closet where one was not needed. The previous owners had a makeshift pantry with wire shelving, which I hated. So my mother-in-law and I went to town!
Here is an extension of my pantry in the basement. It's my long-term storage. I've got almost anything from Amaranth to freeze-dried zucchini. It's really mostly grains and other things we don't go through quickly.
And to keep track of what's down here and where I put it (because as it comes I put it where it fits), I have an inventory. Gotta love Excel.
Thanks so much for letting me participate!
On Saturdays, for more than two years, we've been peeking into Other People's Pantries all around the world.
*There are five more pantries to share. If you'd like this feature to continue -- if you've been meaning to send your photos but haven't gotten around to it -- please send in your pantry photos. Here's how.
And, please put your camera to work on Market to Pantry, alternating on Saturdays with Other People's Pantries. There are five more markets to share.
Come on -- show us your favorite supermarket, farmer's market, ethnic market, big box store or roadside stand. We'd love to see where you shop for food! Here's how.
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Wow! This is inspiring. The picture of the cans reminds me of my mom. She is a little on the extreme end of the organizational spectrum - and when my sister wanted to upset her, she would turn the cans around or move them out of alphabetical order! Thanks for the fun memory. ps. Love the spreadsheet!
This pantry looks amazing! I love how organized it is and how much stuff is in it! This is honestly how I envision my pantry when we finally settle down.
I love the inventory!! My husband and I were actually working on making the same list. Comes in handy!
do you do pantry consulting work?? Yikes! I would hire you in a split pea second. Very very nice, even though how organized you are is a little scary LOL Many thanks for sharing and inspiring
Wow-wow-wee! Not only is your pantry very organized and inspiring, but you designed it with your mother-in-law! You must have a very good relationship indeed. I'm wondering, how many people are in your household? That's a lot of food. Thanks for sharing.
Awsome organization and beautifully presented, too. Really enjoyed your narration on the photos! Nicely done... thanks for sharing!!!
I want. I want. I want.
Brilliant! I can't believe how well organized that pantry is! Would that mine could be like that. Of course, we enjoy finding "surprise" products in our pantry that we've forgotten.
Beautifully done!
Michelle: my youngest plays with the cans-definately aggrivating. I don't have mine alphabetized, but they are grouped.
Milton: you'd be consulting my MIL. She's built a few homes and I asked for her help because of her pantry(s).
Can-Can: Currently there are four people. But we try to be prepared. If you're interested, you can read some basics about how and why to store food here: http://www.providentliving.org/channel/0,11677,1706-1,00.html
That's great Amanda!! Wow! That long term storage looks very familiar- ha! I think we have something in common.
Jenn: My spreadsheet is a modified version of a spreadsheet I found at http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/ .
I think this should be an inspiration for the entire house and my office. But where's the cart for when you go shopping in the basement? and who takes care of the check-out and bagging?
Can I borrow you and your MIL? I love how well thought out the organization is. I wish I had a basement; that is something I miss living in Florida! Thanks for some great ideas!
This is lovely. I wish that I had your basement space for storage. I would be in hog heaven. :)
I agree with Grace2882, I covet your basement! The pantry and your own organization are superb, thanks for sharing.
Wow...should there ever be a disaster, I want to be at her house! She's all kinds of prepared and organized!!
I like it!
This is my daughter . . . we raised her from a pup. Cheers!
Love the organization! I am working on inventory in my pantry, and this is a great jumping off point!
I love how organized you pantry is! I also have an inventory list, but mine is handwritten (it's still easier for me to write, then to set up the tables, and make Excel do its work:)
And your downstairs pantry-storage is amazing.
I am on the way as soon as a big storm hits!! What a fantastic pantry. The best idea I just got from looking at it- to store the boxes on their side!! INGENIOUS! Thanks!
Amazing. Love it.
Your pantry is beautiful! So organized and such a great use of space. In the basement, what is in the large brown and white boxes and the white buckets? Where have you found the best prices to buy in bulk? I'm in Maine, so we don't have Costco, but we have a Sam's Club and a BJs. I have found that some things are a great deal and some things are not. Do you purchase at a store like that or order your bulk items online?
Sorry for all the questions. We just bought a house and my husband is going to build a pantry for me in the basement. I am trying to gather all of the info that I can!
Lynda, the brown & white boxes hold 6 #10 cans each (about the size of a coffee can). Some have hard wheat, some have oats, or freeze dried veggies/fruits. My buckets have soft wheat, ap flour, sugars. One even holds my cat food (we're in & out of that one frequently). Stored this way food can last anywhere from 10-30 years.
As for best prices to buy in bulk, I am not the person to ask. I've usually gone with convenience or brand preference. In the past, when I've tried to keep track, I found the cost differences minimal and not worth the effort to keep track (or prices fluctuate often because of how well or poor crops did).
I have used Costco, waltonfeed.com, beprepared.com, grandmascountry.com and honeyvillegrain.com. Several of these sites offer some sort of discount (shipping and/or item cost) for group orders. If you go to http://maps.lds.org you can type in your address and find an LDS ward near you. If you call the primary phone # listed (on a Sunday) and then ask for information on whomever is the Food Storage Specialist, you could easily get in on some group orders and specials.
Love the basement in particular. We share your penchant for organization! We also have an Excel Spreadsheet. My husband puts in the expiration date for the canned/jarred goods and makes notes on when we bought flour, rice and other grains. You can order it by the exp. date so you know if something needs to be eaten soon or needs to be given away. Food for thought : ) Thanks for the pics.
Nicely organized food storage room.
Keeping that year supply organized is a tough job.
Fantastic organization. I've used Costco as well, but www.armageddonoutfittersonline.com is my main supplier for food and supplies as they seem to have all the various stuff I need. I'll check out honeyvillegrain.com too...that's a new one.
Thanks!
Wow you are totally on top of things. Thanks for posting these pictures. I do roughly the same thing for my frequent use stuff, but I have a hard time with my emergency food storage. Do you have any ideas on how to better organize my emergency stuff in my storage room in the basement?
I don't know what you mean by other people's pantries, this looks exactly like mine! Maybe slightly less organized, and with a little more freeze dried fruit, but other than that, it's the same! It's odd to think that some people have the exact same eating habits as you do!