Pantry Organizer My Way

Do you subscribe to any of Martha's daily tips? I get the Organizing Tip of the Day in my e-mail box and there's also Cookie of the Day and Craft of the Day and although they have all been in the magazines at one time or another I like the reminders.

One tip which came by e-mail a couple of weeks ago is one that I've adapted a little bit since I saw it in the magazine years ago. It's the Pantry Organizer.

I wasn't able to find the tension rods required here in Sweden at the time so I made my own version by drilling holes at the bottom of my cabinet.

 

I took the opportunity to show you because I've been updating the insides of the cabinets a little bit. The bottoms now have Martha sticky back plastic. The rest of the shelves are covered in white oil cloth as seen in the top photo.

In this photo you can see the metal sticks I used instead of the tension rods. They came from lanterns which you can stick into the ground. We'd had the lanterns for years but never used the sticks so I cut them to the right length (a bit of trial and error I have to admit but once one was the correct length the rest were easy).

 

The cut part of the stick sits in the hole and the top slightly pointy bit which used to go into the ground is now wedged into the under side of the shelf above.

It works really well and no more piles of heavy dishes. 

Comments

[myonlysunshine]

Whoah, this is seriously brilliant. I'm going to get started on my own this weekend. I can hardly wait.

www.onlysunshine.net

[jja]

wow I really love this! Another job to do for my husband ;-))), I usually get inspired here and he has to do the "making" part. I don't have any Martha's subscription because i would only be reminded every single day how much i am behind my organizing goals.

[Franziska]

Very cool! I'm still searching for a solution for the cooking tops. They are a little huddle in the drawer and I thought about a dishes holder (for drying when you do the dishes) but didn't try it by now. Maybe this is a nice idea for me. Thanks!

[Lover of Organizing :)]

This is a brilliant idea! My main problem is a lack of area to do this in. But I do have a cabinet about this size that would be perfect to utilize this organizing tip. Thank you very much!

[Annie Pazoo]

Thanks Benita. This is exactly what I need to do. (The piles of heavy dishes are weighing me down!). I prefer your use of dowels, too, as I think they will hold the weight of the leaning dishes better than extension rods. It's going on the to-do list!

[Jessica]

I need to do this! I just spent all day reading her organizing tip of the day archives and I swear almost every time I try to pull a cookie sheet out, without fail, the whole stack comes tumbling out.

[Jenny]

Superfint! Jag förvillade mig totalt hur länge som helst inne hos Martha Stewart... gud så mycket fint där finns :)

[michelle]

Wow, you are very, very crafty! This looks amazing, if I had any cabins in my kitchen I would do this! So nice to open a door and find neatly organized goods.

[Katie K]

I agree with Annie above, the dowels should be much sturdier than tension rods. I've often considered this Martha tip when my cookie sheets crash against each other & wake up a napping baby, so thank you for showing us how to do the more durable, permanent solution!

[Down Comforter]

Nice tip - thanks! Cabinets can be so hard to keep organized sometimes.

[Melissa of {craftgasm}]

I love it! I think after the Big Move in April, I will modify this for a rental and use tall pegs screwed into a frame the width of the cabinet. Kind of like this one [http://tinyurl.com/az7k6f], but with larger openings for ovenware. Then I can take it with me when we move again, and it'll keep the stuff from touching the bottom of the cabinet, which is what squicks me about my current kitchen. (Hopefully the new place won't be quite as squick-ful as the current, since it will lack the additional 4 housemates whose stuff goes everywhere.)

[Imke]

Oh Benita, please come to my house and organize it for me!!!
Doesn't California sound inviting to you? Since you are planning to leave Sweden behind sometime anyway? ;-)
I wish I had your energy to organize every little corner of my house.
Very pretty and well executed!
Best wishes from the spring blooming San Francisco Bay Area,
Imke

[indra]

I do not need Martha´s tips, I have YOU!!!

[Benita ~ Chez Larsson]

Imke, I've added you to my list of stops on my world tour of organizing :)

[Benita ~ Chez Larsson]

Melissa, those are great!

[Danette Mitchell Scheller]

Love this, I neeeeeeeeeeeeeed this.