Maybe these pantry pic submissions for the $20/$20 Challenge weren’t a good idea. I am having some serious organization envy! Just wait until you see Cheri’s incredible use of space! Check out her story below:
Hi, Mavis. Here are some pictures of my storage/pantry area in my basement. My husband and I purchased our home 5 1/2 years ago. This area was a huge selling point for me, and it’s still one of my favorite things about our home.
I have a whole room in the basement with built in cubbies for storage containers and a separate room/closet off that for my pantry.
I was a pretty big couponer back when I started following your blog, but I’ve given that up in the last year or two.
It took a lot of time and energy and I wasn’t buying very healthy food. Now I shop sales and markdowns and buy in bulk.
I have a large garden in the summer so I also can and dry foods. I try to do a weekly dinner plan to keep myself organized and cut down on afternoon/evening “what’s for dinner?” panic.
I have a full size freezer in my laundry room. I use it for my Zaycon chicken and beef, my husband’s homemade bacon and jerky, frozen breads, jams, butter, freezer meals, etc. I would never be able to survive with just the freezer in my refrigerator.
In my upstairs freezer I have bulk spices and nuts, and some frozen items we will use more immediately. I usually have a loaf of frozen homemade bread, frozen banana bread, some ice cream, and some frozen berries.
My refrigerator speaks for itself I suppose. I buy a lot of fruits and veggies at Costco when I don’t have my garden in full swing. I have chickens that provide our family with plenty of fresh eggs!
Thanks for letting me share!
Cheri
Are you getting your pantries camera ready? You can participate in the $20/$20 Challenge by simply sending in pictures of your pantry. Find out more about the $20/$20 Challenge: Show Your Pantry – Fill a Pantry!
Carla says
Love this organization. The garden is beautiful too. Can’t figure out what the black thing in the milk crate is tho.
Madam Chow says
It looks like deer netting.
Cheri says
Yep. It’s just a roll of netting I used to keep birds away from my strawberry patch. 🙂
Carrie Carrie says
Love these tours. I would like to know how many people are in the homes.
Madam Chow says
Wow! All of these pantries have inspired me, and I’ve been looking on pinterest. My HH thinks I would be happy living in a large, organized closet! And Mavis, you have me making freezer meals that have saved me a couple times! So, thank you all.
janet says
Wow, very impressive!
Rachel Averett says
I love all of her storage spaces and all the wonderful foods she stores. One FYI, I started a nationally accredited canning course last fall and learned that with home canned goods you should not stack them on top of each because it can cause them to lose their seal with the consumer noticing.
Rachel Averett says
*without
Teckla says
Thank you Rachel! I was noticing the same thing and wanting to comment. I can’t remember the exact explanation for why it isn’t a safe practice, but there is a web site, SB Canning, that has lots of information about canning and storing jars safely, plus outstanding canning recipes. Mavis, if you are not familiar with the SB Canning site, you might want to check it out. It has your stamp all over it!
darlene says
Where did you get the cubbies to cover an entire wall for the storage bins
Patti says
I guess this is why Pinterest is so popular; woman love seeing how others do these things and maybe give us ideas to do household things better. I so enjoy garden, kitchen, pantry, coop tours. I really look forward to them. Organization is not my strong suit, so they give me constant inspiration to do a little better.
Cheri says
The room with the bins already had all the cubbies/shelving built in. The house was built in the 60s. I’d love to ask the previous owners who put it in and what they used it for. I just measured the spaces and bought bins that fit what was already there.