The beginning of summer seems like a good time to freshen up the kitchen by getting rid of all those old gunky containers and starting fresh. I know it’s a small thing, but whenever I take the time to organize a drawer or a little cupboard, it puts a smile on my face every time I look inside :) I’ve had this photo by Yvonne of Yvestown in my inspiration file for ages now, and I think it’s about time I put it to good use:
Isn’t that just lovely? It makes me want to pull one of those fantastic cookbooks off the shelf and bake something or brew up a nice pot of tea. I have never had much pantry space to work with, and even after B and I move into our new house we will only have one smallish cupboard for pantry goods – so organization is important. Enter, the three-pronged attack: containers, labels, and color.
Now, not many of you may know this, but I worked for years as a preschool teacher – and if there is one skill every good preschool teacher must possess, it is organization. While dealing with the belongings of 20 children plus endless art supplies, puzzles, etc., having uniform containers and labels makes all the difference in the world. For the pantry, I’ve gathered up a handful of my favorite containers and labels, along with a couple extra goodies to make a super-organized and cute pantry space…
Clockwise from top left: Cath Kidston oilcloth, glass jars from IKEA, Labels from Martha Stewart Crafts, Mirrored hooks from Site, Pastel masking tape from Nothing Elegant, Oilcloth from Oilcloth Addict, Wire basket from Site.
I would love to start fresh with a whole set of matching containers: jars for things like sugars and pasta and baskets for bigger items. There are all sorts of canisters and bins being sold new, but if you have the time you could collect vintage containers instead. Then use sticky labels, tags & twine, or colored masking tape to label the containers, put up a few decorative hooks to hang aprons and dishtowels, and either paint the shelves or cover with pretty oilcloth.
And speaking of oilcloth…I just purchased The Farm Chicks in the Kitchen by Teri Edwards and Serena Thomson (psst, they have a blog, too!), and it is the sweetest book. Mixed in with their scrumptious-sounding recipes and family stories are crafty projects like this one (pictured above) for making oilcloth cookbook covers. This would be perfect for covering those well-used (i.e., splattered & stained) old cookbooks and making them cute enough for display.
I hope this has given you a bit of inspiration to tackle one of those neglected cupboards in your home!
{images: linked to individual sources above}
