pantry shelf mini-make-over

do you ever open your pantry and suddenly feel an overwhelming sense of panic?  i do.  alot.  my pantry (if you can call it that since it used to be a hall closet that we had to convert into a pantry because our terrible house plans did not include a pantry at all but we failed to notice that before putting our initials on everything saying we approve) is always a freaking mess.  (sorry ML, i said freaking.)  every time i open that blasted door, i feel myself hyperventilating because it is so ugly inside there.  no thanks to the cheap wire shelving we chose to use to create a pantry in the first place.  i hate wire shelves.  especially in my pantry.  i hate the way you have to strategically place small cans on it so they don't tip over due to the lack of support.  i hate the way small packages, like my granola bars or popcorn bags, fall through those dagnabbit wires.  did i mention that i loathe wire shelves?

so much hatred is not healthy.  time for a change. 

here is what my ugly, hateful pantry looked like before.  don't judge me.

 um, no.  i NEVER have an empty shelf.  i had already started clearing things out when i took the pics.



why, yes, yes that is paper grocery bags on that empty shelf.  that was my white trash version of making my shelves less "fall-through" proof.

remember when i decrapified my office space?  i had bought some particle board from home depot to lay on the wire shelf thingy that i had had since college.  well, at the same time i did that, i had the hd guy cut the boards so they would fit in my pantry as well.  i think i spent a total of $5 on all the boards.  (cheap-o)  here is what it looked like cut to size...

real purdy, huh?  nope.  well, i found some super cute self-adhesive shelf liner paper at target a few weeks ago.  you know, the kind that you normally put in your cabinets and drawers.  i used it to cover the top of each board.  but i also added it to the bottom of the two boards that would be on the top 2 shelves in the pantry.  i did that because i didn't want to see the ugly brown board every time i opened the pantry and looked up.  here is what the pantry looks like now.  it may not appear to be a huge difference to you but i assure you that i no longer feel hatred when i open that door.

believe it or not, i can actually fit more into my pantry now.  the boards give me more space on each shelf since nothing falls through or tips over from the wires.  not a bad mini-make-over for under $10.  it definitely would have cost much more to replace that ungodly wire shelving.  as for pretty-ing things up, well, that is another project down the road.  i am really hoping to score some jars/containers that i can cutesy up with some labels and hopefully talk the hubby into the dessert bar i want to add to our kitchen area that will help me get rid of some of the bigger non pantry items, like my stand mixer, wok, and platters.  stay tuned for that...but don't hold your breath.