The 21 day Organizing challenge continues, and I’m doing my best to keep up.  I will admit I have skipped a few of the challenges {so far the coat closet and the tupperware cabinet} and I’m sometimes a day or two {or three} behind on doing the challenge and definitely behind on blogging about the process.  :)  I’m not sure how people read what the challenge is, complete it, and then actually blog about it that SAME DAY! They definitely aren’t nursing a newborn, that’s for sure.

A few people have asked how in the world I could be doing all of this and blogging about it too, and it definitely is a drawn out process.  Sometimes it takes me a naptime or two to finish a project, and then a day or two after that to upload and tweak the photos and write and revise {yes, I do actually reread what I write to make sure I don’t sound like a loon.}

I sit on the couch by the computer while I feed Davis, so that gives me several times a day to do some one-handed blog work.  :)

The pantry was up next on the list, and it was a daunting task to conquer.  We basically have three food storage areas, and after all my work purging, I almost think we could combine it all into just two!

I don’t have any before pictures for you… sorry.  I think it was a combination of I really don’t want anyone to see this and I forgot to take one before it I got going pulling stuff out.

I had A LOT of old and expired stuff in there.  Seriously.  It was sad.  Very, very sad.

I threw away an unopened box of Bisquick that expired December of 2006.  2006 PEOPLE!

Here are the BAGS of stuff I threw away…

I also had two unopened bags of sugar tucked away behind my spices that were ROCK hard. Like a brick.  Hopefully, now that I have more room for everything, maybe I will be able to SEE what I have so that doesn’t happen again.  :)

And the results of my labor…

The Kids’ Snack Stash…

I like having their approved snacks in one area so little fingers aren’t into other cabinets.

The Lazy Susan…

The bread used to be on the counter in a basket, but I love that I have room to put it here since it is one less thing on the counter now!

The Main Pantry Space…

Ahhhh! The challenge with it is that it’s so deep. Once you start filling it up, you end up not knowing what’s looming back there. Especially in the very top and very bottom.

The top…

And the bottom…

I moved all the spices off the spinning rack {that I used to have in the top cabinet} and used it instead for some of the canned goods in the bottom cabinet.

Part Two…

I also worked on rearranging the countertops.  I was hoping for a less cluttered more simplistic, calming look.

Before…

You can see the edge of the bread basket on the right.

And the After…

I love having less out! Do you see the cute candy machine on the left? That houses our reward skittles for a certain almost 3 year old going potty… in our wishful attempts that one day he will finally be potty trained. Wonder if I could spray paint the pink plastic?

Our Office Corner…

Since we are low on square footage, we’ve reserved one little spot of the kitchen to be our office.  Of course, our laptops are in the living room, and my {NEW!} wireless printer has a home in the TV stand.

It honestly feels so amazing to have this whole area straightened and organized AND to know that behind the doors is a neat pantry!!