Our house has one fantastic feature: a great big pantry. Whoever put the 1950 addition on the back of the house did one thing absolutely right. However, there is a plumbing vent going through the roof, which in the past has led to some pretty bad water damage on the plaster ceiling.

Step 1: new roof–done (goodbye $$)

Step 2: new ceiling–on it.

Our pantry has great built in shelving, so after cleaning up the remaining plaster ceiling (with a hammer), the only way to get a drywall ceiling in would have been to remove the shelves or put up several pieces and mud them together. I abhor joint compound and the sanding that comes with it. A. Bhor. Since the walls are knotty pine paneling (1950, remember?), I decided to just go with a white wood bead board ceiling. I wouldn’t need anything. Except this nail gun. And that’s all I need. Except for the compressor. And that’s all I need!

Anyway, a couple of furring strips and a lot of squeezing around shelves with a pneumatic nailer, and done!

Next, I put in a light. I ran electricity to the pantry a couple of years ago for the mini fridge, but it had always been a little dark. I added a big florescent light (awful, I know–but effective), and now we can see. Easy peasy.

Now that the ceiling wasn’t falling in piece by piece (“Is this powdered sugar on top of these potatoes?” “Nope, just a little plaster dust from the ceiling.”), it was time for the great pantry clean out of 2014. After a good cleaning, I got to work.

#1 Prioritize your space

We have a small kitchen with very little counter space. On this coveted space we have a rarely used, oversized appliance–the microwave. We moved this space hog into the pantry. Now it is out of sight and out of the way, and valuable space can be used in a more productive way.

#2 Kick the plastic habit

I’m not sure what I think about plastic tupperware. No, I take that back, I know what I think about it, I’m just not sure if there is science to back me up. I hate it, and I love glass. We ditched (almost) all of our plastic storage in favor of mason jars. Half gallon jars are the bee’s knees for storing all your dry goods. Sealed, protected, and visually appealing.

Mason jars full of dry goods

Mason jars full of… corn. Corn in a jar.

#3 Purge

We have a big pantry, which is a blessing. But it also means it is easy to leave stuff we don’t need in there. As I pulled everything out, we went through it and decided what was necessary, what was desirable, and what could go. It’s amazing how much more space we came up with just by getting rid of the kitchen tools that we don’t use enough, or are just plain redundant.

Our pantry feels even bigger now, and we can see everything that is inside. Not gonna lie, Marge, this feels pretty good.