Maybe I found to many bargains this summer, but my pots and pans cabinet is bursting at the seams! I noticed that the kids’ snack cabinet which is prime real estate next to the stove, was being completely under utilized, so I decided to claim it. A lot of their snacks are stored in the refrigerator, freezer or on the counter top anyway, so they really didn’t need a whole cabinet.
Here is the before shot of their “snack cabinet.”
Disorganized and lots of wasted space…
I emptied it out, and put most of the boxes in recycling. I realized how much space just the packaging takes up!
I saved a few of the empty boxes, and cut them down to help organize a bin as the new snack storage place. Here is what it ended up looking like:
Nothing fancy, but much more efficient, and it will fit on a shelf in the pantry.
I also put any extras right in the shoe bag on the back of my pantry door, which I blogged about here, that works great for storing little things so they won’t get buried somewhere.
We keep frozen waffles in the door of the freezer for easy access, and this little bin in the fridge holds cheese sticks and yogurts in reach. Baby carrots and apples are kept low, and bananas are on the counter.
So they are covered with their snack storage, and now I have an empty cabinet for pots and pans, which works for everyone, right?
Now I need to get busy…
Linking to some of these fun link parties: Sunday: Under the Table and Dreaming, DIY Showoff, Nifty Thrifty Things, Homemaker on a Dime Monday:Uncommon Designs, Skip to My Lou, Craft O Maniac, Keeping it Simple, Creating Really Awesome Free Things, Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms, Between Naps on the Porch, The Girl Creative, Mad in Crafts, I’m An Organizing Junkie, Sew Can Do, I Should be Mopping the Floor, Making the World Cuter, The Gunny Sack, Mrs. Happy Homemaker, DIY Home Sweet Home, The Modest Mom Tuesday:Coastal Charm, A Bowl Full of Lemons, Tip Junkie, Sugar Bee Crafts, Balancing Beauty and Bedlam, 5 Minutes for Mom, Funky Polka Dot Giraffe, Hope Studios, Reasons to Skip the Housework, Time Warp Wife, Chef in Training, Home Stories A to Z, My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia,The Blackberry Vine, Carolyn’s Homework, The Kurtz Corner, Growing Home, Cornerstone Confessions, Mercy Ink, A Diamond in the Stuff Wednesday: Raising Homemakers, Crystal & Co., We Are That Family, Women Living Well, The Trendy Treehouse, Handy Man Crafty Woman, Someday Crafts, Fabric Bows and More, Seven Thirty Three, Sugar and Dots, A Creative Princess, Twin Dragonfly Designs, The Thrifty Home, Creations by Kara, Gingersnap Crafts, My Girlish Whims, SemiHomemade Mom Thursday: Shabby Creek Cottage, Delightful Order, Somewhat Simple, House of Hepworths, The Frugal Girls, Miz Helen’s Country Cottage, The Thirty Sixth Avenue, Thrifty 101, Diary of A Stay At Home Mom, Beyond the Picket Fence, A Glimpse Inside Friday: The Shabby Nest, Fingerprints on the Fridge, Chic On A Shoestring, Miss Mustard Seed, Tidy Mom, Whipperberry, French Country Cottage, 30 Handmade Days, Finding Fabulous, Naptime Crafters, Tatertots and Jello, My Romantic Home, While He Was Napping, Bacon Time with the Hungry Hungry Hippo, The Country Cook, Six Sister’s Stuff, Kitchen Fun With My Three Sons, Ann Kroeker, Writer, Simply Sweet Home, Craft Junkie Too, Simply Designing, Happy Hour Projects, A Little Knick Knack, Young and Crafty Saturday: Funky Junk Interiors, Be Different Act Normal, A Vision To Remember, Sweet As Sugar Cookies, It’s Overflowing, The Artsy Girl Connection, Too Much Time On My Hands, Or So She Says, Tutus and Tea Parties, Your Home Based Mom
Love the shoe organizer hanging on your pantry door!
We used to have “the red basket” — very similar to your white basket. When the kids wanted a snack, they’d ask, “Can I have something from the red basket?” I agree that condensing everything and getting the packaging out to the recycling bin is great on storage space!
I take everything out of those boxes and use baskets as well. Love your organizing tip of labeling them! The shoe organizer is a great idea as well! Enjoy your weekend!
I’m a basket person, too. They’re just so handy and space-saving! Labeling is a great idea…I’ve gotta get me a label-maker.
You are so clever, using the shoe bag for snacks. Snacks can be difficult to organize coming in so many shapes and sizes but you have done an awesome job. I especially like the fridge idea as things get lost in the great abyss of mine.
This is such an inspirtation! Thanks for the post.
Love this, my pantry is a mess. You motivate me!
I’m going to have to try this. The packaging is so flimsy that once you open it the pantry looks horrible anyway. I like the basket idea but my favorite is the over the door shoe holder for all those little things! Thank you for linking to Wicked Awesome Wednesday!
love your ideas easy for the teens to get and easy to organize thanks for sharing come see me at http://shopannies.blogspot.com
Love when we can find a quick fix for more storage! Thanks for linking up with DIY under $5!
Hey there!
Just wanted to let you know that you’ve been featured today!
http://delightfulorder.blogspot.com/2011/10/featuring-you-top-ten-from-9292011.html
Thanks for linking to the party. Hope to see you at the next Delightfully Inspiring Thursday Party.
DaNita
If I can take something out of its packaging, then I do because those boxes take up SO MUCH ROOM! Great idea.
THank you so much for linking up this great ideas for organizing kids snacks! It was one of the most clicked ideas!
Hop over and check out your feature. http://www.crystalandcomp.com/2011/10/the-mommy-club-share-your-resources-and-solutions-12/
Love the pocket organizer. What a great idea. I would love for you to stop by and link up to More the Merrier Monday. It is open through Wednesday so you have plenty of time to link up. http://diyhshp.blogspot.com
Don’t you just love how much space the snack basket saves? And time throughout the week?
xoxo,
Jen
Wow, our snack cabinet is always such a mess. Thanks for the ideas, I am going to work on that next week when I am off.