I think I told you that the first shelf unit we ordered for the breakfast room was really wimpy and arrived with a dented shelf so we sent it back and ordered one of the Seville stainless shelf unit. These are the ones we use everywhere – sewing room, garage, sun room, Vince’s craft/exercise/storage room. I don’t know why we didn’t order it right of the bat but we did order it and it arrived today.
I knew the shelf unit was supposed to arrive today so I spent a good chunk of time this morning making labels. You can see there’s bread dough rising in the background.
Vince promptly got it put together and I’ve spent the entire afternoon getting it set up the way I want it. We did order another shelf so I’ll have to take most everything off the unit. I need to get a rug to go under it. There’s just a rug pad under it now. I’m hoping I can find the same rug design that I have under the table but we’ll see.
Like I said before, it isn’t going to get me on the cover of any decorating magazines but my kitchen area is a true work area. There’s almost always something going on in the kitchen – dough rising, something in a slow cooker or a pressure cooker, food processing to be canned. I know we all use our kitchens and I also know that I have too much stuff. I could certainly get by with less . . still cook, still can, still bake all our bread but I love my gadgets.
You can see that the bottom shelf is books. Most of those are either bread, canning, fermenting, a few homesteading/foraging/herbal remedies type books and then some random all purpose cook books.
On the right end of this shelf are two boxes . . you can only see one but those two go with the food processor. Those two boxes had been sitting on another shelf in the kitchen but the food processor, the blender, the pasta maker and the Ninja Foodi were all sitting on the countertop. I’m so happy to have another place for those things. The Foodi is a bit heavy but I’ll just have to deal with it. I’ll take these things to the counter to use them. I use the mixer (which is on the next shelf up) only for making bread. I use the blender more when I’m processing tomatoes and fruit during the summer. The pasta maker I use at least once a week but it’s very light.
The jars are three deep. I use all these items often. The bread I made this morning used hard white, kamut and rye flour. It will be so nice not to have to run downstairs for these things.
On the end of this shelf, there are teas, kool-aid, True Lemon, True Orange and True Lime packets.
There are some open spots. Most of the jars are three deep but there are a few spots that are only one or two deep. I still have other things to add but what’s on that shelf now . . all that was in my kitchen – either on the counter, in cabinets or on the bar. I probably won’t deal with more items on the shelf tomorrow or Sunday but Monday I’ll get back on it and get everything I want to keep upstairs on the shelf unit.
ginnyclyne says
the shelving unit should make your life much easier. It is your home you do what makes your life easier and makes you happy.
judy.blog@gmail.com says
Exactly how I feel. 🙂 They aren’t permanent so they can be moved to another room or to the garage at any time.
Sherry Bobak says
How do your jar labels hold up to washing? I’ve been thinking about using jars for some of my pantry items.
judy.blog@gmail.com says
I don’t wash them. The only thing I put in those jars are dry ingredients – wheat berries, some flour, packets of this or that. I will wipe them out with a damp paper towel. For jars that are going to be washed, I use a Sharpie on the outside of the jar AND on the lid because the writing on the outside of the jar will sometimes wear off.
judy.blog@gmail.com says
It just occurred to me that you may have been asking about just washing the labels. I can wipe them off with a cap paper towel and the chalk comes off. It’s the same chalk pen I use on my menu board in the kitchen.
Sheila Hornyak says
It looks so beautiful. I am jealous of your organizational skills. I’ve never in my life been organized, prob because I’m a fly by the seat of my pants person. And I love your labels, but that one low label for rye is killing my OCD! lol
judy.blog@gmail.com says
It may get repositioned but it doesn’t really bother me. The Ball jars have raised lettering and designs all over them so there was no place to put the labels so they are completely flat. That was one I tried in a lower position. Otherwise, they all have a bit of a rumple at the top and a bit of a rumple at the bottom where the labels are sitting on the raised designs of the jar. The Azure jars have plenty of space for a label but probably 80% of my jars are Ball jars.
That’s funny that it bothers you and doesn’t bother me. My priority is that they are labeled and I know what’s in them. If I can do it neatly, that’s fine but if not, that’s fine too. We are probably the only people I know that move into a house and never repaint anything. As longs as the walls look nice, I can live with the red paint in the dining room. 🙂
Theresa says
Your organization is great! Thinking I’d like to try something similar. Will you share where you get the shelving units?
judy.blog@gmail.com says
I’ll write a blog post about it.