Prettying Up the Pantry

A few weeks ago, during a post about the evolution of our kitchen, I shared some pics of our wonderful pantry.  Well, there's nothing like posting pictures of your home on the Internet to make you notice areas in need of improvement!  And that picture, along with the daily problem of seasoning packets falling out every time I opened the doors, helped me realize that our pantry was in some desperate need of organization.

A before shot.  I picked up those packets of seasonings on the
 right side of the frame at least twice every day.

I needed something to corral all of the small items that were prone to falling from the doors when they were opened.  Things like seasoning packets and tea bags.  I was also looking for containers that I could use to condense items that I tend to buy multiples of in different flavors.  Things like sugar-free drink mix packets, microwave popcorn, hot chocolate.

I didn't want to spend a ton of money buying traditional pantry organization tools (although some of them are really nice!), so I looked around the house to see what I had on hand....

 ....enter mason jars.  They fit perfectly on our pantry shelves, can hold all of my drink mix packets and artificial sweeteners, and are free, because I have a ton of them on hand.

And THEN, I stumbled upon these awesome mini-loaf pans with chalkboard labels painted on them at Christmas Tree Shops.  I had a hunch that they would also fit on the shelves and they were only $1.  So obviously I bought a dozen of them!

 They are working out beautifully!  

 I love that I can get rid of the bulky boxes and just store the individual packets of items.

And suddenly the pantry is a far happier place.  Clean, organized, and nothing falling to the floor when I open the door.  Pretty much all I need. 

What easy and affordable organizing tips do you have?  Does being organized make you as happy as it does me?

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