how could it possibly be in such a MESS????

If you are my friend on facebook, you have already seen the before and after pics of my pantry. (as a matter of fact, one of Mark's male co-workers had something snarky to say about the fact that I posted those pictures . . .I unfriended him.)  I've been on a cleaning frenzy for the last few weeks. I was so bothered by all the mess in my house that I actually took a day of vacation this week and have cleaned out even more things!!! Something happened when I went back to work - NOT ENOUGH T.I.M.E. Anyone else have that problem?  I cleaned out my pantry last year and you would think we could keep it clean BUT we can't seem to do so.  I know that some of it is my problem, but my wonderful husband (who really is great) has a tendency to take things out and put things back anywhere there is a space.  If I clean out a closet, he finds something to put in the empty space.  As a matter of fact, this morning when I got up, the baggies were just sitting on a shelf in the pantry . . .hmmmmm.  Anyway, this is what my pantry looked like a week or so ago.  My friend, Kristi, loves these pictures because she says they make her feel better about herself and her pantry.  I'm so glad I can be of assistance.

You  need to know this - buried in this picture are two little shelving units, a turntable or two and a couple of little white bins.

Look at the floor - the mess even spills over to the floor.  I have found out an important fact in my lifetime.  If you really want to organize something . . .you have to start from scratch.  So I did - once again.  I emptied out everything from my pantry.  E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G.  I wish I had time to paint the inside - it needs it.  Now you can see the little shelves and white bins.

oh my goodness - I shouldn't even show this . . .here is everything from the pantry - overflowing all over my very large dining room table.  Look in the chair on the left - there is one turntable.

I had a helper during all of this . . .he kept moving to the patches of sunshine.

I grouped like things together as I removed them from the pantry (as much as possible).  I looked at expiration dates as I started to put things back.  I actually DID NOT throw away very much.

Now everything has a place. Canned goods are together.  Sauces are together.  Even the cat food (bottom shelf - right corner) are together.  Now look at those two little shelves hanging under the bottom shelf.  "wraps" - foil, plastic, etc. are in the bin on the left.  "baggies" of all shapes and sizes are on the right.  Guess where I found the box of baggies this morning.  Stuck to the right of the cat food????  Really????? 

Cleaning out the pantry wasn't enough for that day.  I stopped in the middle of the cleaning and took a quick shower and a quick dry to the hair . . .no make-up . . .and ran to target to get more turntables.  Of course, I looked like crap - t-shirt with a couple of holes and no make-up and not fixed hair . . and I run into someone I haven't seen in 8 years -- AND she looked great.  She even had on pearls.  Alas, the story of my life.  Anyway . . I digress . . .on to the cleaning.  This is my spice cabinet.  I took every thing - every single item out and put it on the counter and I wiped off the shelves.

I bought a small turntable for each shelf.  The bottom shelf holds spices that begin with A-C.  The next shelf holds the rest of the alphabet and the top shelf holds salt and seasoning salt and cavenders and Slap Yo Mama - you know - those kinds of things.  Isn't it lovely????

So . . . what gets ahead of you in your house? Laundry? Cabinets? Linen Closets? Since I went back to work, it seems like I never get caught up. I will admit that I'm feeling just a little better!! Especially since this week, I cleaned out my closet - there is indeed a floor in my closet - imagine that???!!! I had to wear my allergy mask to clean it out because there was so much dust. Unbelievable amount of dust. I bought three big pretty baskets at target for $20 bucks each and put them on the top shelves of my closet and filled one with purses and bags and filled one with shoes that I don't wear often and I filled the last one with "stuff" that was just hanging out in my closet. I filled a bag with give-away clothes and another bag with trash. I still have a sack of stuff to go through but I'm going to do it one night next week. I also straightened the inside of all my kitchen cabinets. Now upstairs . . .that is a whole different story. (haha - pun not intended but funny) We have a huge walk-in attic storage space that is packed. I think that I will get Mark to pull everything out and put it in the guest room since there is no furniture in there right now. Then . . two closets in Laura's old room, a big closet in Glenn's room, a HUGE closet in the guest room and a "toy" closet and a "craft/wrapping paper" closet in the bonus room. Is there an end in sight? The problem is . . .by the time I finish the upstairs, will I have to start over downstairs? Only time will tell.