When we moved into our 115 year old farmhouse nearly 17 years ago it was without a pantry. With four children at home, we stored food all over the place, the refrigerator, the cupboards, under their beds, in dresser drawers, where ever. For all those years I dreamed of a pantry. I researched pantries. I drew pantries and worse of all I envied the pantries of others.
Sometimes when I visited my family and friends, you have no idea how hard this is to admit, I really wasn't that interested in their lives; I just wanted to check out their pantries.
Then, four years ago, our last child moved out and I got serious. I started thinking about pantries all the time!
Last year, I yanked out the closet doors of a small closet under our stairway that is also very close to our kitchen. Short of time, I plopped a rubber shelf unit in it and dressed it up with cans and boxes. Because the back walls are slanted, I am always knocking things off the shelves. They are consequently never found again.
Then the mice came, so I moved all the dry goods back into my cupboards.
Then we got a cat.
And the mice ran away.
So I moved all the dry and boxed goods back into the sorry looking pantry and began dreaming of a beautiful pantry once again. Last week I took pictures of the space. Beginning next week we pull EVERYTHING out and I will repair the holes in the plaster walls and repaint. Keith will build shelves and lay a new (leftover vinyl from the kitchen remodel 3 yrs ago) floor.
Our goal is completion within one week of starting and to spend NO MONEY on the project. We plan to use all leftover, repurposed, handmade materials. Stay tuned for the Pantry Remake of The Year.!
(Yes, I am aware that the picture on today's post is of children and not of a pantry. I got a new camera this week and cannot get the new software to load. I already put the old memory card in the new camera so I could take a picture of the pantry with the new camera but if I can't get it to download to my PC what would be the point I ask you?! Yes, I could take the old memory card out of the new camera and put it back in the old camera, take a pantry pic and download to my pc with the old camera's software but that WOULD TAKE SO MUCH TIME ! (About half as long as it took to explain why I do not have a picture of my pantry on this blog)
OK...so is this a trick question? If the house was 115 years old 17 years ago and a pantry is put in today, how old will the pantry be in 17 years?
ReplyDeleteGood Luck with the project and can't wait to see and hear about the final results.
Maybe the walls can be painteed like the cow patterned painted hog shelter to give it an outdoor feeling.
Oh, how we could do with a nice big pantry too!
ReplyDeleteWhen we designed our new kitchen four years ago the contractor thought I was insane...but I have two count em two floor to ceiling pantries..one for dishes bowls glassware etc and one for food food glorious food. You will love it when it's done.
ReplyDeletelol about your picture explanation! hahaha
ReplyDeleteleftover, repurposed, and handmade materials ??? I can't wait to see it!
I too have pantry envy and craft room envy, but I do have TWO workshops, so I'm okay with it.
gail
Shoot Donna I grew up thinking beans always belonged in the sock drawer. :)
ReplyDeleteThis house doesn't have a pantry and I sorely miss my pantry. For now under the bed works.
I'm a 'everything-under-the-bed-in-the-guest-room' sort of person, so I totally understand your pantry-envy. I suffer from it myself. Looking forward to the transformation!
ReplyDeleteDonna, your posts always make me smile! I can honestly understand how you feel about pantries. It was a must on our list when we looked at homes. Sadly, the one that came with the house turned out to be too small. I love that you are going to tackle this the way that you are. Hopefully your camera and software will behave so that we can admire your progress and your new pantry!
ReplyDeleteDonna, your post made me smile! I grew up in a very old victorian house that also did not have a pantry. My parents ended up knocking a wall out of the stairwell that led from the house to the attached garage (the garage in a former life was the coal bin). They then built in shelves and put up some doors and wa lah, pantry. I remember being surprised many mornings by mice in the cereal - that is until my Mom found out...that is another story.
ReplyDeleteOk, I am at the same place, needing somewhere to house my provisions.
ReplyDeletePlease share all the steps to your pantry makeover or should it be build?
Will be watching with interest.
Your new pantry sounds like it will be great. Looking forward to the photos.
ReplyDeleteMichelle