What My Husband Did On His Summer Vacation.

This week hasn't been much of a vacation, really, but we ARE getting something done around here.


I have hated/complained about our pantry for the last 18 years.

It was like a big black hole. Inefficient. Sooooo inefficient.

Once something got put back in the corner or on the right side, it was lost forever. And I mean pretty much lost forever.

We found things in there when emptying it that we didn't even know we had.

I wish we would have gotten a picture with all the clutter in there!

I'm not kidding, either. We found these gigantic sparkler thingies from I don't know how many years ago. I mean, who puts sparklers in their pantry?

We do, I guess.

It obviously never bothered us because we had no idea they were in there.

I have often found myself standing at that tiny door opening just about ready to cry because I couldn't find the baking powder or cinnamon or olive oil. It was pretty much impossible to organize and after so many attempts at trying, well, I just pretty much gave up. It had terrible access, the shelves were too deep, the corners were useless, etc., etc.


So, we decided this was the summer. This was the summer we would actually get something done. And we decided it would be the pantry. Yay!




Last Monday, Kenneth just started taking everything out of the pantry and put it on the table. I may or may not have panicked just a little because I knew this was going to be a big project.


And it has been.


This is how we have been living for the past week. 

Pantry stuff all over the table.

And you know what? I haven't even cared. I am just so happy we are doing SOMETHING to make our lives a little easier and more functional.


This is what my good husband has done. . . Taken off that awful corner door and built out the left wall and made the opening in the front. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT!!!

Just look at that opening! Look at the size of that thing!!!

Yes, we lost a little shelf space because the right side of the wall needed to be pushed back a few inches to have a flat opening, but WHO CARES?

We will actually be able to see the shelves and see the food and organize it and reach everything easily.


As of tonight, this is where it stands.

It needs another application or two of mud. Some texture on the walls, some shelves inside the closet, a door and some paint, but the hardest part is over and I think Kenr, with the help of the kids, did a FABULOUS job!


I tease him a lot because I say we are handyman challenged around here, but he can do handyman work and he can do it well when he wants to.

He just doesn't like it. :)


Thank you Kenr. It means the world to me.



I will keep you updated on our progress, but as Kenneth has to return to work on Monday, things will slow down a little, but with all that stuff on our table, we have great motivation to finish it and finish it quickly.



Now, if I can just get up the courage to paint the door a cute color?

Any suggestions???  :)