Today’s February sky is amazingly sunny for a day so bitterly cold. Still, I can’t let that old sun fool me, his sunshine is unquestionably losing the battle with winter’s wrath. The weather apps on my phone continue to send out a familiar “ping” as they update me on expectations of more heavy snow, ice, and sleet. They’ve forewarned of potential power outages, the dangers of being outside, and a Level 3 snow emergency has just been issued…meaning county roads are now closed to all travelers except for emergency vehicles.
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I want a large pantry so bad. I need it and yet, there is literally no room in this home for one. We only have three small closets, one in each bedroom. UGH!
Oh Carol – I absolutely understand! The closets here are dinky, except the one in the family room which someone added, and it’s full of coats and boots. Let’s put our heads together and brainstorm-do you have room for a skinny cupboard? How about a small, critter-proof outdoor shed – keep it close to the house similar to an old-fashioned summer kitchen? I know you’ll get creative and find a wonderful idea – let me know!
We sold our little farm in the country last spring and moved into town. Our very old farm house had a wonderful pantry and we enclosed a small porch and opened a doorway from the pantry into that area and it became the ‘far pantry’ for lack of a better name. I had so much stuff! With an empty nest I didn’t need to do all the canning, baking and cooking I had been used to doing and didn’t need all that space. So we sure had to downsize and now I have no pantry in our tiny home in town, yet we have everything we need to be a warm and welcoming home where friends gather and coffee or tea are always a moment away. So I guess I’m still a Farmgirl but just in a new location!
I’ve had all kinds of pantries over the years. We were a family of nine and lived an hour away from a big grocery store, so it was imperative to have food storage. There was a small room off the kitchen that served us well. In those days I ground wheat and made bread. The grinder sounded like a jet engine and it was nice to be able to shut the door. In one of our houses the pantry was under the stairs. Now, as empty nesters, we live out in the country again. There is a long utility room off the kitchen. We have a washer and dryer and laundry sink on one side with the water heater at the end corner. On the opposite side is a long set of upper cabinets with tall open shelves in the middle where I store large canning jars full of dry goods and pretty baskets for extra canning stuff, paper goods etc. My buckets of wheat, oatmeal and dog food stand under the upper cabinets. There is room to hang clothes from the dryer and we have hooks for jackets right by the door to the outside carport. We have a deep freezer right outside that door. This house was built in 1970 and full of dark paneling. It took us 4 coats of white pant to transform our pantry. Now I love it! The idea is one can use spaces for multi purposes.
Oh, can you please show us how your completed pantry turns out? I always seem to pick up good ideas, seeing others thought out plans. And thank you for the beautiful snow pictures. In North Carolina, we get some snow, but it melts the next day or so. Many thanks!
Never enough storage space! Our country home is only 35 years old and I wish I had included a pantry in the planning. I use the basement for our extra freezer and have shelves there for canned goods, empty jars, extra paper goods, etc. I lack enough room in my kitchen to store every thing I need. I turned the closet that is in the hall near the kitchen to a mini pantry. I purchased a metal rolling rack with 5 wire shelves. It’s used for crock pots, air fryer. waffle iron, food processor and things that don’t fit in my kitchen cupboards. The closet is still large enough to hold some coats and cleaning supplies in one end. Outdoor wear and boots are in the built-on garage. Unfortunately you don’t have that option, but I’m convinced that you’re going to come with something clever!