Home Sweet Home Magazine - November 2021

bottom corner will keep the rack from swinging when you open and close the door. Your pantry door rack can provide additional space and also help you organize your food into categories. You can use it for pasta and sauces, spice jars and packets, soups, condiments, snacks, baking supplies, paper products, drinks or breakfast foods. Of course, the added space doesn’t even have to be for food. Placing cleaning supplies in the attachable shelves means they’ll be easily accessible and organized. Include rags, sponges, cleaners and scrub brushes. Alternately, you can create a gift wrap station, conveniently attached to your door to save you fromdigging through totes or drawers. Organize gift bags, wrap, ribbons, bows, cards, tape and scissors. Step 5 - Make Decisions Think about what really needs to be stored

in the pantry. Could you put the fabric softener in the laundry room, the shampoo under the bathroom sink or the coffee beans in a decorative container on the kitchen counter? Just because batteries and candles were kept in the pantry for the past five years doesn’t mean they have to stay there. Decide what stays and what goes. Donate older or unpopular items to a food bank. For expired items, try posting a quick ad on Craigslist or a Facebook page that advertises free items. Not everyone is scared off by expiration dates, and they will appreciate the gift. Also consider small and large appliances. If they are unused or broken, it’s time to let themgo.

the compartments of the unit are laid out. Also, look at the way the shelf mounts to the door to make sure yours will close properly. Some systems offer movable sections so you can adjust shelf heights to meet your needs. You may also be able to attach bins to hold small items that may not sit on a shelf, such as seasonings or fruit snack packages. You can find pantry door shelves at most department stores, specialty kitchen stores, online or in organizing stores such as Bed, Bath, and Beyond or The Container Store. Pantry door racks are typically very easy to install. Many of them simply hook over the top of the door, securing them into place. Some, however, screw into the door, which provides a more stable attachment. Once loaded, the unit can become quite heavy, so even if the door shelves you choose don’t require hardware, it’s a good idea to reinforce the attachment. Also be aware of the length of your screws. Make sure they are not too long or they will go through to the outside of the door. If your door shelf does not have hooks over the top, ask for help to hold it in place. Thenmake sure the rack is even by using a level across the top or on one of the shelves. Install a few screws to support the system before your helper lets go, then add additional screws as needed. Putting an additional screw in each

HOME SWEET HOME 11

Powered by