A Clean Pantry

I don't know who designs pantries in apartments but I'd certainly like a word with them. About 75% of the space is hard to reach. I am an organized person. I like everything in its place. Bob is a pitch it and see where it lands kind of guy. You got it, we can't even agree on organizing the kitchen pantry.

When we moved in here I organized the pantry. I made a valiant effort at keeping it organized but alas, Bob won. It grew worse over time. The last time Susan visited she informed me I needed to do something about the pantry because it was really bad. I was quick to point out the problem was her father (I love doing that).

Bob had decided the Elfa type shelves weren't strong enough to hold heavy canned goods. On his own he had removed everything heavy from the shelves and placed the items in bins in the floor of the pantry.

I'd like to point out I thought that was a crappy idea, but then who am I? I had no idea what was in the bins, and was not about to get on my hands and knees when I needed a can of something.

Bob, on the other hand, loved the idea. He felt needed because when I wanted something I yelled for him to find it. He'd get down on one knee with his trusty little red flashlight (he loves that flashlight) and eventually he would come up with the requested item.

It was compromise time. Time to get creative. Eventually a plan developed. I informed him a change had to happen. He didn't see what the problem was but I persisted. I had in my closet a tall skinny folding bookcase that wasn't being used. I gave him three choices, he could put that wood bookcase in his bedroom or in his bathroom and put the canned goods on it, or he could put the canned goods back on the pantry shelves. It was his choice, but I had to be able to see what we had. I left that to sit awhile and went on my way. In about two hours the bookcase magically appeared in the entry hall closet. Good thinking Bob, I hadn't thought of that.

We then set to work organizing what was left. He likes to bake and I don't. In keeping with his system of organization I dumped everything related to baking in a bin in the bottom of the pantry. Wonder where I got that idea? I then proceeded to organize the rest in orderly fashion.

Another crisis avoided. Heavy canned goods are not on the pantry shelves, but on wood shelves in the entry hall.  That works. Every couple of days I scan the pantry to see where the pitch system organizer has pitched something. It takes very little effort to restore order.

He's happy and I'm happy. Been doing this kind of thing for 54 years.

What's your experience with pantries?