Before and After: Denver Pantry
The Deets
This project began with a phone conversation with the client where she said she felt overwhelmed and uninspired by the pantry. We talked through some things she wanted to see happen—from little things like magnets being removed from the deep freezer, to bigger picture goals, like consolidating all of the baking supplies into one place for easy access since the family loves to bake. The client didn’t want to purchase any unnecessary containers, and the pantry had a lot of built-in shelving and drawers, so our aim was to maximize the space as it was and create a functional, sustainable storage system that the family could intuitively maintain over the years. We were agreed on 2.5 days to complete the project and set a date for an in-person visit where we would take measurements and before photos, write some notes, and begin mapping out the reinvisioned space.
What Went Down
Day 1
We rolled up to our client’s home on a Tuesday morning around 9. A few sips of coffee, a last look at the pantry as we knew it, and we were off to the races. We sorted through the whole pantry item by item, looking at every single expiration date, and then sorting everything into piles based on similarity. This process took a full eight-hour day. We took expired food to the dump, everything else went back onto the pantry shelves in a semi-functional way, so the client had easy access until our return the next day. Before we headed out, we took photos of the progress and made a few notes to inspire thoughts on the space for day two.
Day 2
After reviewing our photos and notes from day one, we realized our original plan for the space—the way we had thought through the drawers—needed to shift a little. We knew we wanted to place most of the smaller items in them, but weren’t sure how we would specifically make it work. The tea drawer needed lots of little dividers we didn't have, and we needed a few containers to help keep snacks separated. So we started day two at the Container Store, where we were able to get more dividers for a low price point. We arrived at the clients home, new little dividers in tow, and got straight to work. This day was all about creating order and functionality with all the sorted food, equipment, and dishware.
We placed items on shelves, in drawers, and in containers, keeping in mind the client’s goals of flexibility and sustainability. We labeled every drawer and container, gave the floor a good sweep and mop, it was officially time to show the client their new and improved pantry. They were so excited and felt a lot more ease when using their pantry.
The stats
Who —This project was completed by Audrey (founder and head organizer, goofy girl, etc.).
Tunes— Most played was definitely Courtney Barnett, but runner up is SZA.
How long?—Total project length was 17 hours.
In the end
We ended up doing a few more projects for this same family (more on that later) and every time we began a new job, we were met with, “I can’t tell you how much we are loving the pantry. It’s made life a lot easier.” This feeling is why we do what we do.
