Blisshaus #5: The Tiny Broom Closet Pantry

The broom closet-turned-pantry in this San Francisco home is narrow and small.  We used Blisshaus magic to make it brilliantly functional and tidy.

 

The family:


With two little boys and one big doggie, this San Francisco family was super-busy with school, sports, and hikes to the park. They cooked a lot from scratch and were frustrated with their cluttered pantry that just seemed too small for their needs.

 

The kitchen:


Their 1920s home is a classic San Francisco Victorian with high ceilings, original carvings, and loads of charm. The kitchen is a mix of original, 100-year-old cabinets, and an island updated in the late 1970s.

Back in the 70s, the broom closet was converted into the pantry closet. Narrow and dark, the small space was bursting with foodstuff for the family.  
It was difficult to find ingredients in the closet, as bags, cans, and boxes with tea, rice, beans, crackers, and all sorts of goodies were squeezed onto shelves. The food even overflowed onto the floor.  

 
 

The makeover:


We knew that this broom closet pantry was going to be tricky. When we started the project, we weren't sure how exactly we would fit all the different food into the space.

The boys love their cereal. The big dog needs loads of kibble. And mom is a fabulous baker who makes conventional and gluten-free goodies. Add to that the tea collection, a broad set of spices, and the assortment of essential oils for aromatherapy, and there was not much wiggle room in the kitchen.  

 

The breakthrough:


Our big ah-ha moment came when we discovered that the Blisshaus jars fit perfectly lying flat on their sides on the shelves in the pantry. This allowed us to keep all the food in one space and maximize the utility of the pantry closet.
Sliding in the jars was such a great moment. The little closet magically turned from a dusty, cluttered nook into a neat, clean pantry.  
The white labels brighten up the tiny room and make it easy for anybody to find the food they are looking for. We knew the family was going to love it.

 

We also decided to declutter two junk drawers and convert them to dedicated spice drawers. This allowed us to use the side shelves in the pantry closet for teas and extra jars.

 
 
Spices Before:
 
Spices After:

The reveal:
The kitchen was a big project. We emptied all shelves, scrubbed them down, decanted all the food into jars, labeled them, and sorted them into the pantry.
After 30 hours of work, our reward was the grand reveal.

We had created special spots for every family member:  The boys got their own cereal shelf with all cereals in jumbo jars on a shelf low enough for the boys to reach.  Mom got her baking pantry in the overhead cabinet by the counter she uses to bake. Dad loves the two drawers of spices. And the dog food now was no longer in a big garbage bin that smelled of kibble, but in air-tight jars that make it easy for the boys to feed the dog.

 

What is the best part about this Blisshaus kitchen?
Adding Blisshaus jars and logic to the tiny closet added tremendous functionality and that oh-so-coveted feeling of an organized pantry to this old house.
In the end, you might not need a big kitchen remodel to improve the flow and feel of your space. Start with a Blisshaus makeover. That way you know exactly what space you'll need when it's time for updating your kitchen.

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