What a wild ride my pantry has taken me on over the last six months! I’ve gotten a few great questions about how things have been working for us, so I thought I’d do a little update post with some current UNSTAGED photos. It also gives me a chance to brag about some of the fun features the pantry has received and talk a little about the negativity such features bring.
In case you are new here, last fall I participated in the One Room Challenge and gave my walk in pantry a chic makeover. You can start here and re-live the six week project. Or just click the image below to skip to the reveal. Some of the weekly update posts are comedy gold though, so skipping them will mean skipping some certain laughs. #humble
So many bloggers were kind and included the pantry in round ups of their favorite ORC makeovers. Since then, blogs I am in awe of like IHeartOrganizing and 11MagnoliaLane have done features (pinch me!).
The coolest and yet most disturbing thing to come out of the pantry makeover was a write up on Good Housekeeping’s website. They wrote an entire article about me. What??? I didn’t know it was coming, so suddenly seeing a bunch of traffic from goodhousekeeping.com was an amazing surprise. It actually felt like an out of body experience!
Then it got ugly.
I made the big mistake of reading what their followers thought of the pantry. My goodness people can be mean and judgmental. I think the comments hurt more because I had poured everything I had into this space. It wasn’t a 15 minute project, it was the first space that really reflected me. The fact that the comments were overwhelmingly negative was a downer on what should have been a very happy day.
I read that I was rich and spoiled (trust me, I would NOT have tiled that wall on my own if I was rich and/or spoiled).
I read that I “cheated” because cookbooks were missing (obviously that was just ridiculous because everyone should purge when they organize, but multiple people said it).
I read “it must be nice” (yep, it is, working hard and seeing the fruits of your labor IS nice).
I read that I never cook (wrong again, I should have invited some of them to dinner).
I read that it would never stay pretty and organized and that it was clearly “staged” for photos (yep, it was staged for photos, that’s why it was picked up by Good Housekeeping to BE featured). But it was also designed to be easy to keep organized every day.
I don’t expect everyone to like everything I do, we all have unique styles and tastes. I could live without them telling me they hate things, but really, that is still a valid opinion. What I didn’t understand was people not liking things for reasons that aren’t reality.
It made me think about all the inaccurate snap judgments many of us make every single day when we see snippets of life on social media. I don’t think I ever have or ever will blurt out my snap judgments back at people, but my thoughts are not always filled with sugarplums. Reading all the totally inaccurate things people assumed about me made me acutely aware of thoughts I’ve had that were probably wrong.
Ever seen someone on a amazing vacation and snidely thought that they probably put it on credit cards? I have. So petty and immature. But it tricks me into not being jealous because I can tell myself we choose not to do a credit card vacation and that’s why the random person is on a beach and I’m not. It may be true, or it may not, but either way it’s ridiculous and none of my business.
Recognizing these thoughts as harmful is huge. How much happier would I be if I didn’t try to over-analyze things I see and instead focused on what brings me joy? If you’ve ever read more than meets the eye into photos or limited interactions with people, I challenge you to step back and remember you may be right, you may be wrong, but the assumptions serve no positive purpose.
If I want to be on the beach, I need to prioritize being on the beach.Spending less, working extra, whatever it takes. It’s in my control and has nothing to do with the innocent people sharing their joy in photos. In fact, I should be HAPPY they scouted out whatever beach they are at and reported back how great it was.
Thankfully that is my thought process most of the time, but I wanted to acknowledge I’ve made these ugly assumptions in the past myself. I don’t have an unhealthy beach lust, it was just the first real example that popped into my mind. 🙂
My challenge to you is to be aware of any negative assumptions you are making about people. Switch your thinking to something positive if it happens. Let’s all be a little bit happier this week!
That concludes the sermon portion of this post, let get back to pantry organizing!
I’m going to cover all the questions I remember getting, but if I miss something you are curious about, let me know and I’ll add it.
How are the Dollar Tree painted bins holding up? Pretty good! I think they actually would have been even better if they had time to cure for a few days before I put them into use. Two of them chipped in the first couple days, but I haven’t noticed anything since then. You can see the spot on the front of the gold bin below. The other flaw is on the side of the white bin on the left. I’m sure I’ll touch them up at some point, but they are both pretty minor issues. I’d do it again for sure.
How does the painted cabinet hardware look now? The hardware I painted gold is still holding up wonderfully. No scratches or dings anywhere. It’s working so well that I’m pretty sure I’m going to do the same hardware in the kitchen. I bought enough when I did the pantry to include the kitchen, but planned on leaving it silver. Now I’m thinking I might as well go gold with it too…and maybe change out the faucet to match? Unless hubby deletes this whole thought when he proofreads. I’m pretty sure he isn’t going to be thrilled I want to change the 3 year old faucet that we paid to upgrade when we built the house 🙂
The fridge handle is still looking good too. Minus some fingerprints…someone should clean that!
Do you still like the can storage organizers? YES!!! They work brilliantly for us. People seemed EXTREMELY concerned that there wasn’t enough room, but we often have free space. I took the picture below today without any staging. I’m a little concerned that we only have one can of RO*TEL right now, but that’s my biggest problem in this area. I love that boxes of broth and bigger jars fit on the racks in addition to cans. It is SO much easier to see what we have on hand now, even when we are slacking and don’t rotate the labels perfectly forward.
Where did you get the labels for the bins? This is my favorite question because it led me to open the Etsy shop to sell the labels! #shamelessselfpromotion
What would you change now that you’ve lived with the pantry for six months? I really loved this question because it made me think! The only thing I’ve changed is adding a few more containers, which I’ve yet to label or organize on the shelf. The additions were needed because we started eating and shopping differently. Buying more from the bulk bins at Sprouts meant I needed more containers to avoid tons of bags all over the counters.
The poor napkin cow needs to be refilled, he’s getting too thin 🙂
The only thing I did to “stage” the photos today was wiping down the counters and putting my nephews Play-doh mat and cutters away. Even though I’ve got a couple extra boxes of pasta and obviously need to do the dishes because some coffee cups are missing, the space is still as organized as it was on day one. Spending the time to really plan out an organization project makes all the difference in the world. In fact, the rest of the house is pretty cluttered at the moment. We are not naturally neat people. But with a clear system, we’ve at least got a neat pantry!
So far, I’m also still happy we didn’t seal the chalk mural to make it permanent. We haven’t accidentally messed it up yet (knocking on my wood desk now)!
Now Let’s Chat: What questions did I miss?
Can you think of a time you’ve made assumptions when you shouldn’t have?
Scroll down to comment!
Post shared at: The Creative Circle
Natasha at The Simply Luxe Life says
I loved your pantry 6 months ago, and I love it just as much now. Congrats on the features – they were well deserved! It’s frustrating that the internet can be such a hateful place, but at least you have that lovely pantry to look at every day AND the pride in a job you rocked. I can’t wait to see what you do this ORC go-around!
Melissa George says
Thank you Natasha! I can’t believe it starts next week. I’m bringing some fun and function to our disaster of a garage this round. It’s a little terrifying to take on a space so much bigger than the pantry!
Katie @ Addicted 2 DIY says
I think it still looks amazing and I love everything you did in there! Haters gonna hate, but I think anyone would be jealous of a pantry as pretty and organized as this!
Linda says
It is beautiful and functional! It is so sad that people have to be mean 🙁
Elizabeth says
We are getting ready to tackle a pantry overhaul and yours is the one I keep coming back to for inspiration. I love it so much that there is not much I’m going to do differently! Imitation is the purest form of flattery right?! 🙂 I really enjoyed this post. I too get really bummed when I see people being so mean on the Internet. But it was a nice reminder that no one is perfect, including myself. Xoxo!
Melissa George says
So glad you enjoyed the post and “got it”! PLEASE send me pics of your pantry when it’s done. I’d love to see it!
Sara says
I can’t believe people would say mean things about a pantry! And YOUR pantry especially… It’s amazing!!
holly says
We’ve all made hasty judgements or assumptions about other people. Live & learn. Stand behind your choices proudly & don’t worry about some negative comments. The world is filled with many diverse people who may not see things the way you & I see them. What counts is your beliefs, your thoughts, your needs, your family, your home & the life you are building together.
Melissa George says
Great advice and encouragement Holly, thank you so much!
Suzanne Beech says
First off i want to say that your pantry is the reason i started following you. You are very talented! I am going to use some of your ideas in my pantry -it is not a walk in, but you have some very good ideas that can be implemented in any pantry.
Keep your chin up ….focus on the good things…..there are a lot of people that love what you do…..and appreciate your talent. THANK YOU!!!!!
Amy W says
I love it just as much now a little less styled as when I first saw it! Just lovely and you should be SO SO proud of your excellent work!
Sarah Vogel says
The Good Housekeeping link led me to your perfect pantry and YOU! I love all your projects, and your insights…keep being your amazing self, and don’t give one thought to strangers whose jealousy and envy are disguised behind anonymous hate. It is human nature to criticize others when something in our own lives is wrong, or lacking. It makes us feel better, somehow, in a sad way. I believe everyone struggles with this at one time or another. Unfortunately, the internet has made it easier our inner ugly to come out. I appreciate that you always are encouraging and uplifting! That is why you and your business is being blessed!!!!
Melissa George says
Oh my gosh Sarah, I didn’t know you found me through the Good Housekeeping article! I’m so excited to know that it brought me such an awesome follower. Thanks for your encouragement and kind words!
Sarah Vogel says
Just woke up to horrible and scary news of tornadoes (again) in your area……are you okay??!!?? Prayers….
Melissa George says
Yes! Thank you for thinking of us! It was a scary evening with the sirens going off several times, but the worst of it stayed north of our house.
Janet says
Glad you recognized that people say mean things impulsively. Jealousy, envy, entitlement, depression, etc. are but a few reasons negative comments are made. It takes a wise and insightful person to see that. I bet everyone that said something negative used one of your ideas!
I loved it and have referred to it several times and I’m already super neat! 😉 Keep up the great posts. There are a lot of us out here who love what you do.
Melissa George says
Thank you! I’m so glad you were able to take ideas from the pantry into your own home.
Vicki Bucy says
I am finally in my “forever” house and your pantry has been such an inspiration to me. Your’s is a little more “over the top” than I would have … that doesn’t mean I don’t love it. I am now in the planning stages to purchase enough oxo cannisters to complete the entire pantry and am planning to store my cans as you have. As someone else said, haters gonna hate. I don’t understand it, but it happens all the time, not just on the internet.
Keep up the great work and keep us updated.
Mom2Smithboys says
I’m sorry you received such a bad taste of comments from GH readers. That really surprises me. Let me tell you that your pantry post was inspirational and I admired all your hard work. You have a gifted eye for making it all work in a cohesive manner. So, continue to do what you do for those of us who aspire to get organized and are looking to people like yourself for ideas.
Melissa George says
Thank you so much! I’m definitely barreling full steam ahead to the next big One Room Challenge makeover – it starts next Thursday and I hope it will be just as inspiring!
June says
It’s a shame that folks didn’t learn manners. I love your pantry! It’s one of the reasons I started following you. Don’t stop being you.
Emily-Grace says
Mamacita, you rock! Not just because of your incredible talent, but also because of your beautiful spirit! It would have been easy to to be nasty back to people who had been nasty to you, but instead you used it to fuel a self reflective and honest evaluation of the uglier parts of all of us! You are an inspiration in eleventy-zillion ways (that’s totally a number, I swear). We could all stand to be so kindhearted and wise!
The pantry DOES still look fab, btdubs. And a huge congratulations on being featured by Good Housekeeping! You clearly work very hard on your home, your pics and your blog and you totally deserve all the good life has to bring!
xo!
Melissa George says
Thank you so much! Such a sweet comment Emily-Grace. Thanks for putting a big smile on my face!
Jeanne says
I am only jealous that you HAVE a pantry! LOL I am working on turning our “mud room” into a pantry/mud room. It is a big room that has build in cabinets on one end. I think they are too deep and would like to tear them out and just put up open shelves with a few select closed spaces. This is the only front entrance to the house we live in and I would like to create a sort of “entry” area, too. the fridge is in there also because there isn’t room in the kitchen. I have gotten many ideas from your pantry and will let you know how this goes! LOL
Kathy says
Gosh, it just amazes me that people can be so negative. I can’t imagine anything being said in a critical light about your pantry. It’s stunning, organized, practical, and you have proved 6-months down the road it still works. In fact it inspired me to cover my white fridge handle with washi tape this week for a fun update. I also love spray painting pulls/knobs and am working on a kitchen update in our rental as we speak. 😉 I loved reading your thoughts and opinions about hitting it “big time”! A well deserved feature. 🙂 Thanks for sharing with us at The Creative Circle.
Melissa George says
Oh my gosh, I haven’t seen you fridge handle yet. Heading over to oogle over it now!
Brittany says
What a gorgeous pantry!
Melissa George says
Thank you Brittany!
Jilletta says
Jilletta
April 10, 2015 6:49 am
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
I think your work is amazing and anyone who would post negative things about all your hard work are simply jealous because they either don’t have the space or time or ambition to do it for themselves. I am pinning this to my pinterest site because one day I WILL be able to make myself a nice area like this but currently have higher priority projects that have to come first (a leaky roof needs my attention first – go figure?). The bins that you use – you don’t have to be rich to get them, I see ones like those at the Dollar Store all the time so if you spend $20 and then buy some paint you could get the same look. Your ideas are wonderful and I appreciate that you shared your process and results with us.
Melissa George says
Yes, yes, yes!!! Your message that it is possible, even if it’s a ways in the future, is exactly what I want to share on this blog. When I was 19, married, living in a 450 Sq foot apartment, with neither of us in college and making just over minimum wage, I toured houses like the one I have now and had no doubts that one day I would have my own. That isn’t everyone’s dream, but if it is, you can set your eyes on it and make sacrifices along the way to make it happen. It isn’t easy, and everyone will have different barriers to overcome, but having a postive attitude about what is possible in the world goes almost as far as the hard work it takes to achieve your dreams. Good luck with your roof, that is such a bummer of a project. The joys of home ownership.
Sweet says
This is amazing. well done with that. I liked the coffee station so much.
Zanzibarz says
I saw an article featuring you and your craft room in a craft magazine, and I liked what you had to say so much that I’ve signed up to get blog updates. There are mean people out there who thrive on negativity. Don’t let them get to you because you have great ideas and an unique blog ‘voice.’
Also, your pantry is downright lovely. Your hard work and vision show through in this space.
Melissa George says
Well you just made my day! I appreciate you taking the time to sign up after the article AND letting me know you love my blog voice. Having a unique voice is hard in a world with so many talented people, so your encouragement is priceless!