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qhound

Pantry Door

qhound
15 years ago

We've recently moved into a new home and need to do some serious organizing!

Anyhow....I've got a zillion different spices, and storing them in a kitchen cabinet just doesn't seem to be working for me. I've tried some three tier shelves that my wife bought, but I don't care for them...I never seem to be able to find what I'm looking for.

I found an over the door type rack from Elfa @ The Container Store that looks pretty good. Just wondering if anybody here has used this unit, or something similar and can share their opinions? I'd like to use this on the back of our pantry door.

Thanks

Here is a link that might be useful: Elfa Rack

Comments (12)

  • nancyjeanmc
    15 years ago

    I use a similar one; kind of an Elfa knock off, but the organizers on the television show Clean House are always singing their praises. Might be in exchange for serious discounts when they use the product on the show, but I love the concept. I use mine inside the basement door and wall for canned goods. Everything front and center and easy to see.

  • wantoretire_did
    15 years ago

    I have one on the same idea as that but from WM and was, as I recall, around $15 :-) Have had it for several years and it's worked out very well.

  • sundownr
    15 years ago

    I have those elfa shelves on my pantry doors and love them. I looked around for months (in stores and on the web) and couldn't find anything to hold as much as these do. I originally bought them for one door and ended up buying a second one for the other door.

    I don't have a picture of the second one but I bought the deeper shelves for it. I store the boxes and jars there (broths, peanut butter, spag sauce, popcorn etc). They hold quite a bit

    {{!gwi}}

  • mustangs81
    15 years ago

    wow! I want a real door on my pantry--not that stupid bi-fold

  • phyl345
    15 years ago

    can these be attached to the door itself instead of hooking over the door? ~~ doesn't it *show* on the outside of the door?

  • sundownr
    15 years ago

    I'm pretty sure you can attach them to the door but don't know how that would work since my pantry doors are hollow. They do hook over and under the door and you can see about 3/8" by 2". My doors are white and the bracket is too so it doesn't stick out like a sore thumb. I believe these come in stainless also.

  • evilbunnie
    15 years ago

    I have the version that attaches to the door, and it cannot be seen from the other side. But it's the same concept, with the central rail and the adjustable baskets attaching to the rail. Very handy for the many spices.

  • Frankie_in_zone_7
    15 years ago

    I feel your pain--I have tons of different spices and seasonings, and I love having all my spices right at hand and going hmmm, what do I want to try in this--it's just how I like to cook--so I have installed on the wall a series of 3 wooden spice racks, plus I have a decorative countertop shelf/drawer system for the ones that are two big for the rack. I don't like putting all spices in identical containers, though I try to have most in the small jar size--it takes too much energy to always come out right for matching containers.

    The advantage of the Elfa type system is that it can handle odd sizes, larger volumes and tons of different spices. The disadvantage is walking over and getting stuff, but that may be outweighed by the organizing advantage of having a definite "place for everything" when it's time to put them back.

    In thinking about a kitchen remodel, one priority for me is creating an at-hand spice system that's big enough and flexible enough--one rack or one spice drawer won't do it! Oh, and oils and vinegars, too.

  • qhound
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Thanks for the pic....I ended up getting the Elfa rack. We may end up getting another one for the closet door too!

  • cynic
    15 years ago

    I think most of us have way too many spices anyway! I tried all different things to organize them and finally realized that I use the same 5 or 6 all the time and the rest, well some are used only for baking, some only for another time, etc. I now keep the often used in a small basket next to the stove and the rest in a tote on the shelf. Someday I'll break off the baking stuff and have in a separate tote but I don't bake much anymore so there's no big rush.

  • ronbre
    15 years ago

    well in our home i dont' have a place for an over the door or on the back of the door rack, but what i use might work for some of you. I use a drawer..i put the items in the drawer in alphabetical order so that i can always find them without searching so far, i lay them label up in the drawer in rows..i have A at the back of the drawer and go from there..if there are different sizes you can always have a row of small and a row of large, both alphabetical.

  • Frankie_in_zone_7
    15 years ago

    I spent some time recently "organizing" my spices and came to the conclusion that a) even though I love trying exotic recipes, I need to "focus" on several main styles (even for oriental cooking and Indian, you can get quite far on several basic spices and condiments--the rest you can order from a restaurant!).

    I felt I was being taken over by specialty products and that was making my storage more crowded, hard to find stuff.
    Then I keep weird stuff--shrimp boil, when I last did that several years ago--and I know that if I actually had a party or something, I would buy fresh, if at all. Also, so much of "mixes" could be reasonably reproduced by 3 or 4 ingredients I use more often.On the other hand, I figured out that there are a few specialty pre-prepared sauces that taste better than what I've been able to come up with--a few Indian and Thai products fit in this category--you know the kind that just turn out good every time--and so I tend to gravitate to those, and can give up the individual ingredients.

    I also bake rather infrequently, but keep several typical spices we use from time to time, and I've always kept them right at hand; yet, I already have a more out-of-the-way baking storage area for baking powder, soda, cocoa, mixer, pans--so I've decided to move the cloves, nutmeg and so forth to a little carrier in that area.

    The other problem I have is that DH insists on buying the large size of everything--he just does the math on the price per oz or whatever--I can't get him to see that then "someone" has to figure out where to put it!

    This is a long road to this change in philosophy, because both DH and I like to eat foods made with different spices and seasonings, and it seemed to be some kind of badge of adventurousness to keep so many things on hand--plus I thought it seemed convenient. I just finally figured out that I don't really use nearly as many as I actually have on the shelves, and I want more clear space for other actual FOOD ingredients to cook with the spices.