DIY Pantry Makeover (Before and After)

It’s time to reveal our budget friendly DIY pantry makeover! What used to be a messy builder grade pantry is now beautiful, organized, and easy to maintain. Grocery shopping is easier because we can see what we have, which also helps prevent food waste. My kids can reach all of their own snacks–hallelujah chorus–and I’ve been making healthier snack choices too. Am I overselling this pantry refresh?! Haha. I’m just so happy with how it turned out. Keep reading for inspiring pantry before and after photos and all the details.

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DIY Pantry Makeover Before

Here is our pantry “before” with builder grade wire shelves.

We were using plastic baskets for organization but it wasn’t great. We couldn’t see what was inside the baskets, and they were usually overflowing with plastic packaging.

The cereal boxes were wobbly on the wire shelves and perhaps worst of all, my kids couldn’t reach them!

I spent a lot of time researching the best pantry shelves and storage containers. And I’m so happy with how our DIY pantry makeover turned out! Ready to see it?

DIY Pantry Makeover After (The Reveal)

Pantry container sources + details in this post!

I still can’t believe this is the same pantry. It is so much more functional (and pretty). I will share a cost breakdown and DIY pantry makeover ideas below, but first–here are some more photos! What do you think?

If you are interested, I shared all of our pantry containers and how much food they hold in this post.

DIY Pantry Makeover Cost Breakdown

I already shared detailed cost breakdowns in this post and this post, but here is the grand total:

• Pantry Shelves: $217
• Pantry Containers: $540
• Tax: ~$53
• Pantry Makeover Total Cost: $810

For comparison, the Elfa pantry I considered was over $1,400 just for shelving (no containers).

While I wouldn’t consider this project cheap by any means, it was a budget friendly option for us compared to a top of the line shelving system or custom pantry. I am so pleased with the balance of value and quality!

DIY Pantry Makeover Ideas

Here’s a recap of how I completed our DIY pantry makeover. I will link to all of my other blog posts that give more details!

Replace Wire Pantry Shelves

I started this DIY pantry makeover last month by replacing our wire shelves.

After researching different options, I chose affordable track shelving from The Home Depot. Check out the post for a cost breakdown and new pantry shelving installation tips.

Paint Pantry Walls (or Install Wallpaper)

In the process of replacing the shelves, I also painted the interior of the pantry. I used Village Green by Behr in satin finish because I had some leftover from our powder room. Another option is to use peel and stick wallpaper in your pantry. Here is a beautiful example by my friend Tiffany!

Update Pantry Containers and Organizers

To finish up our pantry refresh, I researched the best pantry storage containers + organizers. This included cereal dispensers, airtight food storage containers, baskets, labels, etc. Check out the post for a cost breakdown, plus tips for how much each container holds by volume or weight.

This project has been a month in the making but it was worth it! I hope you found all of the blog posts helpful and inspiring. More to come, including small pantry organizing tips, so stay tuned! Xo,