Pantry Makeover! Getting rid of those wire shelves with an Ikeahack

I've always loathed wire shelving in all it's forms... but I do understand why they are used. Lightweight, easy to install, and cost effective - they seem to be the shelving of choice for builders du jour. If you're stuck with unsightly wire shelving - I have the solution for you!

After trying to figure out a way to do built-ins on our own and without custom cabinetry, I turned to the trusted and faithful BILLY from Ikea. Billy comes in two depths (12 and 15 inches I believe), and by choosing the shallower of the two, I not only gave myself some extra space in our walk through pantry, but I avoided the "black hole" - where food items get lost and never used because they are way in the back. You'd never know these are budget bookcases - they look like they were designed to be in a pantry.

 This set up allows for two rows of jars or a bin which makes everything incredibly easy to locate and things don't get lost in Neverneverland. We trimmed out the bottom and the centre (where the two bookcases meet) with some simple baseboard trim to make it look like a single unit. Had we had more time in this house (oh, did I mention we are moving! Another post :) - I would have gone much further like some of the Billy built-ins I found on Pinterest and put crown on the top to really give it that built-in look. I also might have wallpapered or stenciled the back, but I was far too indecisive to settle on anything.

Before our pantry overhaul, my pantry sadly looked like this (can't believe I'm sharing this!).

Granted, I knew we were ripping it all out so I didn't invest any time in making it pretty - seriously, how big of a transformation is that?

Taking out the wire shelving, patching and painting was a bit of a task (the wire shelves were anchored with some pretty serious drywall screws) - but my husband and father-in law tackled it like pros.

I customized my shelf heights to the heights of my jars and was so happy how it all worked out - another big plus about this project is how easy it is to adjust shelf height to accommodate different sized items - something you can't do with wire shelves.

Despite the depth being absolutely perfect for this project, the width did not line up perfectly. I toyed with the idea of building in an extension so the pantry fit the entire width of the space - but instead opted for a chalkboard diy wine shelf (upcoming post!). The little gap (just less than a foot) was good for putting large Costco acquisitions before I had a chance to properly put away, but could also have used it to store a broom or a small foot stool.

While the pantry doesn't always look as clutter-free as these images, the reality is pretty darn close. I've found it really easy to maintain when you have a home for everything. I wanted to redo my labels prior to this post, but with the move ahead just didn't have the time. These labels are going on 2.5 years and still kicking - although some have definitely seen better days. I'm still amazed at how long they've held up though!

Have you ever used a Billy in a non-bookcase way? Do you have wire shelves you hate as much as I do?

New Pantry Label Collections | 204 Labels including Basics, Vegan, Gluten Free, Baking, Bins and more!

Three new collections.

Three different colourways.

Loads of organizing prettiness!

Introducing the "Starter Pantry", the "Healthy Pantry" (with vegan and gluten free options) and "Bins and Containers" in Chalk it Up (Chalkboard), Retro Blue, and Vintage Aloha (Floral).

I was so excited about these new labels that I spent an entire weekend stripping my pantry of all my old labels and re-labelling over 200 jars and containers. They are still similar to my previous labels, but just a fresh take on them, incorporating new fonts and a more customizable label format (keep as an easy to cut rectangle or square, or trim down to create curvy labels). Not to mention, these instant download files include so many pantry items that I think most kitchens will be fully covered and then some!

Stay tuned for a big post on my pantry re-labelling, including my experience with my previous labels that lived in my pantry for 2.5 years, as well as tips on storing in containers, durability of labels, and much more!

"Retro Blue" above, a fresh take on my classic "Vintage Blue" labels

"Retro Blue" mix and matched with "Vintage Aloha"

"Retro Blue" Collection

"Chalk it Up" Collection

"Retro Blue" mix and matched with "Vintage Aloha"

Keep the standard square corners (a la top right chalkboard label) or trim further and curve the corners for fancy detail!

"Vintage Aloha"

"Retro Blue" Collection

A BIG thank you to Shellyarm, moviemel, Joyce Sulit, Whitney, Kim, Diana's Life, Chapman family, katie, Gigi and Jen Jones for leaving your label feedback  - it definitely helped steer the direction of these collections! Please email me at thepapersociety@gmail.com and let me know which labels you would like gratis! 

Visit The Paper Society on etsy.

Label Input | Reward: Free Labels!

It's been a long time coming, but I'm hoping to revamp The Paper Society with some fresh new labels. Since moving and starting a full-time job which leaves little time for custom labels orders, I am hoping to add more "ready-designed" sets to the Etsy shop, but also want to make sure that customers don't miss out on the variety of labels that they need - so I'm asking you for help!

(My fridge does not actually look like this - see here for more)

1) What are your top pantry items that you would be likely to decant into a container and want a label for?

2) Would you prefer smaller rectangular labels, slightly larger square labels, or a mixture of both?

3) What colour(s) would be your preference for pantry labels?

4) Would you also like to see fridge labels and other household labels included in the collection?

5) What do you think of having different collections to choose from like "Baking", "Essentials", "Gluten Free", Vegan", "UK/Aus-Specific"? I get so many request for different types of labels that perhaps it would be nice to have  choice?

And to thank you for your time, anyone who contributes their two cents will get a code to use on etsy for a free download of any of my ready-designed labels (including the TBD new collections!)

Thank you all so much for your feedback! xo


And if it's looking different around here - it's because it is. This is my very temporary trying-to-get-through blog design until I actually get the time to revamp the blog as well!

Inside your Pantry | The Paper Society

Every time I get an order on etsy for The Paper Society, one of the first things I do is check out the invoice and see where on earth my labels are going to end up. I am BEYOND fascinated that in this crazy world, I can have my label designs in pantries from Australia, to the UK, to Texas. It. Blows. My. Mind. I know it shouldn't, because that is the nature of the international web marketplace, but still, I am amazed.

Even my husband (who gets the paypal notifications to his email) comments when he sees an order and says something along the lines of "Hey hunny, your labels are going to Germany! You're my idol! Want me to make you some schnitzel?"...Ok, I made up that bit.

I also love hearing and seeing what people do with my labels and how they organize their pantries. There are some very talented and organized people out there and I have seen a fair share of magazine worthy pantry makeovers. Melanie's has got to be one of my faves.

Melanie lives in NYC, and if that isn't enough to make you a wee bit jealous, she's also a very driven entrepreneur. Her company Elizabeth and Clarke is little bit genius, a lot bit functional. I don't live in the city but I do get the hassle of running around from shop to shop trying to find staples. Elizabeth and Clarke takes all the hassel and guess work out of stocking your wardrobe with the essentials. Ease and affordablity- I like that.

Back to pantries! Melanie has used the OXO pop up containers that I absolutely adore. They seal perfectly airtight, and in a day and age where so many things are short lived and disposable, I do feel like these containers will stand the test of time. I only have a couple but hope to one day outfit my pantry with some more of them!

The jars for the vinegars are also genius! I have a handful of sparkling wine bottles with this type of lid that could so easily be repurposed. And, decanting keeps everything looking the same, so what's not to love!

Are you having pantry envy yet?

I sure am ;)

xo J