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?

Vancouver to Winnipeg

Oh Winterpeg.

After spending an hour shoveling a good foot of snow off my driveway in -30, it seemed like a good time to reflect on the past 6+ months since we uprooted our lives in Vancouver and made Winnipeg, Manitoba our home.

First things first, I want to make it clear that I knew as much about Winnipeg as I do about the planet Pluto (is Pluto still a planet?). I knew it's name (Winnipeg), what it is (a city in Manitoba), and that was about it. I probably thought about Winnipeg just as much as I think about the questionable planet of Pluto. Why would I need to? I lived in beautiful British Columbia, afterall.

Having absolutely no expectations of my own, they were set by the many people who shared their opinions with me. "Oh Jen, it's so cold your eyelashes will freeze shut together and you won't be able to open your eyes!".... "Jen, how are you going to survive? You complain when it's under +10 degrees Celsius!"..... "Oh, I'm so sorry.".... "Winnipeg? What's even there? What will you do?"... And on and on.

Thankfully, these comments helped set some ridiculously low expectations of Winnipeg, of winter, of our entire experience, which has thus far made for a rather pleasant one. You see, Winnipeg really is a great city. Is it Vancouver, (or White Rock)? No, most certainly not. But what it isn't, it also is. It's a great city full of {almost} every amenity you can think of, wrapped up nicely in a neat little package. There's no driving an hour to meet up for dinner with university friends who have since moved across the city. Almost everywhere is within 15 - 20 minutes. From the burbs to the boonies to the boozy epicentre of it all, it's all at arms reach.

I do indeed miss a lot of the natural beauty BC has to offer. The ocean, the mountains, the elevations, the cascading evergreens that climb past the clouds. British Columbia is a spectacular piece of this planet, one I've grown fond of more and more since I've left (you don't know what you've got til it's gone). On the other hand, life is busy. We (people like me) get so wrapped up in reality and daily going ons that taking in this spectacular setting provided to us by mother nature is an event, not a daily occurrence. I remember in the past couple of years taking the dogs down to Crescent Beach to run along the sandbars (well, when they were allowed to between Sept and May) and looking to my husband wondering why we didn't do it more often. Once, maybe twice a season we would do it. Why didn't we go regularly? The same reason we didn't go explore the historic building of Gastown, or the sea wall at Stanley Park, or the fresh market at Granville Island, more often that a couple of times a year. For us, living in the burbs and living life, these were events, not life. For us, moving to Winnipeg hasn't changed a whole lot of what we do day to day.

I know that there are those out there, particularly TRUE Vancouverites who don't move out of the city, who do take in all the city has to offer. To you, I bow my head, and say, stay where you are. There is plenty to enjoy in Winnipeg in the summer, but if you are a Grouse Grinder who enjoys 12 months of outdoor activity, you may not experience the same in Winnipeg.

For us, the transition has been surprisingly easy. Less the obvious reduction in social and familial activities due to being new to to the city, our lives haven't changed a whole lot. Is it cold? Sure is. Is it what I pictured -30 would feel like? Nope. I take the dogs out to go potty without a jacket on, and I live. It's cold, but if you're only outside in short bursts your body doesn't really experience the cold. Thankfully there's not much reason to be outside for longer than a minute at time, unless one is shovelling, in which multiple warm up breaks are required. The daily sunshine that pours through the windows and warms your cheek makes the months of cold worth it.

Cold aside, this city, like everything in life, is what you make of it. There are great festivals and galleries and events, and some of the best selection of food options I've seen within a city. There are lakes, tons and tons of lakes, within close proximity. We had a doggy injury which prevented us from enjoying lake weekends, but they truly are a Winnipeg thing. Lake life. Every weekend. How does it get better than that?

What's almost more exciting than the revelation that Winnipeg is, indeed, not a tiny little farm community, is that there is so much potential. A downtown where no one lives. A city of aging buildings waiting for rejuvenation. A population of people hoping for a place to be proud of. And it's happening. Slowly, but surely. And it's amazing to be here right on the cusp. Too see that potential slowly realized. And we can't wait.