Decorchick’s pantry remodel features six lazy-Susan “carousels” that transformed her food closet from frenzied to fantastic.
“They’re the best idea ever,” says Emily, aka Decorchick. “I knew the carousels would be great. They make the pantry more organized, and that’s just what I wanted.”

Emily’s “before” pantry was a riot of cereal boxes, peanut butter jars, baking goods, aluminum foil, and assorted canned goods. Items disappeared into the deep recesses of the corner cabinet, rarely to be seen again. And the pantry floor was a mess of onion sacks, cleaning tools, and supplies.

“It was a wreck,” Emily says.

Luckily, Emily’s dad, an engineer who does woodworking as a hobby, was experimenting with making lazy Susans. A pantry solution, it seems, would be a turn of fate. Actually, six turns.

Emily and Dad installed the six homemade, 20-inch diameter lazy Susans into the center of the pantry shelves. Now, stuff that had been hard to reach is always within grasp. The carousels have been loaded with pantry items for two years, and they’re still in perfect condition.

Pretty as a Pantry

Emily wanted her pantry to look as good as it operated. Here’s how she further upgraded the space:

• Lined the walls with paintable, faux beadboard wallpaper — fantastic! ($20 for 56 square feet)

• Touched up shelves with paint.

• Transferred baking and dried goods into big glass canisters, mason jars, and plastic containers ($2 to $9).

• Identified canisters with vinyl labels ($9) marked with erasable chalk pens.

• Spruced up the way-high space under the pantry’s 9-foot ceiling with a cheery wreath she bought at a resale shop. So why not?

Now, Emily’s pantry is a joy to behold.

“I wanted to get a glass door, so I could see into the pantry,” she says. “It’s just so pretty.”