Tuesday, February 17, 2015

The Lazy Susan, Reinvented!!

In the last few years, I have rediscovered my love for cooking.
With that, comes an ever growing collection of spices,
and a "spice organizational system" unable to handle all the 
new members.

So in keeping with my love of being organized, I found a new
way to organize all the spices in my cooking cabinet.

Here's a peek at the spice cabinet, before...
it did not photograph well,
but you get the idea.

It was easy to access everything on the bottom shelf,
but trying to get to anything on row two or three, 
always involved something falling off row one.

Here's what you will need for this project.
Each Lazy Susan required two cake pans and two bags of marbles.
I made two for my spice cabinet.

This update was done on the cheap, with everything purchased at 
Dollar Tree, for under 10 bucks.

Fill cake pan number one with two bags of marbles,

 then place cake pan number two on top of the marbles.


 And there you have it, easy, peasy, you've created the perfect Lazy Susan 
for inside your kitchen cabinets for fours bucks.

And it really spins, beautifully...and provides easy access
to everything.

I was surprised to see, it held 11 spices. 

 10 on this one, for the spices less used.
Both fit, side by side in the cabinet.

 I loved the idea so much, that I went back and made one for the pantry,
as I was having the same problem in there.
My home is "older" the pantry is deep
and the shelves don't slide out.
This one is perfect for my oils, vinegars, pam...pantry stuff.

 These little buckets were 2 for $ 1.00 and are the perfect size 
for nuts, snacks and granola bars.

 On one of the pantry doors, I hung some pretty art,

the other door holds my perpetual calendar.
The link for that free, printable calendar can be found here.

This was such an easy update, that is so functional and one 
I really LOVE!!!

Sharing today's entry with
Stephanie at The Enchanting Rose
Stop by and say Hi!
There are lot's are very talented people there!!

36 comments:

The Furry Gnome said...

Neat solution! And boy, do you have a lot of birthdays to remember!

eileeninmd said...

Good Morning, Debbie. What a great and easy idea! Very organized too. Thanks for sharing, have a happy day!

Michelle said...

Great idea!

Anonymous said...

What a clever idea! Looks like it is working very well! Way to go!!

Huckleberry stitches said...

Very clever! I especially love the perpetual calendar! I think I just may need to make one of those, I am forever forgetting birth dates as the family grows! Thanks for the inspiration!

Montanagirl said...

That is truly very clever - what a great idea!!

TexWisGirl said...

that was pretty darn slick! :)

Kmcblackburn said...

HOW did you think of that? Brilliant!

Muffie said...

Several years ago, I found Lazy Susans in a thrift store and stocked up. I do just what you do in my cabinet. One side is for savory spices, the other for sweet. It's been a godsend when I cook and bake to have this one big cabinet organized. I do like your artwork and calendar on the doors!

Danni@SiloHillFarm said...

Well that is just genius! I have a lazy suzan in my fridge and often wished I had one in my pantry. Now I know how to make my own! Thank you for sharing this!

Author R. Mac Wheeler said...

We just tossed a plastic lazy susan we had in a cabinet for years that just didn't work for the doodads we used it for. I wonder what we paid for the device.

Ali said...

Your homemade lazy susan is wonderful. Thanks for sharing.
Ali xx

Judy said...

What a great DIY solution. I bought a two tiered Lazy Susan spice holder about 20 years ago, for about 10 bucks, so I will never get rid of it. I love it!!!

Coloring Outside the Lines said...

Hey, that is very cool and very doable! I have lots and lots of the smaller sized spices. Right now stacked on the inside wall of the cabinet..not too handy. I bet these pans would hold a bunch of those.

Brian King said...

Well, smack my arse and call me Sally! Isn't that just clever? Leave it to you!

Linda said...

How clever!

Laura. M said...

A great idea Deddie, I will do :)))
Besos.

Scrappy quilter said...

That is just so clever. I'm going to have to try this.

Bonnie said...

Brilliant! I need to reorganize....it will have to wait till spring. I hope you are staying safe and warm. Hugs!

karen said...

Great idea thanks for sharing. Love reading your blog every morning before work.

Marie said...

So clever! I had the same problem with those jar constantly falling. A few years ago, I ordered spice bottle clips online. They stick to the inside of your cabinet door with double-sided sticky foam. My home health aide was so excited, without asking me, she ripped open the first bag and stuck that puppy right up on the door. Unfortunately, she neglected to make sure that the jars would be either above or below the inside shelf line. Naturally, she had managed to stick the holder exactly where it would hit the shelf and as a result the cabinet door could not close. Sigh. Had to rip it off and start over, had to buy new sticky foam. And as it was the final straw in a lonnnng string of straws, had to find a new aide. lol

Nicki said...

so simple and clever.

Anna said...

Great ideas !
Thanks for your visit !
Anna

Stephanie said...

You are fabulous, Debbie! What a clever and fun idea. I wonder if I could add lace to the edge of the pan.... :) Thanks for sharing at ROI. Hugs!

Farm Girl said...

You are a total genius!!! I have needed something like that for my spices and I just couldn't think of what. I am going to make this.
I love it when you start rearranging. I learn so many handy-dandy tricks. :)

A Colorful World said...

What ingenious ideas!

21 Wits said...

Oh my goodness, at first (jumping ahead in thought like I shouldn't do) I thought, marbles, surely she's being funny and will tell us, Ha! Ha! the joke is on us, now for the real items you'll need. I love this idea, and even though I have a neat one at the moment, your idea and am going to put it to work. This is way cool Debbie.

21 Wits said...

I'm thinking this will come in super handy with the kiddos paint bottles too! They're always fighting over who is closest to everything! Problem soloved.

Jill said...

What a wonderful idea that can be used for a variety of things! Thanks for sharing!

Conniecrafter said...

very creative idea for the lazy susan,, the art work is lovely in your cabinet

Sue (this n that) said...

Brilliant idea!!!! So clever, I can see by all the reactions above, there's going to be many lazy susans made.
I love your pantry too - isn't it fun having a peek in others' cupboards etc ;D)

Sally said...

Girl! You are one smart cookie! I love those, and how much more convenient for you! :)

xoxo

Tina Fariss Barbour said...

I never would have thought of this Lazy Susan idea! So cool! I am going to show Larry. He cooks more than I do, and he is like you--likes things very organized. He gets frustrated with our pantry--it's small and things get piled up.

Bethany Carson said...

The lazy Susans are a very clever idea! Love the artwork on the pantry doors--beautiful! I found some of those buckets you are using to store your peanuts in at a local hardware store a while back and used them for planters: they are very inexpensive, all-purpose items! ...And I still have my perpetual calendar hanging above my desk--I printed one after seeing you mention it in a post! You're always full of great ideas! Thanks so much for sharing them with us!

Unknown said...

Love this!!!

Unknown said...

I did this in 2014 because I saw Alejandra from Home Organizing by Alejandra.tv did it. I thought it was awesome.