Behind Closed Doors

They say you never know what lurks behind closed doors.  Well behind these particular doors lurks a bit of a mish mash at the moment.

Last weekend I made a rather large batch of Tomato and Garlic Sauce, I had a HUGE catering size tin of tomatoes (thank you Approved Foods) and we needed some sauce to go with our meal so I decided to open it up and make a fresh batch as we were down to our last couple of homemade pasta sauces.

Of course once you make something that ends up doing two meals for the weekend and then gives you nine jars for future use, you have to be able to store them.  In this house I only have one double fronted wall cupboard for my food stores and that was pretty full to bursting, (regular readers will know that I like to be well stocked (**pulls happy, grinny face**) so where was I to put them?

Tucked in the back of my plate and dish cupboard was lots of jars of jam, these were also to be found in many other cupboards lurking behind pans and bottles of squash, so I decided to work towards getting myself organised. 

You know how it is when you move house, things get put in one place and that doesn't really work but you put up with it for a while, well this had been happening more and more, so I decided that by the end of Summer the kitchen will have all our things in their final resting place (it also gives Lovely Hubby a hope in hell of actually finding things too!!).

I bit the bullet and had a sorting session.

Now this tall cupboard will become my larder.

Jams and sugars are on the top shelf, I don't think I will need to be making any jam this year!!

Beneath them are the sauces and yes, you spotted them on the right, some more jams, these were another bargain from Approved Foods a while ago, Bonne Mamon Jam at less than £1 a jar and well in date, if I bought empty jars (which I don't) for making jams these cost  £1.99 each in our local supplies shop.   So I got yummy jam and jars for future use for well below the shop price on the jam.  Don't you just love Bonne Mamon jars with their chunky shape and cute checked lids.......or is it just me?

Next shelf down, my yogurt maker, jam pans and paraphernalia, pestle and mortar and my electric slicing machine.

Next shelf - a whole selection of recycled and some bought, reusable plastic containers for freezing things and my loaf tins, down a shelf to the empty jar department (starting to sound like the Grace Brothers elevator here), ready to take this years batch of tomatoey sauces. 

And finally on the very bottom, yet more jars (some in boxes), my skillet, a couple of tins and my pasta making machine and a few other bits and bobs.  In the basket (being used here to hold this door open) are the jars of spices waiting to go on my little painted shelf unit.....yes it's painted now, it had it's second coat yesterday and hopefully it will be on the wall tonight and then I can fill it up tomorrow.

So you never know what lurks behind closed doors, hopefully by the end of Summer ALL our food will be in here and the other cupboards will be used for the kitchen hardware and gadgets......well that's the plan.

How do you plan your stores?

Sue xx

Edited in to add - Can You Help?........ nip over HERE and see if you can?

Thank you.