The end product - revealing a functional walk in pantry

 After not being able to walk into this room past about 5 steps up the center of the room, jamming toes stepping too close to full storage containers, and breaking my back to lean over from afar to toss clean laundry on top of a towering pile for decades, I was so tempted to drop down on this now open floor space and do some carpet snow angels. I still may do that but I have stood in the middle of the room a time or two since this effort was finished simply admiring the difference. As we work to clean out the rest of the house, I find myself thriving in the effort and especially in the result it brings. It's gotten to the point where we can actually see the end in sight as far as cleaning out everything we no longer want and reorganizing what we're keeping to be more functional. Part of me is giddy at the thought of having a space that functions for me and is absent of claustrophobic clutter. I'm someone who does best under an ordered space and set routine and am now working to make this home fit my needs. I noticed the other day that once we finish in a space and I do a routine cleaning, we no longer have an attack of the dust bunny brigade within a day or two. However, the other part of me sees the end of this effort coming close and dreading the task I've thrown myself into with vigor no longer being needed. 

On to the big reveal - one of the tips I tell those who want to coupon, yes you're going to be building a stockpile but no you don't need to devote whole rooms/basements/garages to the effort. If you only have a small closet or a corner of a spare room, shop smart so that you're utilizing that space you do have smartly. Now with this shelving unit and a spare cleaned out room, I no longer have to keep certain categories throughout the house. Everything is together in one space and steps away from a room in which it will get used. Each shelf has a category of items and is lined up in a way that still forces us into using the oldest item first. Seeing everything together has also left me thinking two different ways; either wow I didn't realize I had that many body washes, or wow I thought I had a whole lot more snack items.

Here is what the room looked like at the beginning:

And now - keeping in mind this doesn't include our regular food pantry closet that houses 1-2 of everyday items. What is here food wise is extra from that. 

These drink packs (there's 3 multipacks of flavored water tucked into that corner as well) will be up off the floor as they get used. Decided to keep the Sparkling Ice flavored water and iced tea bottles to drink myself rather than donate. Once they're gone, I won't be buying anymore. Gave up trying to drink and donated the grape flavored Gatorade and Snapple flavored lemonade. Unless of course @VitaminWater Zero feels called to sponsor me or send some product. :)

Still toying with the idea of a slender rolling cart with shelves like they make for fitting between the wall and the washing machine in order to put away the individual chip bags.

Otherwise everything in this room is up off the floor and put away neatly without having to be crammed in or forced. I catch myself walking in and up to look out the windows just because I can now. I noticed the other day that it's been so long for the sun to reach the carpet that now it refracts red tinted beams of sunlight across the hall. 

A clutter free functional open space with space to move around and a lot less dust in the air has given us finally room to breathe.