Organizing Cabinets For Resale

(Here is the before photo of my pantry cabinet.)

Behold, my deep and inefficient pantry cabinet.

When it comes to reselling your home, make your pantry look like a grocer's shelves or the appliance section of Williams-Sonoma. Take away the jumble of everyday cooking. Present an idealized version of your space.

Let the buyer know there is abundant room for all her wedding gifts. If only she had this kitchen, all her canned goods would stack magically in neat rows of descending size. Seriously!

Oh, I know...your kitchen cabinets don't store all that much--neither do mine. You just have to make them look that way by removing excess clutter.

Here are some tricks for making any pantry look ideal:

• Line like foods together.
• Face all the labels to the front.
• Condense bulk grains and small items in storage boxes or Tupperware.
• Re-line your shelves if necessary.
• Wipe the dust and splatters from each appliance.
• Box your madeleine pans and tart shells in the attic for now.

The closer you get to putting your home on the market, the fewer groceries you should restock. Eat through your stockpile--you don't want to move all that food, anyway!

Disclaimer: While some of the super homemakers may keep their pantries picture-perfect, this advice is for the rest of us! This is one time when it truly pays to be organized.