When we think pantry organization, it's easy to picture many of the incredible spaces we see on Instagram and Pinterest... Think lots of pastas and baking supplies, beautifully decanted into matching cylinders on a shelf. For items that are not decanted, they're lined up in clear containers by color, creating little rainbows on each shelf.
When it came to making this a reality, I channeled the vibes from my favorite photos and bought all the products. You won't see any pictures of that pantry in this blog post, because everything went downhill from there. I realized that I didn't want to decant everything. For example, I like keeping my pasta in the boxes they come in for easier portioning, and same with my crackers so that I can grab a box to take into my office or on a picnic if needed. I also didn't have anywhere close to the right rainbow-assortment of items to be organized together. I don't keep a ton of candy or snacks like chips in the house, and I that realized without those items, I was struggling to get the right hues.
When Stefani approached me to co-found SortJoy with her with the goal of making better organization products, I thought back to my failed pantry project. There was no way I was qualified to help her with this. I politely said, I'm flattered, but "I'm not organized enough"...
I ended up changing my mind, and realized that the inspiration photos I failed to measure up to were the exact reason we needed to create a new aesthetic and new options. There are so many reasons we think a more subtle, monochromatic organization strategy in this space is the way to go.
I recently moved into a new home and outfitted it successfully with our products. Here's why SortJoy works for me...
PERFECTION NEVER LASTS
If you're using clear or see-through bins, items need to be perfectly organized in order to look "in order". Who has time for that? You can accomplish the same "transparency" by labeling a bin that is opaque, like our felt bins. That way, as all you have to do is get the right thing in the right bin, and voila! The space not only looks organized, but is organized. Be kind to yourself and make it as simple as possible!
LIGHTWEIGHT BUT STRUCTURED
When I make my morning smoothie, I have a bin labeled "Breakfast" that contains all of the powders and supplements I need for my creation. It's so much easier for me to grab this whole bin, than to grab the things out of the bin as I head to the blender. Our lightweight, but structured Sculpted Bins allow me to quickly grab this bin with one or two hands. The bin ads virtually no weight, but is capable of supporting the many miscellaneous mason jars and bottles that are a part of this category.
LOVE YOUR SURFACES
Have you ever had a wire, metal, or hard plastic bin that destroyed your shelves? Or your floor when you dropped it? Or just broke apart from an accident or just daily use?
Our soft felt is your wood shelves' new best friend. You can slide them around with no issue because they are both lightweight and soft. Also, if you accidentally drop a bins, they're not going to break. They're not even going to get damaged. Try dropping a clear plastic or wood bin... These are just not built the same way. SortJoy is built for a lifetime.
BECAUSE... RECYCLED PLASTIC FELT
There are so many reasons we love this material. Many are listed above, but we think it's pretty cool that this super functional, incredibly beautiful alternative is also sustainable. Our signature felt is made of post-consumer recycled plastic and the material itself is wonderfully suited for it's job. It is cleanable with soap and water and our colors have the feel of something more organic. Adding to our sustainability is that our products are designed to ship compactly and without fillers. You can receive an entire pantry set (or two, or three) in one very reasonably sized box, thanks to our Sculpted Bins which nest and our Flex Bins which fold.
Alexa Cohn
SortJoy Co-founder and Creative Director