Pantry organisation can seem like such an overwhelming task at times but we all love an organised pantry! The final product can be so satisfying but we know it can also be a pain to get there. We sat down with interior designer Shriya from @ofmixednotions to talk all things Pantry and organisation related!
Hi Shriya, could you please tell the audience a bit about yourself and your Instagram page?
Hey everyone! I am Shriya, an interior designer by profession and a mum of two beautiful girls. Originally from India, I have lived in 4 different countries including Singapore and UAE. I moved to Australia with my family a few years ago and now call it home. I currently take care of my family and work as a content creator and photographer on Instagram, where I focus on my love of home interiors, decor and organising.
What prompted you to take an interest in home styling and decor?
I have always been driven by creativity, with an eye for detail and aesthetics! The Instagram grid is my creative outlet that I enjoy composing as a way of de-stressing from the routine of day to day life. Content creation, interior styling and photography is something I do as bit of "me time" as well as a little side business. So a win-win!
What are some tips you can give to someone who’s about to start organising their kitchen and pantry?
Living in an apartment with minimal pantry space, I will say from my own experience that you don’t need a huge or fancy pantry…just an efficient one! Something that works well for you and your family. Where you can start is, firstly by taking out everything from the pantry and removing products you no longer use, as well as those that have expired. This is how I started and what I would recommend - keep all the essentials and discard those that add to the clutter.
How do you recommend keeping a pantry looking neat and tidy?
Don't just think about making the pantry aesthetically perfect. First and foremost try to make the pantry functional and easy to maintain in the long run. Especially if you have a family who will also use it. As well as throwing away all expired items, restock what is needed. Then remove the original packaging of the pantry items and transfer the food into containers. Ecology canisters are my favourite way of keeping pantry food fresher for longer - as well as making the pantry look beautiful and cohesive of course! I do love a label or two but prefer to keep it simple and only label the 'most used' items that will always be in the same container, as well as the items that are hard to distinguish from one another - for example flour and baking soda.
What’s the biggest benefit of having an organised pantry for you?
I love the ease of opening the jars from Ecology and putting them back on the shelves after use. An organised pantry has made such a huge difference time wise too because I know where everything is now in the pantry. Everything has a permanent 'home' so I don't have to waste time looking for things I need. Finding items quickly and easily gives me more time to cook...and more importantly, eat, haha!
What is your favourite Ecology pantry product and why do you love it?
I love the square canisters and how neatly and efficiently they stack on top of one another. With a smaller pantry, it is a huge space saver. I currently store Weetbix and rusks that are rectangular in shape and fit perfectly into them. Plus the seals on the canisters are strong which I love, and the canisters themselves are made of light-weight glass so you can always see what you have - and what you need more of! It makes writing shopping lists quicker and it makes it easy for the family to take what they need without opening each container. Functional and beautiful!