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Natasha Steele

Finding Your Pantry Style

'My pantry doesn't look like 'that' Insta post,' I hear you say.

And my reply is, 'That is perfectly fine!'


I have seen many eye-candy pantries. And no, I'm not talking about lined up jars of candy or a hunky guy standing to greet. I'm talking about pantries that are matchy-match and look like cut-and-paste designer spaces.

And herein lies a potential issue. They are not always functional. A functional pantry is meant to be just that- functional. And function in a pantry is way more important than eye candy. But what if you can get both?








Where do I start?


Top Tips:

1. Most commonly used items at eye / comfortable reach level

2. Plan out your pantry spaces- what goes where and trial. If you are not happy with the configuration, re- do. Don't label shelving, for example until you have trialled the design- anywhere from 1-4 weeks.

3. Take into consideration height, width and depth of shelving before starting your planning. Deep shelving will need roll-out containers or pull-out shelving added. High shelving will need adjustable shelving inserted or high items like oils, sauces and vinegar.

4. Nothing directly on the floor- besides containers for storing items

5. Organise your pantry by theme

6. Match storage container style and colour where possible

7. Use functional storage containers that will stand the test of time



Let's get started!

Look at your items and categorise according to theme.


1. Do you have cans of food? How many?

Solution:

Tiered steps are great for cans. The tiering increases visibility- you can see what you have clearly.


You can also put multiples behind each other on the same row and use the stock rotation method.





If your pantry shelving has surplus height real estate, you can also insert additional shelving to allow for double stacking your cans. You can buy adjustable wire shelving to custom fit the length of your shelves.




If you have excess cans of the same food type, consider storing these in large storage containers with lids, at the bottom of your shelving for re-stocking when needed.










2. Do you have foodstuffs in bags/plastic, like flours, custard, bread crumbs, seeds, nuts, dried fruit etc?

Solution:

Canisters! There are four basic material types for canisters:


*Plastic

*Metal

*Glass

*Ceramic


Plastic is lightweight and can have great air locking systems. Ensure it is BPA-free. Some people do not prefer plastic due to the chemicals in plastic.


Top Pick: Oxo


Metal can be great if it has glass inserts so you can see the product.


Glass is a great alternative for people who are health conscious as is ceramic. If the ceramics are aged, you will need to ensure the glaze is not lead-based. Glass is great as you can see clearly what it contains, however, if dropped may break which is a drawback. Additionally, glass can be heavy if you purchase thicker glass products which have greater longevity than the thinner and lighter glass options.


Top Pick: Kilner


Air-tight canisters are best to keep food fresh and critters out. Some canisters have air locking systems to seal out air, further enhancing the longevity of the product they contain. This is a great feature for a canister.


Canisters most commonly come in cylindrical, square-based and rectangular-based shapes. Square and rectangular based shapes are more space efficient.


Do you have oils, sauces, or vinegar?

Solution:

A lazy susan is an amazing option to easily store oils, sauces and vinegar. I recommend the high-sided (15cm) option for tall items.


Top pick: Kmart high and low side plastic lazy susan- super cheap and does the job!








Do you have condiments?

Solution:

A lazy susan is an amazing option to easily store spreads like jam, vegemite, honey etc. I recommend the low-sided (1-2 cm) option for these items.


Top pick: Kmart high and low side plastic lazy susan- super cheap and does the job!


Do you have Herbs and spices?

Solution:

I am a fan of keeping dried herbs and spices in their original packaging unless they are in plastic. Most are sold in glass which is the perfect storage container for dried herbs and spices. One of the most important elements of this is the used by or best before date, which is clearly displayed. You can use dried herbs and spices past their best before date but they definitely lose potency.


Do you have drinks- wine, soft drink, UHT milk, cordial etc?

Solution:

Store on the lower shelving according to type. I prefer to leave these items directly on shelving- additional storage is not required.

If alcohol is stored in the pantry it will need to be stored appropriately, out of reach of children.


Do you have baking goods?

Solution:


You can use a low-sided lazy susan or containers for pull out.

Larger quantity items like flours will require canisters.




Do you have snacks?

Solution:

Stack in roll-out tubs according to snack type.



One great feature of this small tub is the ability to section into 1, 2 or 3 areas. The dividers are movable, increasing use case.





This Kmart roll-out tub is $5! Super cheap and super functional. It has wheels on the back for easy rollout.






It's great to have different ideas of what you can do with your panty, however, the most important point to remember is that it has to work for your lifestyle living needs.


You definitely can have an eye candy pantry that is highly functional. But at the end of the day, eye candy and function are very subjective to what you need in function and like in looks.


Have fun designing your dream pantry! And don't forget that the only trend that is worth following is the trend of your own personal style.




Declutter and Design


Live Organised




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