Pantry Makeover!

When starting my clean/toxic free journey, I really had to look at everything in my life, and not just food and products that I use on a day to day basis. 

Living clean, in my book, also means detoxing and decluttering things from your life. 

Since we all have been home during this pandemic, the two doors that open and close the most in my house are the refrigerator door and the pantry door with questions coming from itty bitty tiny little crusty mouths asking if they can have a snack.

They are old enough to essentially get it themselves but that leaves my pantry and refrigerator looking a hot mess. Literally. I couldn’t find anything in there!

Chip bags were left empty, boxes of crackers were just thrown on the shelves and stuff was old and expired because again, I couldn’t find anything. It was stressful and low key gave me anxiety and I don’t have time for the stress! So, I went to the best that knows how to do it, my sister in love, Sia. 

Sia is a quiet storm. Her delivery and her work is calm like a duck on a pond but her impact is grander than life! Sia’s talent and vision is unmatched and more importantly, she knows what I like but also knows how to handle the task. 

The only thing I asked jokingly was, “make it look Instagram worthy” 😂…but what she actually did was took my chaotic hot mess of a pantry to a well organized stress free, toxic free functional storage closet for food. I literally wanted to cry tears of joy. No cap. The moment I opened the door I immediately felt the stress that weighed on me float away. Y’all see the before and after! 

I was amazed, stunned, joyful, and happy. Even my kids were like “wow”. Sia’s placement of things and the use of bins and baskets and storage containers made it practical and honestly something I can easily maintain. 

Here’s a quick Q&A with Sia to gain insight on her process. 

Mundi:  So what was your starting point for organizing the pantry?

Sia:  Research! I looked at your pantry, seeing what  the space was size of your pantry were. I researched further to see how I wanted your pantry to look based on design and aesthetics. I saw what the big ticket items were, where I thought they should be placed and then I went shopping.

Mundi:  What was your strategy on what to conquer first?

Sia: My strategy for shopping was based upon what I knew you had in your pantry. I knew there were items like cereal, dry beans, pasta, etc. I wanted to make sure I addressed the big box items. I also wanted to ensure I had space for those things. I tried to keep it organized in a way that was familiar to you.

Mundi: How was it determined what products to use? 

Sia: Again, Research! I also wanted to use things that were practical and worked for your pantry!  However, my method is 75% based on my emotional response to a space. It has to feel right. If it doesn’t evoke calmness and a sense of balance, it’s not right. I have to feel those things. 

Mundi:  Is it overwhelming when someone needs organizing and it looks completely chaotic?

Sia:  No, it's not. It’s not overwhelming at all. I see it as a challenge.

Mundi:  When you see the chaos, what is your initial thought?

Sia: My initial thought to chaos is let’s fix it! I like to determine a starting point. That’s generally working with the larger items first. It's a natural flow from there. It’s kind of organic. Again, I am a feeling kind of person and I know when it feels right.

Mundi:  Which do you like the most, organizing/home decor or styling? 

Sia:  Oh my God! What I will say is that I like both! It depends on what other things I’m trying to balance in my life at that time.  I really enjoy both but organizing is more therapeutic. It is thoughtless work. It’s therapeutic like putting together a puzzle or coloring. I get in a zone. I really enjoy it. I’ve noticed clients allow more freedom to exercise your creativity with interior design and organizing. 

It is important for people to have a clean and clear space so you can have a clear mind. There is value in that.

Mundi: Sia thank you so much for bringing ease and flow to my pantry.

To learn more about Sia, her styling and home decor capabilities as well as her many other talents, here is her information below.

Instagram: @siadekarle_style_design

Email: siadekarle@siadekarle.com 

Love,

Mundi 🌱