Not everyone is a natural organiser, but everyone benefits from an orderly home – and the pantry is a good place to start. Many people, from parents of young children to busy professionals, find it hard to keep on top of meal planning and a tidy pantry.

Enter Michelle White. After more than 20 years in a high-pressure corporate career, the City Beach mum now spends her days helping others bring order to their homes, one pantry at a time.

Michelle’s top tips

• Commit – once you start, you need to finish. You cannot close the door on a half-done pantry.
• Allow 3 to 6 hours, depending on the size of the space.
• Plan how you want it to look and work. Use the space you have, but do not overstock it or it will not stay tidy.
• Store like with like.
• Make sure you can see everything.
• Meal planning is your best stock control.

Why did you decide to get into organisation?

I worked in a high-pressure corporate sales environment for more than 20 years as a trainer and sales production manager, so I have been organising my whole life. I also worked full time while raising a family, which meant being organised and structured to manage a busy schedule.

Anyone who knows me will tell you I “was just born that way”. I have a passion for food, and making mealtime a happy family occasion has always been important to me.

The idea for The Pantry Organiser came from realising that a calm kitchen comes from being organised, having a pantry that supports your preparation and having a meal plan. I saw a need for a pantry-to-plate service that clients could tailor to make their lives easier. There are so many tips and hacks out there – what clients need are hands and time.

I meet the most amazing women. Everyone has a story, and I get a huge sense of satisfaction from helping.

Can every space be organised?

Every pantry can be organised, whatever the space. Like anything, you just need a good system to support it.

How do you start?

Start by taking everything out and decluttering. Items that should not go back include expired goods, food you know you will never use, one-off ingredients bought for a single recipe and items you no longer use because of dietary changes.

What advice do you have for people who want to learn to keep their space orderly?

Work with me while I organise your pantry. I explain my process and system as I go, and give practical ideas for managing the space afterwards. If you do not have time, I am happy to talk you through it later.

All the information out there can be overwhelming and is not necessarily right for your home. There is no such thing as the perfect pantry – only the perfect pantry for you.

A pantry is a working space, not just a display space, and the trick is getting the balance right. Practicality comes first, followed by pretty.

What are the benefits of being organised?

Being organised makes you feel in control, and not many of us function well in clutter. An organised home feels calm, and good systems make everything run more smoothly.

In the kitchen, the ideal is a happy space where kids join in the cooking and the family can sit down together and enjoy some downtime. When you know what meal you are making and have what you need, there is less stress, and the enjoyment comes back into cooking.

Is there hope for people who are terrible at organising?

Of course. Good organisers had good teachers. You do not know what you do not know, as the saying goes. I believe it is a life skill anyone can learn, and you usually learn it when you need it.

How long does it take to organise a pantry?

Roughly 3 to 6 hours. It depends on the size and layout of the space, when it was last cleared out, how many items there are, whether new storage is being added (which means decanting, labelling and sourcing products) and whether items need repositioning because the current layout is not working.

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