Recently, I went through our spices. By this I mean, I removed them from the cabinet and asked the following questions about each one:
- What recipe calls for this spice?
- Approximately when did I purchase this spice?
- How much of this spice is measured for a typical recipe?
Surprisingly, most of my spices support my everyday cooking. And I had very few containers older than 12 months. But when I considered the question about quantity, I found several mistakes as a result of bulk buying.
I own large containers of cayenne, parsley, cumin, and minced onion. Although they are used in our cooking, the volume was excessive for the typical amount needed in a recipe. But my neighbor was delighted when I refilled a few of her spice containers. Pictured below are the rest of my spices and some easy ways to organize yours.
9 Easy Ways to Organize
- Remove from the cabinets.
- Designate one cabinet for spices. (We prefer near the stove.)
- Review each container and ask the questions above.
- Declutter “aspirational” or rarely used spices. Buy on demand.
- Consolidate duplicates.
- Choose one brand and size to keep your collection neat.
- Share extra spices with a neighbor. Spices lose flavor over time. Better to share now.
- Clean the cabinet and spice bottles before organizing.
- If cabinet space allows, use a step-spice rack like this. (Pictured below.)
What organizing trick do you use for storing spices?
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