February 01, 2007

Neat trick for organizing your spices


I know may people find it convenient to have their spices out near the stove for easy access, but for me, it becomes a clutter issue. I have never been a fan of spice racks because, call me lazy, I don't want to take the time to decant them into pretty little jars. Putting them willy nilly on a cabinet shelf is a problem because then I waste time rooting around to find the cumin. So, ideally, I would store all the spices in a cabinet close to the counter and stove, and access them very easily.

But I'm cheap – I want an organization method that is very inexpensive if not free. And I found just the thing. Empty silverware drawer organizers. These were leftover from a previous house, but for some reason I kept them and I am so glad I did. Because they're going into a cabinet, they don't really need to be pretty, although I am sure if you wanted to invest some money you could find wooden or colorful plastic organizers that would work. These happen to have nice, straight sections, which is necessary to accommodate all the shapes and sizes of spice containers.


I organized them by type and use – one organizer is for pure spices, the other is for all our spice blends and mixes. Find the method that works best for you. When we need the spices, the organizers quickly pull out, you can see what you need quickly, and they stow right back away.



It's a neat trick that keeps your spices under control and your cabinets manageable.

2 comments:

Peg said...

That is fantastic! I have my spices in a cabinet by my stove, on two shelves. Finding a single jar amongst them all is just a pain. This is something I can implement...I keep mine separated between baking/desserty spices and flavorings and the savory/meat spices and flavorings.
Great tip, thanks!

Polly King said...

I'm so glad you like this tip! I can't tell you how much easier it is to just slide that tray out of the cabinet and be able to see everything in one shot. Bob loves it, too, because he makes spice rubs that have like 6-8 different spices in them. Makes life easier. Hope it helps you, too!