Happy Sunday! It has been a long time since we have had a how-to Sunday post, but there will be some more news on that front soon 
. I have a simple solution for storing spices today. Where do you keep your spices now? Mine here in Arkansas were above my microwave in a cabinet I could barely reach and they were stacked about 5 rows deep. I could never find what I was looking for, and always had to pull down about 10 containers just to find the one I needed. In Utah, the situation is even worse!
Then one day I had a thought to just put all the spices I use on a regular basis in the draw directly to the side of the stove. They’re right there when I need them, facing up making it easy to find them, and replacement. It’s been the best!
Taking out all the spices left room for the oils and vinegars I use to cook with and are only one layer deep, again, no digging. I also put the bulk salt and my teas up there.
As for the rest of my spices, I threw out all the old ones, and put the ones that I don’t use on a regular basis in a little basket in my pantry. So much easier!
How about you? Any fun ways you have found to organize spices?
Facebook
StumbleUpon
Twitter
RSS
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
That is so crazy smart. I love those simple, OBVIOUS solutions!
I store mine in small, round tins with magnets that stick on the side of my fridge. Not only does it free up my cabinet space, but it also makes use of an otherwise less than useful area of the kitchen. I have a small label-maker that I use to identify what is in each tin. They’ve been like this for about 5 years and I still LOVE it.
Stephanie, great minds think alike. I painted the magnetized tins from Ikea to match my kitchen, and I LOVE having my spices on the side of the fridge, right next to my mixer!
Not sure if you can find them near you but my friend has a drawer liner that has hollows for holding spice jars just like yours so they don’t roll or move in the drawer. If you are handy you could probably create something similar with PVC pipe cut in half. Great idea though, never thought about doing this, have always stored them above the stove and risked burns in interesting places when cooking.
I hate my spice cabinet! I always have things knocked down into whatever I am cooking. I bought some stair-stepped racks a while ago but they just seem to make the problem worse. I love your simple solutions, Destri. Looks like I know what I will be doing tomorrow!
I store my spices the same way! Great minds think alike
Though, I use one drawer and a full cabinet to hold all my spices. It’s ridiculous. I use a lazy susan in the cabinet so I can get to all of my spices. I have too many, I’m sure.
What a great idea! I keep mine in one of those clear plastic shoe organizers that hangs over the door. It’s the kind with all of the clear see-thru pouches. Each pouch holds about three spice jars and it hangs over my pantry door.
Thanks for sharing! I like your idea and think I’ll put my more frequently used spices in my drawer too. Then they’re right there next to the stove when I need them!
Have a great week,
Kathleen
I have mine in a cabinet over the sink, which I hate. I didn’t want them by the oven or stove because the heat degrades the oils in them and they will lose their flavor and color more quickly. And I have only four drawers in my entire kitchen–one for potholders and dishcloths, one for silverware, two for measuring cups and assorted gadgets. I’d love to have a spice drawer or have the magnetic containers (or velcro like Alton Brown) if I could.
That’s a great way to store larger spices. I purchased small, cheap plastic containers (like the ones I use to organize pencils or even silverware to organize my Tones spices. I don’t know what the containers are called, but they usually come in three-packs and are in the make-up or kitchen organization aisles (random, I know). The container width is the exact height of the Tones spices so I lay them down in there, and then stack them on top of each other in my lazy susan. Originally the spices were alphabetized, but that has fallen by the wayside as I’ve added or used some of the containers.