Guest Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 I am getting organized this summer! How do you organize your spices? I currently have them in a huge Tupperware bin on the kitchen counter, but I'd really like to organize them in a better fashion. I used to have them all in a million of the same plastic containers; I've done the metal magnetic containers - I just have so many I want them out of sight. So...ideas (and pictures!) welcome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 A little drawer of herb bottles, laid on their sides so I can read them easily. A little drawer of spice bottles, laid on their sides so I can read them easily. A few bottles just used for baking in a cabinet because I don't use them that often and it's nice to have them all together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaxMom Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 We buy ours in bulk, and I transfer them to squat, 8oz Ball jars that will stack on the shelf. I write the contents on the bottom in sharpie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justLisa Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 I use the smallest size of mason jars (4oz jelly), and made round sticker printouts for the tops. I keep them in a drawer by the stove. Things that are larger, or I use more of or keep in larger amounts, I use the half pints and keep them in a cabinet along with frequently used oils/vinegars near the cook top. I like the mason jars because they are dishwasher safe, glass (duh), and you can fit a measuring spoon inside. I cook and bake A LOT, so I keep lots of things out. I have a nice tray with EVOO, a couple vinegars and nut oils, a salt crock, and a pretty small dish of sugar with a spoon in for "pinches" of sugar jobs. For baking things I keep a basket with less frequently used things in the pantry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoutTN Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 Mine are arranged alphabetically in a narrow, tall cabinet. 3 shelves. Counter clockwise in around the sides and back so that I can see and reach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baseball mom Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 They are suppose to be organized???? Oh man will someone please tell my dh. I keep them in the cabinet and he is forever digging around in there and making a mess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 In a drawer. Smalll bottles are in some plastic containers laying down. Traditional sized bottles are laying by those. The remaining spices are in jam jars, upside down, with labels. (upside down so I can see through the glass) The only things in my cupboard is large items like salt and pepper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommaduck Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 Peppers together, Salt seasonings together, Garlics together, Leafy seasonings together, Seed seasonings near the Leafy, all Baking oriented seasonings together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plucky Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 I can see at a glance if I need to refill or buy more. It is alphabetized. It is so helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 (edited) Mine are in a cabinet and I have those graduated shelves so I can see what's in back. I organize by what's used most often. Edited May 18, 2012 by floridamom hit submit too soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendi Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 I have all my frequently-used spices and seasonings (soy sauce, sesame oil, etc.) in a bamboo Lazy Susan on the counter. The others are in my cabinet. I've been reorganizing a lot lately, and I still need to figure out the best way to store those. I'll probably clean out the drawer right at my food prep area, and store them lying down in the drawer. I keep the baking stuff (vanilla, cream of tartar, baking soda and powder) in the cabinet with the flour, sugar, chocolate chips, etc. Wendi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebel Yell Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 They are in whatever size jar/container they come in (or I have, if refilling/bulk) and I use a white label/black sharpie on the top pf the lid. I keep them all in a shoebox on a pantry self, so I read the top of the jar. More compact and efficient than trying to read the front of the bottle, and it doesn't bother me as much that they're all different sizes. I do have a separate box for 'sweet' spices, such as cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, etc. In theory, an assistant cook is less likely to confuse cinnamon with chili powder. :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimmy Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 Mine are in a plastic bin on a shelf. I label the tops of the spices with a label maker so I can easily identify stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 I found spice bottle holders that are sticky for the inside of a cupboard door. I have 20. We buy spices in bulk, and refill the bottles. the are organized alphabetically which makes it much faster to find the one I want. larger same sized containers for bulk are on an upper shelf and also in alphabeticaly order. salt and pepper are on a turntable in my cupboard along with a small bottle of oil (refilled), vinegar (refilled) vanilla, sugar pot, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 I have four bins that I keep in the cabinets above my stove. I write the name of the spice on top of the lid with a sharpie so that I can just read the tops and find it quickly. I have one bin for sweet spices and the rest are savory. It also helped with organization to eliminate blends from the equation. I no longer purchase things like Mexican seasoning or garam masala because they are made with spices I keep on hand. (I make an exception for Montreal steak seasoning and Old Bay.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 I can see at a glance if I need to refill or buy more. It is alphabetized. It is so helpful.[ATTACH]8770[/ATTACH] I am SO visual! These all sound like great ideas, but I am ready to go out and do the picture I see! :) Actually, I moved them all to a drawer, lying down for now. I think that later this summer I may do something like this picture... Thank you all for these ideas! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plucky Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 I am SO visual! These all sound like great ideas, but I am ready to go out and do the picture I see! :) Actually, I moved them all to a drawer, lying down for now. I think that later this summer I may do something like this picture... Thank you all for these ideas! You can google all kinds of pics online of organized spices. I originally planned on doing a magnetized spice holder, but it became too complicated for me to replicate. I'm cheap & efficient. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bang!Zoom! Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 I buy in bulk, throw them in zip lock baggies, alphabetize the baggies in a plastic see through container. I just print the list of what's in the box on a paper so I can see through the front. This method is highly compact and saves space for me. Purist cooks would faint, but it works for me. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PIE! Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 I've got one of these yes, it's cheap plastic, but it hasn't broken yet and my spices are so easy to find and keep organized. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susann Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 I can see at a glance if I need to refill or buy more. It is alphabetized. It is so helpful.[ATTACH]8770[/ATTACH] This is so CUTE!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plucky Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 This is so CUTE!!!!! Thank you. I like it & dh puts things back where they belong with this method. So I am happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 the savory spices are next to the stove in a cabinet. They are arranged so that whichever one I need at the time are always in the back of the cabinet causing me to have to remove every other jar in the cabinet. They are arranged so that they fall out on my head when I open the door. The spices used for baking are in another cabinet on a lazy susan. I organize these by last in first out. So like the cinnamon that I use often is easily found, others like ginger are in there somewhere. Probably fallen below the lazy susan so that the thing is hard to turn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sun Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 I have mine in small tins in a drawer near the stove. I can't find the camera cord, but I was inspired by these pictures I found online. My system looks pretty much exactly like these two. I like being able to see the spices through the clear tops. how my spice drawer looks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 the savory spices are next to the stove in a cabinet. They are arranged so that whichever one I need at the time are always in the back of the cabinet causing me to have to remove every other jar in the cabinet. They are arranged so that they fall out on my head when I open the door. The spices used for baking are in another cabinet on a lazy susan. I organize these by last in first out. So like the cinnamon that I use often is easily found, others like ginger are in there somewhere. Probably fallen below the lazy susan so that the thing is hard to turn. :lol: Kinda like me. I keep baking spices/ingredients in the cabinet to the left of the stove, and others to the right. We have a lazy susan in the baking cabinet but not much is on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 the savory spices are next to the stove in a cabinet. They are arranged so that whichever one I need at the time are always in the back of the cabinet causing me to have to remove every other jar in the cabinet. They are arranged so that they fall out on my head when I open the door. The spices used for baking are in another cabinet on a lazy susan. I organize these by last in first out. So like the cinnamon that I use often is easily found, others like ginger are in there somewhere. Probably fallen below the lazy susan so that the thing is hard to turn. Ha! I used that system for about 15 years :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GingerPoppy Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 Mine are in a rotating spice rack that I keep on the counter. It holds about 24 different spices in little glass jars. I refill them with bulk herbs and spices (so inexpensive!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Inna* Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 I can see at a glance if I need to refill or buy more. It is alphabetized. It is so helpful.[ATTACH]8770[/ATTACH]This is so cute! I love the shelving too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen in CO Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 I have mine in small tins in a drawer near the stove. I can't find the camera cord, but I was inspired by these pictures I found online. My system looks pretty much exactly like these two. I like being able to see the spices through the clear tops. how my spice drawer looks Oh my. I just might have to give up my current system which involves the previously mentioned falling spices. And I think my pantry is in for a makeover too - I have about 7 different types of flour that just found pretty new jars to replace their bags. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSMom2One Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 I bought about 50 of these little jars and some nice labels a few years ago and they work beautifully. The jars sit in the cupboard on wire racks (the little riser type that look like stairs). We buy our spices in bulk and have the overflow in zip lock bags kept in a bin that is stowed up above out of sight. As the jars need filling we just look in the bin or add the spice to our shopping list. I love our system better than anything I've used before. Blessings, Lucinda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alte Veste Academy Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 I have an over the door rack for the pantry. I sort them by cooking genre. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate in Arabia Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 When we moved in the kitchen cabinets along one wall were moldy. The landlord had them torn out and was going to replace with new cabinets, but instead I asked for open wooden shelves, three full-sized ones for dishes and then underneath a narrower shelf than runs the same length but is just the right size for my spice jars. I have glass jars that I bought at the Container Store when we were living in the US and shipped here with our things. We are heavy spice users, I cook Indian food pretty much every day. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annabel Lee Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 OP, you have time to think about organizing your spices?!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
besroma Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 Mine are arranged alphabetically in a narrow, tall cabinet. 3 shelves. Counter clockwise in around the sides and back so that I can see and reach. This. I also keep all of my baking spices and flavorings in a plastic bin in a cabinet near the chocolate chips, etc. I used to have a tall lazy susan in a corner cabinet that I loved. I kept all of my spices in that cabinet, organized alphabetically, and would just spin the lazy susan around to find the spice I needed. BBB also has shelf expanders that are steps that are nice, if they fit your cabinets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 I have an over the door rack for the pantry. I sort them by cooking genre. :tongue_smilie: Okay, I think this is the way I am ultimately going to go. OP, you have time to think about organizing your spices?!? Always! This is the way I relax and unwind! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Peregrine Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 I can see at a glance if I need to refill or buy more. It is alphabetized. It is so helpful.[ATTACH]8770[/ATTACH] I love this. Are the lids the rings with the flat disc(canning lids?) Or something one-piece? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSMom2One Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 I sort them by cooking genre. :tongue_smilie: Forgot to add this to my post. I, too, sort by genre. First separated by baking spices vs savory dishes; then divided into groups such as Mexican, Indian, Italian dishes, etc. I have to admit, I'm kind of anal about keeping them all sorted correctly. Blessings, Lucinda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plucky Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 I love this. Are the lids the rings with the flat disc(canning lids?) Or something one-piece? It is with rings. I tried to glue the rings to the disc. Most worked, but not all of them stayed together. I would change that if I could but it hasn't been a big enough pain yet for me to do so. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plucky Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 This is so cute! I love the shelving too. Thanks. The bare, nasty shelves were put in by the previous owner. I covered them because they were just too ugly to live with anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mazakaal Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 I have mine in small tins in a drawer near the stove. I can't find the camera cord, but I was inspired by these pictures I found online. My system looks pretty much exactly like these two. I like being able to see the spices through the clear tops. how my spice drawer looks I think I have drawer envy. I have my spices in spice racks that are mounted on the walls. They would be very convenient if it weren't for the fact that there are too many bottles to fit in the racks and the racks are so poorly designed that some bottles are too tall to fit on the lower shelves. I also don't really love having my spices displayed on the walls. I would love to have a drawer with all my spices like this. Unfortunately, we have no drawers in my kitchen. :crying: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 By task. My baking spices are in one spot, my Indian spices in another, spices for chili (powder, peppers, Mexican oregano, epizote, etc) in another. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Peregrine Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 It is with rings. I tried to glue the rings to the disc. Most worked, but not all of them stayed together. I would change that if I could but it hasn't been a big enough pain yet for me to do so. :001_smile: Thanks! I want to do that with my spices. Hopefully I can glue them.:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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