Do you decant your food and spices?

[Moxie]

Having just moved, I've been spending a lot of free time on YouTube watching organizing videos (weird hobby, I know!!). I love the look of matching containers in a cupboard! I'm toying with the idea of finding containers I love and decanting my spices, cereal, snacks, etc. If you do this, do you like it? What containers do you use?

[Mabeline]

I love using mason jars for this. They are clear so you can see how much you have left. There are several sizes of jars. They stack nicely. I like buying the plastic lids for storage because I hate the two piece metal lids. They are easy to label, either with a label maker or a dry erase marker for stuff that won't be in that jar for long. It also makes it easier to buy in bulk to save money, especially on spices.

 

The only con to using glass mason jars is that they are heavy. You need to make sure the shelf will hold the weight.

 

Have fun shopping for containers. :-)

[Moxie]

I love using mason jars for this. They are clear so you can see how much you have left. There are several sizes of jars. They stack nicely. I like buying the plastic lids for storage because I hate the two piece metal lids. They are easy to label, either with a label maker or a dry erase marker for stuff that won't be in that jar for long. It also makes it easier to buy in bulk to save money, especially on spices.

 

The only con to using glass mason jars is that they are heavy. You need to make sure the shelf will hold the weight.

 

Have fun shopping for containers. :-)

I hadn't even thought of mason jars! Do the plastic lids come in colors?

[LaxMom]

I use mason jars, too. Quarts for beans, dried fruit, grains. Half gallons for larger quantity things like flours. Squat little 4 oz jars for spices.

 

I label them with a sharpie. It goes through the dishwasher fine, but rubbing alcohol takes it right off.

[Sparkle]

I used to have my entire kitchen in Tupperware Modular Mates. I admit I've gotten kind of lazy about putting everything in their rightful containers though, although I still do with my baking supplies.

[Spryte]

We have the square OXO containers. Tons of them. I used them for everything, and got some kind of nerdy pleasure out of seeing our organized pantry.

 

And then... And then... (wait for it...)

 

DS developed severe allergies. Aaaack! We now have to keep the labels on everything. We have to check/double check ingredients. Aaahhhh!

 

So we have dozens of those pop top OXO containers. Dozens. And no use for them. Sometimes I ponder putting art supplies in them. :)

 

If you lived nearby, they'd be yours.

[Firefly]

I do, because I buy most of my dry goods in bulk from a local food co-op. Like others I use mason jars-- I have some modern ones and also an assortment of unusual old ones I've picked up at tag sales over the years. I think they look cool and are very durable. YMMV :)

[Unicorn.]

Nope, sometimes the only way I can find something, is by the color or shape of the lid!

[zoobie]

I use Stagioni jars from The Container Store. They have one piece lids. Spices go in the 5 oz size, then I have larger sizes for beans, etc.

http://www.containerstore.com/mt/www.containerstore.com/shop/kitchen/foodStorage/jarsTerrines?productId=10013118

 

The spices are all alphabetical in an Elfa pantry door rack. It's so pretty. I wish the rest of my house were as organized as my spices. :)

[gardenmom5]

i have things like pasta and lugumes, sugars, flour, cereal, etc. in containers. (most things that were in a bag and go in my baking cupboard. much easier to find in a container.) my spices are in organizers inside my cupboard doors and are in uniform manufacturers containers that i refill.

 

I also have drawer organizers/dividers and turntables on some shelves. I LOVE them.

 

I can't find the spice oranizers I have, but they were individual sticky back and would hold a jar. they also had some to hold a box.

I got some of the turntables at storables (they had the diameter I wanted.)

container store . . .

 

then cheap rubbermaid drawer dividers and rubbermaid modular storage. I also did some that were speciality for size for what I needed to have access to

 

 

eta: someone mentioned ELFA. it goes on sale in dec through feb. It was the ONLY rack of that style that fit my very narrow pantry door. I did my bedroom closet this year. I have rubbermaid in my kids bedroom. I like efla better - and the shelves fit either brands bracket/standards.

[Mabeline]

 

I hadn't even thought of mason jars! Do the plastic lids come in colors?

 

 

I've only seen them in white. If you are really artsy, I'm sure you could decorate them with sharpies or pretty labels.

 

I'm not creative so I just use my label maker with a nice font.

[UrbanSue]

I do because we had a huge mouse problem in one apartment several years ago. We bought a ton of glass jars at Ikea (sadly discontinued, I think) and still use them. I have mostly open shelving and I keep the few loose things in baskets. I also have a stairwell pantry shelf for cans.

[Tap]

I buy my spices at Penzys in the plastic bags or small jars. I move the plastic bag items into jelly jars, and lay the other bottles on their sides.

 

For the larger pantry, I use mason jars or a few higher quality plastic containers that I have bought over the years.

 

For the fridge, I use glass Pyrex rectangular dishes with the blue lids.

[Prairie~Phlox]

I just ordered some of these for my mason jars. http://pantryparatus.com/our-store/kitchen-tools/all-things-canning/modern-harvest.html. I think sbcanning.com has cheaper shipping.

[Ellie]

Yes. I use Tupperware Modular Mates. They all fit so nice and tidy in my pantry and cabinets. :-)

 

I'm afraid of using glass jars, because I have pain in my hands and I'm sure I'd drop the heavier glass containers.

[happi duck]

We have the square OXO containers. Tons of them. I used them for everything, and got some kind of nerdy pleasure out of seeing our organized pantry.

 

And then... And then... (wait for it...)

 

DS developed severe allergies. Aaaack! We now have to keep the labels on everything. We have to check/double check ingredients. Aaahhhh!

 

So we have dozens of those pop top OXO containers. Dozens. And no use for them. Sometimes I ponder putting art supplies in them. :)

 

If you lived nearby, they'd be yours.

 

 

When I put stuff in my jars I cut the instructions/ingredient list off the bag or box and either put it in the container or tape it to the outside.

 

The times I forget it's like "I think this might be cream of wheat. I wonder how to make it?"

[Hypatia.]

We buy our spices in 1 lb bags from Azure Standard and transfer them over to mason jars with plastic lids. For other bulk foods such as beans, cream of wheat, grits (you can take the girl out of the south ;) ) oats, we store some in the pantry in Rubbermaid containers (and the rest in 5 gallon buckets with gamma seals since these items in 50 lbs bags as well.