Spice organizing tip...

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I was reading a magazine a few days ago, and when I read this simple tip, I thought duhhh, why didn't you do this 16 years ago!!! Maybe many of you do, but it was new to me. Organize your spices in small baskets, then when you are cooking, just pull out the basket and put it right by the cooking area. I have spice racks onside my cupboard doors, and a drawer full of spices, but I always have to dig for them. So I stopped at the Dollar Store and bought some little plastic baskets to use. They were 2 for $1. I plan to go through all of my spices today and organize them.

Another thing I noticed was that if you buy "spice blends," a lot of them have MSG in them. This is a flavor enhancer, and it gives me a headache. I would sometimes pick these up 2-4 for $1, because they were quick to use. Now I am going to sort them all out and get rid of them. I just never noticed that it was in there. But I am becoming a fantical label reader!!!

-- Melissa in SE Ohio (me@home.net), May 06, 2002

Answers

Thanks for the tip Melissa. My spice cupboard drives me crazy, I have to dig for the ones I need and the rest of them fall out on my head! I think it's time for me to get them organized. Thanks!

-- cowgirlone in ok (cowgirlone47@hotmail.com), May 06, 2002.

Melissa,bless you! I hate how my spices are disorganized and they fall on my head too. They are on two turntables on an upper shelf and baskets are a perfect idea!

-- Ardie/WI (ardie54965@hotmail.com), May 06, 2002.

I'll add to this tip. I use those square plastic containers to pull them out of the shelves, but I try to organize by sections of the alphabet--like A-G, H-O,etc... so at a quick glance I just look for those containers....

Those that I use very often, like salt, pepper, garlic and basil are in their own square container. BTW cereal boxes can be cut down to the right size for this...

-- Ann Markson (tngreenacres@hotmail.com), May 06, 2002.


I also organize mine alphabetically. It makes it so much easier to find each one.

-- Karen (mountains_mama2@hotmail.com), May 06, 2002.

I have finished mine. I used rectangular baskets, and put baking spices in one, everyday spices in one, things I use rarely in another, one for decorating cakes (like sprinkles and bottles of flavorings, and cupcake papers etc...) and one for all of my salt and pepper shakers (have a bunch for dinners and parties). I used a black marker and wrote the name of the spice on top, so when I look down I can grab it at a glance. Should work much better than before!!

-- Melissa in SE Ohio (me@home.net), May 06, 2002.


I just did mine a few weeks ago. Like cowgirlone I got sick of mine falling out of the cupboard and hitting me on the head! I put mine in a drawer, but first took a sharpie marker and wrote the names on the tops of the lids so I could tell at a glance what was what. Then I put them in alphabetically and now for the first time in ages I can find what I need without digging through the cupboard. Whew!!!

-- Elizabeth (ekfla@aol.com), May 06, 2002.

If you want to be really frugal.....I used a large shoe box. I did this about 4 or 5 years ago. I just love to be able to pull it out and set it on the counter when I need a spice. My spices would get shoved to the back of the cabinet and I never knew what I had and go and buy more. Being organized saves time and money.

-- Jo in Central Wa (countryjo16@hotmail.com), May 06, 2002.

I have mine in baskets---& I also put spices I use a lot & put in baskets & put in the motor home----so I have what ever I need when we are on the road or camping----

-- Sonda in Ks. (sgbruce@birch.net), May 06, 2002.

I thought about using boxes, but figured with the heavy use they would get and possibly getting wet on the counters, the baskets were cheap enough! MAYBE if I was the only person in the kitchen... but with lots of helping hands, seems like there are a lot of messes!!!

-- Melissa in SE Ohio (me@home.net), May 06, 2002.

I just use pint sealers for mine. All the herbs, etc., that I grow in the garden get dried and put in, and I generally buy my spices in bulk, so they get emptied into pint jars when I get home. They're all stacked on their own shelf in my pantry -- just wide enough to hold the jars safely one deep.

I find those little bottles that hold about four tablespoons of spice WAAAAY to expensive -- and the bottles are difficult to store.

Another tip is that the 1/2 pint jars are just high enough to be held in a standard kitchen drawer -- if you use a Sharpie to write on the top, as an earlier post mentioned -- they're easy to grab when you need, too -- and most kitchens have a drawer close at hand to the stove.

-- Tracy (trimmer31@hotmail.com), May 07, 2002.



Inside my spice cabinet I have small 'lazy susans'. Just a quick spin and I can find what I need.

-- Charleen in WNY (harperhillfarm@yahoo.com), May 08, 2002.

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