If your spice cabinet is an unusable disaster, you’re probably wondering:
What is the best way to organize spices? By far, the best way to organize spices is in 8-ounce deli containers. Fill and label them. Then, stack them in a cabinet that is as far away from heat as possible. Spices will lose quality quickly, if they are not kept in a cool, dark place.
How one organizes one’s spices depends on whether or not he actually cooks with them! I’m guessing you do use your spices; because only those who cook are frustrated by the problem of disorganized spices (if you didn’t use them, they would still look as Pinterest-perfect as they did on the day you first organized them). Here, you will learn how to get those spices organized in a way that you can live with.
Why Most Spice Organizing Systems Fail
We’ve all been wowed by those sexy spice organizers shown on Pinterest. In truth, the most action they see is when they get dusted every so often. One problem with them is that some spices are used far more than others, and in greater quantities.
Organizing one’s spices might seem like one of those things for which life is too short. In fact, though, life is too short not to organize your spices…but not in any of the ways you see on Pinterest. This is why displays like those are unrealistic for the home cook:
- Countertop spice racks expose spices to light, which degrades them.
- Storing spices next to or above the stove may be convenient, but the heat ruins them.
- The same goes for storing them next to or above the refridgerator. The fridge is cold on the inside, but its machinery heats up its surfaces, and any surrounding cabinetry.
- Many spices will run out constantly, if stored in small bottles; refilling them is a nuisance.
- Small bottles leave you with the problem of where to store the rest of the spice, left after filling the bottle.
- Spice sets are very expensive; and always contain several spices you never use, while omitting several that you consider mainstays. Even sets of empty bottles are costly to the cook who has a large collection spices.
Matching Containers that Check All the Boxes
Eight-ounce deli containers (view here) manage to hit the sweet spot of spice storage. They’re all the same size, and will accommodate most of your spices. They’re easy to label. Unlike tall jars, you will not be constantly knocking them down. You can see through them.
They are perfectly stackable. Best of all, due to their shallow shape, you can see more spices at once. When you need to get to the spices further back, you will be able to move six or more spices in one grab, instead of moving a lot of heavy jars.
Not All Plastic Containers are Created Equal
Recently, I bought some containers at my local discount store. The plastic was awfully thin at the corners, no thicker than the cellophane sleeve on a floral bouquet. They turned out to be so flimsy, you’d be lucky to get even one use out of them. I never got to find out – I knocked them off the counter, still in their wrapper, and they broke!
You may be surprised to learn that many of the plastic containers used by your favorite supermarket brands are made right here in the USA. Don’t settle for Made-in-You-Know-Where containers, when you can get the same quality the pros use. They may seem to cost a little more; but if you count durability into the cost, the most expensive container is really that one I threw in the trash!
Not crazy about storing in plastic? The wide mouthed Mason jars are better for stacking than the standard shape. Remember to buy American made!
Keep the Best of your Current Spice Storage System
Before you start transferring your spices to their new containers, assess your current spice arrangement. The spices you use the most are probably right in front. Snap a picture of them.
As you start pulling the spices out of the cabinet, separate them by how often each is used. An easy way to do this is to divide them between two cookie pans, as you remove them from the cabinet – Favorites on the left pan, others on the right pan.
This will help you prioritize which ones to place in front. It also makes it easy to put your project aside. If your life is anything like mine, there’s no way you’re going to finish this all in one session!
The Fun Part: customize your system
Once you are done, though, the fun begins (well, almost – Be sure to give the empty cabinet a good cleaning)! Now, you can arrange your spices any way you like.
It’s hard to keep spices arranged in any kind of perfect order. Alphabetically, perhaps (*giggle-snort*)? One Pinterest spice cabinet alpha-fail didn’t look too bad, until you got to G: “Ground Allspice, Ground Black Pepper, Ground Cinnamon, etc..”
Instead, aim for a practical structure. Obviously, most-used in front and least-used in the back; but you can combine that with cooking spices on the left and baking spices on the right.
Replacing your Spices?
I’m not going to lecture you about replacing your spices every few months. We’ve all heard that rumor online and on TV shows…but do you know any person who actually does it? My neighbor arranges all of her eating utensils in the drawer, so they all face the same direction; but she does not do this. My cousin cleans the insides of her drawers every week, and she doesn’t. Her son is a chef, and even he doesn’t!
Your spices should not, however, be so old that you inherited them from Mom or are using the same bottles you bought in college. Here’s a simple way to know when to retire a jar of spice, from the staff of Oxo kitchen tools:
Fresh spices should be very fragrant, while old ones won’t have much scent at all.”
Oxo Staff
…but if you insist, here is a chart from Livestrong that gives the basic rule of thumb for when spices are no longer at peak quality:
Check your seasonings against their shelf-lives: whole spices: 3 – 4 years. (think peppercorn, allspice and cloves), pre-ground spices: 2 – 3 years, leafy herbs: 1 year.”
Livestrong
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