How Do You Organize Your Spices?

This is my setup; spices are arranged alphabetically, and the oils and larger sized spices are on the top pull out shelf of the kitchen pantry. There’s more in the garage pantries too…

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Wow, that’s a treasure hunt for me! I arrange spices like your top drawer, and I have 2 of them, smaller drawers though.

Question, since you have so many different spices, how long do you usually keep them? Normally they need to be renewed after some years (although I rarely remember to do that).

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Naf, I have quite a few spices in their whole forms, which I grind when needed. The others we go through fairly fast, but if it’s something I haven’t used in awhile, I’ll chuck it if it smells wimpy and put it on the next spice order.

Although poppy and sesame seeds aren’t spices per se, I keep them in the freezer to maintain freshness and minimize oxidation.

BTW, my spice drawers are better organized than the rest of the house!

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That looks impressive! I would love to put it all in drawers like that.

Some tease me about how I do it, especially the “salts”.

I tend to sort first by volume; when I use a lot of something , it gets stored on the pantry doors in Costco containers. I also have a section for ground chili peppers ( allepo, chipotle, ancho, etc) which are stored in Winco sized containers. There are some “blends”, (berbere, some “curry”) that get stored in canning jars.

And then the traditional spice sized containers , and the bags, for things I have too much of, don’t use often, or I’m still experimenting with. Not sure any are picture worthy.





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I guess I use a variation of LOLI, last out, last in. I have two two-decker carrousels, one for sweet spices, one for savory/herbs. There is little order except for like generally living with like. So those spices I use for carrot cake or gingerbread men tend to be replaced next to each other. Similarly with savories.

I keep more perishable seasonings, like safran, in a plastic bin box in the refrigerator. A few bought in bulk live in the freezer.

When I grow up, I will live like Lambchop and shrinkrap.

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Am I grown up? Oh no! I can’t help but think of this.

I Won’t Grow Up https://g.co/kgs/3RDrHY

Showing my age I guess. I remember every word of that songA, but never thought about Mary Martin pledging to never become a man!

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@shrinkrap - it is picture worthy and thanks for posting! I like how your pantry doors are big enough to accommodate the Costco sized containers.

Our kitchen designer came over after everything was completed for a photo shoot. She was appalled at my spice drawers and started rearranging everything, put all the Penzey’s stuff together & etc. She then asked me why I had everything arranged like I did. When I told her, we had a good laugh & I said she was a great designer but probably didn’t cook much.

As an aside, she won a 1st place design award in the category of large kitchens in the state of Washington for our kitchen project. She did a great job of listening to what we wanted and needed in our new kitchen.

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@pilgrim - don’t EVER grow up please! :scream_cat:

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That’s wonderful! I would love to see more pictures! Have you shared others? What kind of pullout drawers are those?
BTW, the Costco spice jars fit well, and I go through a LOT of their pepercorns, but the Costco Lawry’s Seasoned Salt bottles fit even more efficiently. Too bad I don’t use it enough to have a collection. I once looked up how to buy empty ones, but nah .

Sure, I’ll post other ones tomorrow. Should I put them on this thread or start another?

The cabinetry is from Crystal Cabinets, based in Minnesota. We love them so much we ordered a custom dining room installation, and have them in 2 bathrooms. We’ll be ordering an installation for the family room in January.

BTW, love your midnight snack!

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Not showing your age- I’m 34 and love Peter Pan! We just have good taste… I actually bought a copy on DVD for my sister this past Christmas, then decided to get one for myself. Upon reflection, maybe this is why I’m still single haha.

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My oils and vinegars are stored in a cabinet above the sink. They might get a bit of warmth from the light underneath (which is not fastened to the underside of the cabinet) but not enough to affect them.

The spices I use on a regular basis are in a small cabinet to the left and above my stove - 3 shelves. I have a galley kitchen in a townhouse with open doorways on either side into the dining and living rooms, so I’m easily able to reach things as I prep. I’ve got them on 3 turny-go-rounds, as my Mom and I always called them (small Rubbermaid Lazy Susans). Two singles, one double. Spices (mostly) stored alphabetically, with lesser-used spices/herbs tucked in behind the (most often used) ones in front (i.e., Tarragon is behind the Thyme).

Then my backup/much lesser used spices and herbs are in a hanger thingie over what is supposed to be a front door coat closet, but I use it 100% as a pantry/storage closet (vacuum, extra light bulbs, etc.). The floor of the pantry has 3 open wire rack cube structures in which I put canned goods, extra pasta, sugar, flour, cookies, crackers, etc. And the door holds the overflow of additional spices/dried herbs.

I also have a double-door pie safe in my dining room which holds liquor and assorted other condiments such as assorted honeys and mustards, cans of tuna, and “gourmet” herb blends I’ve purchased because I can’t help myself, and stuff I can’t find other places for. :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

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Hmmmm …maybe. Which version?

Nice usage of space @LindaWhit!

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Couple of ways.
Whole spice is in a shoebox in the pantry alpha order.
Ground spice in recycled jars in the cabinet.
Baking supplies in a pullout drawer.
Opened staple ingre in the wine cooler.

I have 2 spice racks above my stove. I keep my most used spices here. They are organized by cuisine. I have a row for powdered garlics and onions/shallots
Another row for cinnamon and Christmasy spices (allspice, clove), another for dried herbs, another for asian spices, another for Mexican spices and then a final row that’s kind of a free for all.

In my pantry I have a lazy susan with spices that I use regularly but not enough to have outside the pantry.

Finally, I have 2 smallish rubbermaid containers full of the infrequently used spices. They are not organized.


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I went with the color version from 1960- its what I grew up watching, rather than the earlier black and white. We used to watch it when it came on TV around Easter each year, so it is forever linked in my mind with gorging myself silly on black licorice jelly beans. Good times.

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I’ve been on an organizing kick. Today I cleaned, sorted, refilled, and alphabetized* my spice drawer:

I’ve tried a few different methods for organizing and find them ALL hard to maintain. Hunting for spices drives me mad, though.

Refill spices and disorganized/specialty/inconveniently packaged/less frequently used ingredients are stored in my pantry:

Speaking of pantry, that is also a work in progress. We don’t have a garage/basement. Can you tell? I also have a 5-year old. That you can definitely tell. :joy::

*Not strictly - based on how I usually think of the spice’s name

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Oooo! Google video share!

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Your’s all look so neat!
I bought a load of little plastic drinking bottles thatI keep my spices (& herbs) in.
Blue top for home made mixes, rubs etc, green for all singles.
Then a black plastic box for all spare.

I’ll need to do some cleaning before making a picture (it’s very dusty here)

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