How To Organize Your Spices

Now is the time! With the holidays right around the corner, it is time to get those kitchen spices refreshed and reorganized! When it comes to spices we often think that they are always going to be there for us when we need them without any maintenance. Not true. Although your spices won’t necessarily “Go bad” they do lose their potency between 1 to 3 years (depending on the type of spice), which means that your Thanksgiving pie may be at risk. Creating a habit of refreshing your spices at the beginning of fall each year will help you stay on top of keeping this system fresh and updated. Let me walk you through a simple process for keeping your spices organized.

Step One: Evaluate your spice collection

The first step to getting your spices in order is to evaluate your current method for storing your spices. This way you can determine if your system functions beautifully for you, or if you need to make some tweaks. Some questions to ask yourself:

• Can I easily access my spices?
• Do I have all the spices that I need?
• Are my spices outdated?
• Are there spices in my collection that I never use?
• Do my spice labels need to be updated?

Step Two: Declutter Spices

Now that you have assessed your spice situation it is time to jump in and start the decluttering process. Use my simple guide below for steps to simply declutter your spice collection. If you are unsure how long you have had a spice you can give it the sniff test. Sniff your spice and if the aroma is weak then this is a sign that your spice has lost potency.

Step Three: Clean your spice system

Spices are decluttered so let the cleaning begin! Removing your spices from the cabinet or drawer when decluttering will allow you to give the space a good wipe down. Often spices will spill within a drawer or cabinet and while the space is empty it is the perfect opportunity to give it a good cleaning. When cleaning your spices this also includes wiping down any spice jars and re-labeling your system if needed or desired. Whether your home is modern, farmhouse, or traditional, there are so many spice label options to fit almost any style.

Step Four: Organize your spices

Now for the fun part, at least I think so. Now that you have everything decluttered and cleaned it is about implementing your refreshed system. This is not simply putting the spices back in the cabinet or drawer. You first want to look back on your assessment notes and make any needed changes. Do you need to move your spices to a better location? Think about how you function in your kitchen. Where would be the most efficient place to store your spices. Another thing to think about is that you can extend your spice shelf life by keeping them in a cool dark space. Here are a few tips on organizing spices:

• Store spices in alphetical order.
• Use bins to sort spices into categories such as everyday spices, speciality spices, baking spices etc. This makes it easy when you are cooking because you can simply grab the basket of choice and have all spices easily accessible on the counter as you cook.
• Vinegar bottles are a beautiful solution for bulk seasonings.
• Organizing your spices in a drawer next to your stove makes it easy to find your spices while cooking.
• Spices are easily stored verically to save space. This can be on the side of your fridge or on the door of your pantry.

Step Five: Beautify your spice system

Now that all of the hard work is done it is time to put that finishing touch on your spice collection. Taking the time to create a beautifully cohesive spice collection will not only save you time but will bring you joy each time you utilize your spices. Investing in jars and beautiful labels are well worth the cost and effort of bringing beautiful order to your home.

I hope the tips I shared with you today will inspire you to hit the reset button on your spice collection. My organizing team and I would love to work one-on-one with you this fall to help you get your kitchen organized for the holiday season. Let’s get started! Schedule your first virtual organizing session today.

Hugs & Love,