Weekend Mini-Organizing Challenge: Spice Storage
Need some organizing motivation and inspiration, or a gentle nudge? Simply subscribe to my blog to receive mini-organizing challenges several weekends a month. They will be automatically emailed to you so you won’t have to remember to visit the blog.
Mini-organizing challenges are doable and will focus on decluttering a tiny area of your home. If the weekend challenge “speaks” to you, then set your timer for 30 minutes and start organizing/decluttering. Stop when the timer goes off then enjoy the rest of your weekend knowing that you accomplished something! Of course, you may continue organizing if you have gained the momentum you needed.
Mini-Challenge: Spice Storage
When was the last time you really looked at your spice collection? If it’s been years then you may very well find some ancient bottles among your favorites. Duplicates? Guilty as charged, because who doesn’t own duplicate spices? I’ve been known to have more than one bottle of paprika in my kitchen.
Round up those bottles, toss the ones that are well beyond expired (unless they still have flavor), and toss the spices you don’t intend to use (or donate to a friend that does cook with that particular spice). Go ahead and recycle the containers.
Categorize your spices, loosely, not perfectly. Your spice system has to make sense to you. Here are a couple of category options if you’re having trouble getting started. Baking, ethnic, grilling, and herbs. Alphabetical: A-L, M-P, Q-Z.
Place them in containers, on a turntable, or use a tiered spice rack to keep them orderly and easily accessible. These organizational tools will prevent spices from getting lost in the back of your cabinets. I prefer containers. When I need a spice, I pull the container out of my pantry and look through it.
Watch these very brief before and after/better videos for more tips.
My clients and I find some ancient relics among their spices, it happens to all of us! What’s the oldest expiration date you’ve found during this challenge?
