spice jar organization

I hesitated in writing this post…because…well, spice jar organization.  Who does that?  Who has the time for that?

Actually, I’ve thought about doing this for a while.  But it’s always last on the list of things to do…so many more important tasks to complete around my house.  So when I realized I had 5 containers of cumin (because I WASN’T organized), I knew I needed to do this so that I would know what spices I had and not continue to purchase duplicates!

Today I’m sharing how I transformed my spice cabinet (and even ended up with more space than before)!

First, let’s have a look at the BEFORE photos…what a mess it was!

I have this wonderful little cabinet with a swinging shelf inside that provides double the space to store spices and baking items…but as you can see, it looks like something exploded inside it!

The first thing I did was take out all the items and toss whatever was expired (I had spices that I purchased in 2004…we moved to this house in 2008, not sure why I even moved them with us) or I knew I was not going to use in the near future.

Then I decided to order THESE SPICE JARS so that my spices would look uniform in the cabinet.  I really like the lids on these jars because the plastic top allows you to sprinkle or pour the spices, depending on how much or how little you need.  And the black metal lid is easy to twist on and off.  I mean, how many times have you had a terrible time getting the lid to open on a spice jar?!?

I didn’t use the labels that came with the jars.  Instead, I used THIS LABEL MAKER to create my own.  I love the “old school” look of these…reminds me of labels from my childhood!  And I have to say that I enjoyed using the label maker a bit too much…Phillip may have teased me about my obsession with it.  One tip I learned along the way is to squeeze the handle firmly so that the letter you are embossing shows up bright and clear.

After gathering the supplies and making the labels, it was time to transfer all of my spices into the new jars.  Some were easy to pour, and others I had to use a funnel.

Then it was time to put them back in my cabinet…in alphabetical order, so that I could find them more easily and know what I already have when making my grocery list.

Once I had the spices in place, I realized that the miscellaneous baking ingredients that I keep on the back shelf needed some organizing.  So I used some glass containers to store them and I made some more labels…I told you I am a little obsessed with my label maker!

And look at the extra space I have now!   The back side of the swinging shelf is only about half filled, and I have extra spice jars on hand for any new spices I may purchase.

Speaking of new spices…my plan is to buy my spices in those refillable plastic bags (rather than metal containers or glass jars) from now on.  That way I can just add them to my new jars.  Less waste!  And hopefully by having them organized in this manner, I can avoid buying 5 containers of cumin (or any other spice).  I mean really, who would use THAT much cumin anyway?!?

Now I’m off to make some labels!  For something.  Have I told you how much I LOVE my label maker…