Spices...In The Round

Moving into a different home recently has put me into organizing mode once again. I am always wanting to try new ways of doing things to see if I like something better. But since some ideas can be pricey to try out, I stick to new ways that don't cost anything first.

One of my usual organizing dilemmas, the kitchen, has me wondering two months later if I still have it right. I am in there quite a bit, so I'm always thinking about the best solutions. For example, I have had my herbs and spices organized two different ways (other than my usual) since moving here and I still don't like it. So this week I'm pulling out my organizing friend once again. Good 'ole Miss Lazy Susan. It certainly does a great job at keeping my bottles in order.

 

I have two double tiered lazy susans that hold my herb and spice bottles. Since I make a lot of my own herb and spice blends for cooking, I have quite a collection. A few years ago, I decided to buy bottles that were the same size, so I purchased two dozen amber spice bottles to start with. I ordered them through our local food co-op store. They were only a little more than one dollar each purchased this way. Since then I have bought two more dozen to keep up with my growing collection. Although I don't use them all, I very nearly do with experimenting with new herbs and spices here and there.

To keep things organized, I made very simple labels. I made a list (Allspice, Bay Leaf, Cinnamon, etc...) on my computer using a font I liked and then spaced the list 2 or 3 spaces apart down the page. I then cut them apart and neatly taped them onto my bottles with clear packing tape.

You can organize alphabetically or in groups of most used together (cinnamon, cloves, and ginger together and/or basil, oregano, and thyme together, etc...). No more searching high and low for the herb or spice I want, digging back into cupboards with odd sized bottles here and there.

The nice thing is, I can refill my bottles by going straight to the local food co-op (a different one now) and getting just the amount I need from their bulk spices without extra packaging. They weigh the empty bottle for me and then again after I've refilled the bottle for the price.

It was fun to create this homemaking project. I really love how my collection looks and it's organized too. Not only pretty, but practical too.