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Organize Your Spices to Simplify Cooking

By January 25, 2014May 2nd, 2018Organizing Tips

WEEKEND ORGANIZING CHALLENGE

Are you up for a challenge?  Why not Organize your Spices and Oils?  This is an easy organizing challenge that can be completed in 15-20 minutes AND will leave you feeling great and relieved the next time you cook!

This challenge is easy, rewarding and will get the organizing juices flowing.  Ready, set, go…

  1. Remove everything from the cabinet that currently houses all spices, oils and sauces and place them on a kitchen counter.  Add to that any other spices that may be stored in other areas of your kitchen or pantry.
  2. Ask yourself if this location makes sense?  Is it strategically located near your cooktop and prep area?  If not, now is your chance to change it.
  3. Thoroughly clean the cabinet that you have decided to use for your spices.  This is a must and only takes and extra minute or two.
  4. Begin the purging and sorting process. If they are old, stale or near empty…toss. I once read that if you can’t smell your spices, it’s time to replace them!  Keep a notepad handy to jot down the names of the spices that need replacing.  Or better yet, make a nice neat pile and snap a picture with your phone.
  5. Take what is left and place them all together like one big happy pile on the counter.  Do the same for the oils and sauces.
  6. Load your cabinet or drawer accordingly keeping all like items together.  Since you purged along the way, you will most likely have plenty of room to spread out making it easier to see all of your choices at cooking time.
  7. Storing spices in a drawer is another great option and allows for easy visibility.  Organize you spices alphabetically which will allow for easy retrieval.  It will also make you feel really good every time you open that cabinet and there is nothing wrong with that!

 

 

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Make sure to check the dates of your spices regularly to ensure freshness.  Spices do not spoil but they do lose their strength. Stored in airtight containers in cool dry places, spices retain their potency longer than you might have been led to believe.
 
Wondering what is the Shelf Life of Spices and Herbs?  Click here to find out.
 

About 

Lori Gersh is a hands-on professional organizer, move manager and the owner of Leave It 2 Lori. Her focus is on helping her clients in Beverly Hills, Westlake Village, Calabasas, Malibu, Manhattan Beach, Santa Monica, Studio City, Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, and other Southern California cities to declutter, organize, and transform their space. Whether you are upsizing or downsizing, organizing your home or your office, Lori and her team will handle it all.