S.P.A.C.E. My Spices

We are so happy to have another guest post from Kathryn McMillan from Clutter Conversions, LLC.  You will definitely learn a lot. I bookmarked a couple of pages! Enjoy and let us know what you think.

When I help my clients organize their kitchen, there is usually an abundance of cups, glasses, cooking utensils, storage containers, and spices spread out in multiple places and they do not know how many they have of each item. I will usually find spices stored in several different places throughout the kitchen, often outdated or multiple containers of the same spice. So I apply the S.P.A.C.E. organizing formula by Julie Morgenstern to organize them. The S.P.A.C.E. formula applies to any thing you may be organizing, like clothing, toys, tools, papers, etc..

S.P.A.C.E. is an acronym for:
Sort
Purge
Assign a Home
Containerize
Equalize/Evaluate

Here is how you apply it to your spices.

1) Sort – Decide how you are going to sort your spices. They can be sorted alphabetically, sweet and savory, how often you use them, or individual spices versus spice blends. Sort your spices in a way that will make them easier to access while cooking or baking. Once you’ve decided how you are going to organize your spices, pull them all out and start sorting

2) Purge – Now is the time to get rid of expired spices, consolidate half-full bottles and donate unopened and unneeded spices to your local food pantry.

3) Assign them a Home – Decide if you are going to store them in a cabinet, pantry, drawer, wall, or counter.

4) Containerize – Purchase an organizing product that will meet your needs and fit the space. Do not forget to label your bottles and/or the spot where it is to be kept.

Go to our SNAP Store for more Kitchen/Dining Products.

Here is a wall mounted spice rack we love! Organize It All 3-Tier Wall-Mounted Spice Rack – Chrome (1812)

5) Equalize/Evaluate – You should check your spices every 6 months to see if any have expired. For a complete list of Shelf Life for spices go to www.eatbydate.com.