Organizing Products I Use - Spice Organizers and Turntables

  
Even before we moved, I knew I needed to do something with my spices. The little grocery store I go to sells locally grown spices in small plastic bags. I love that they are locally grown and that they are much less expensive than bottled spices. However, those little bags get messy, even if you containerize them.

My solution? Little plastic bottles I bought from Uline. Yes, I had to pay for the containers, but only once. Now I can refill them as needed without the cost of the bottles. I used my label maker to label each container.

I was shocked at the number of spices I had! To prevent cooking boredom, I have been trying out a lot of new recipes, hence new spices.  Some of them are on my Pinterest, if you care to check them out.


Next I bought a stair-step spice organizer that expands (got it from Amazon). And no, I didn't organize them alphabetically. Maybe I should. Haven't gotten there yet. :)

You can see the finished product on the right. I did keep some of my bottled spices, especially those  that I like to shake out - red pepper flakes, for example. But when they run out, I might transfer them to my Uline containers. I still have a few unused ones.

Now what to do with all those oils and vinegars? Since my cabinets are very tall and I'm pretty short, I opted for turntables on the second shelf. I have three: one for oils, etc., one for tall spices, and one for vinegars and such. The turntables make all those ingredients readily accessible without needing a step stool.

My mixer and canisters are on the counter, making it a convenient baking area. Measuring spoons and cups, spatulas, whisks, and bakeware are in cabinets and drawers below to save steps.

I love having many of my cooking ingredients available in one place and easy to see and reach. It took me a while to figure out what I wanted for a price I didn't mind paying, but I'm so happy with my choices. It's worth researching different options until you find what you want.

I smile each time I open this cabinet.

More on organizing the kitchen:
Three Steps to Organizing the Kitchen
Organizing Products I Use - Bakeware Organizers
Redbook: Clever Storage for Plastic Wrap, Foil, and Reclosable Bags