10 TIPS FOR A PERFECTLY ORGANIZED SPICE PANTRY

I love to organize!  But that does not mean that I am a super organized person!!! Not at all! I would say I am average, at best!

My spice pantry is a great example of a very disorganized and costly mess! It had not been cleaned and cleared out in a couple of years.

So one afternoon I got motivated and tackled the mess, got it organized and under control... OH what a difference!

Here is what it looked like before...

This is not a little embarrassing... this is a whole lot embarrassing! There was so much in this pantry that I did not even know what I had any more!!!!!

Here's how I cleaned and organized my pantry. I compiled my organizational skills into...


10 TIPS FOR A PERFECTLY ORGANIZED SPICE PANTRY!

1. Take every single thing out of the pantry!

2. Throw all out-dated spices and herbs, baking soda, cornstarch, baking powder, etc away! Anything that has expired... THROW IT AWAY!

3. SCRUB down the pantry from top to bottom and put in new shelf paper.

4. Put all spices on a counter so you can see what you have. 

Take a good look at everything.  Do you really need 5 pumpkin pie spices? Do you really need 1? Do you know what cream of tartar is used for?  I actually use cream of tartar so for me it's a keeper! I did get rid of fennel seed though.

5. Consolidate multiple jars into larger jars.

Example: Put 3 partially used jars of Chicken Bullion into 1 mason jar. 

It's much easier to have one bigger jar than 2 or 3 smaller jars kicking around!

6. Use a label maker and mark the contents of all jars that are not holding original content.

This looks soooo much neater too!

  I love neat... and label makers!  Don't you?

7. If there are still too many leftover spices and herbs (yes, guilty) gather them up in a big box and let family and friends go through them until you give all of them away.

Do not put the extra back in your pantry!!! THIS IS CLUTTER!

8. Your mantra during this process is... "BE RUTHLESS". 

If you won't use it, don't keep it! It is clutter!

9. No whim, sale or bulk spice and herb buying. 

It does not matter that there is a sale on Mexican paprika. If you have paprika in the pantry... pass it up! Unless you are starting your own spice rub company buy small quantities of spices and herbs.

If you can't stand tarragon but a recipe calls for it, don't buy it! Just don't use it!!! It's a waste of money!


The only exception I have with this rule is vanilla. I am a vanilla addict! I have beans and paste and liquid... store bought and homemade! I use it liberally! It's like my culinary safety blanket.

Vanilla and salt! But nothing else!


10. Follow the Boy Scout rule... leave the world a little better than you found it.

And that applies to spice pantries too! Be very intentional about everything you put away in the pantry and exactly where you put it! Keep things tidier than they were when you first opened the pantry door.

What a wonderful rule to live by!!!!





Now I can finally see ALL my spices and herbs... easily marked and all together! I won't be buying any duplicates or wasting any more money... Or taking up my time looking for the cinnamon in the spice pantry!

And the world of my spice pantry is a pretty nice place to visit!!!

How about you? How does the place you keep your spices look?

Use these 10 simple rules and get the world of your spices in shape too!

Remember to