Organizing Herbs and Spices??? - Printable Version +- Cuisine at home Forums (https://www.forums.cuisineathome.com) +-- Thread: Organizing Herbs and Spices??? (/showthread.php?tid=153430)

Organizing Herbs and Spices??? - Harborwitch - 08-04-2013 I have tons of herbs and spices - surprisingly they all seem to be wonderful after being in various "storage" places. I now have all of them here at the motor home and need to try to put them in some kind of order and inventory them so I know what's where. Most of them are in sealed jars or tins that have been in the dark. I'm wondering - by cuisine? But some cross all kinds of "borders". Alphabetic? I have limited storage inside. I'm so tired of not being able to find anything. Re: Organizing Herbs and Spices??? - labradors - 08-04-2013 Straight alphabetical has always worked the best for me. As you said, there are so many overlaps. For example: cumin - Mexican? Indian? Moroccan? Either you'd have to keep it in just one place and remember where that is or you'd have to have a separate jar of it in each country's/region's group. Also, when you group them by cuisine, you have to keep the groups separate, somehow, so it would usually take up more space than a simple, alphabetical array of spices, due to that separation and grouping. Of course, each person organises things differently, anyway, so some people would just about lose all sanity if the spices were alphabetical, while others would go mad if they weren't. Re: Organizing Herbs and Spices??? - Cubangirl - 08-04-2013 I have most of mine in a special 3 shelf cabinet. The bottom row has the most used ones on a lazy susan that gives me 2 tiers. I do put them in alphabetical order in each row. Only bottom can take the taller jars, both tiers are organized alphabetically, but because of the jar size I start over at the bottom. In my loose organization top has more baking and bottom more cooking, so all 4 kinds of cinnamon are on the top tier, and both kinds of paprika on the bottom (small jars, so one on top of the other). Those are the ones I use most so they are at my eye level. DH is 6'4" so his eye level is higher so the stuff only he uses is on top shelf. The middle shelf has stuff we both use a lot (read granulated garlic) and stuff I don't use as often. It helps that 90% of mine are Penzeys so jars are the same size. I do keep seldom used and most seeds and pods (e.g. mustard seed, cardamon,etc.)in their jars or sealed bags in the freezer. Stuff I use a lot e.g. granulated garlic, dried bay leaves, smoked paprika, ground cumin, etc., I buy in bigger bags that I keep frozen, refilling the pantry jars as needed. The only way I know what I have, since I often buy something for a particular recipe, is to keep track of it in my Living Cookbook. I take the information right from the receipt as soon as the package arrives and enter it. This ensures I wont buy fenugreek seed again next time I need it. Re: Organizing Herbs and Spices??? - cjs - 08-04-2013 90% are alphbetical on the pantry door shelves - the rest are on 'round abouts' in the pantry. Re: Organizing Herbs and Spices??? - Harborwitch - 08-04-2013 Thanks guys. My storage is so limited. I thought I had all the most used in here and the rest elsewhere - some in the basement in a big plastic bin - some were in boxes and tubs in the trailer (which is at the maintenance shed - not close). I'll start on this project tomorrow morning. Re: Organizing Herbs and Spices??? - cjs - 08-04-2013 Sharon, you have seen my 'outside' the door spice rack. Could you adapt something like that on the outside of a couple of your cupboard doors?? Re: Organizing Herbs and Spices??? - losblanos1 - 08-04-2013 I put my spice rack on the side of my pantry cabinet. It used to be in alphabetical order, now, not so much. Re: Organizing Herbs and Spices??? - cjs - 08-04-2013 That's exactly what I have but it's on the outside of the door so I can get at it easier, Re: Organizing Herbs and Spices??? - Trixxee - 08-04-2013 I was going to say you are almost out of bay leaves Blane, but I see another jar. Re: Organizing Herbs and Spices??? - DFen911 - 08-04-2013 I break mine down into 2 categories and then put them A-Z. The 2 categories are Cooking and Baking. While there are some that cross over, for the most part they're pretty separate. Works for me