To ask you how you store spices? (I know... I know...)

[MsJaneAusten]

I know it’s boring but ohmygosh this is driving me mad. We currently have a million different spices in different types of pots that live in a couple of plastic boxes in the cupboard. Each time I want to use any spices I have to get a whole box our, rummage through etc. I want to be able to see all of the spices quickly and easily, preferably in matching, refillable pots. Any suggestions? Thank you!

Spice rack- if you google it you will find a lot of ideas- freestanding, magnetic, wall mounted, fixed on inside door of the cupboard, rotating one...

I have my most frequently used ones in an Ikea spice rack in little glass jars - stored in alphabetical order. All the rest are in a cardboard box in the cupboard, I have written on the front of the box what is in there, and again stored in alpha order front to back in the box, and the list shows which row the spice is in.

A few years ago i invested in spice jars that fitted in one of my kitchen drawers ( 3in tall jars with flat lids) and now i buy most herbs and spices loose in Easyweigh.. Its so much cheaper ( after the initial lay out for jars) and having them all labelled on the top of lids ( and arranged alphabetically .. Nerdy but saves rummaging ) , This means no more swearing into kitchen cupboards and chucking stuff around as i try and find the one I want ..

It is important to keep spices somewhere dark to preserve their flavour.. Spice racks are really not such a good idea because of this , unless you use the contents all the time .

I have one of these, each with a hand written jar label. the rest are stored/jammed in the cupboard!

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00G9BONKM/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?psc=1&tag=mumsnetforum-21&ie=UTF8

I bought jars on Ebay from a kitchenware seller. They were about £25 for the amount I wanted , but have repaid themselves in time saved many times over

Really? I've been storing on my window sill - not a good idea then??

We use old baby milk tins and glass jars and are always in the dark. We use a lot of spices though so they don't law that long

All on their sides in a drawer in full view when you open the drawer, so easy

Spice jars in a shallow drawer. You can buy them really cheap. That's for ones used often. Tbh I have 3 drawers in total of various spice mixes brought from abroad, marinades, flavouring things, gravy, honey (because we just NEED 3 different kinds😂) etc. These drawers are specifically for these things.

@whattimeislove you shouldn't. It can affect flavours of some or help develop mould in other. Especially if it's south facing.

The essential bit is the label on the top of the lid. I use a Sharpie pen to label the top. Keep them in lower cupboard in those Ikea plastic pots with handles. I have one for Chinese spices, one for Indian, one for traditional etc. Twice a year I reorganize unless DH jumbles in which case he gets a consequence 😁

I have a set up like Laska only mine are in the old Tesco jars with labels on the top. The new Tesco jars don't fit and I shop at Aldi now, but the jars are good for refilling.

I also have mine alphabetised, for ease of quickly laying hands on.

We made a feature of ours with a display shelf! Helped that our awful inherited kitchen had an arch we can accessorise! We love the different pots and I label them! Doesn't stop the stray spice in the cupboard though!!

I’ve got four sets of the small Really Useful Boxes. Each has 16, so three was enough for my herbs and spices and the other will have things like bicarb and stock cubes. I have them facing out in my cupboards, so it’s really easy to get what I want, but if I had the wall space I’d put them up. And I checked that they ar food safe so there are no worries in that regard.

Bother! I thought I was making good use of my mini Kilner jars and keeping all on display so I looked like I knew how to use them all

I've got shelves in a cupboard and on one side are the herbs and on the other side the spices. And they're all.in alphabetical order. This is VERY IMPORTANT. I've heard some people don't store them alphabetically but that's just mad.

I have two of these on the inside of cupboard doors. All spices in alphabetical order so very easy to find what you want.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Chrome-Spice-Holder-Kitchen-Cupboard/dp/B00G42GHEG/ref=sr11_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1534186497&sr=8-8&keywords=Spice+rack

I think I'd quite like a better (and bigger) version of one of these sliding racks for our cupboards.

www.amazon.co.uk/Gr8-Home-Plastic-Kitchen-Organiser/dp/B0758BC8RD/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=spice+rack+slide&tag=mumsnetforum-21&ie=UTF8&qid=1534186700&sr=8-1

Thank you. This is helpful. For now, I particularly like the drawer idea.

I saved my jam jars, write the name on the lid with a sharpie and stick in a drawer. I buy my spices from an Eastern supermarket and they come in massive packets (but soooo much cheaper) so I needed more than a standard sharwoods jar size.

I love my recently installed spice rack - attached to inside of a cupboard door and fits loads.

Also keep absolut basics by the cooker. Salt, pepper and in our case chili flakes.
They get used all the time so no need to put them in a drawer.

In a drawer, with labels on the lids. Italian herbs and Indian spices near the front, things that we don’t use very often and refills at the back. Alphabetical wouldn’t work for me as it would annoying having allspice in a prime position.

Allspice isn't in a prime position though; it's a bit tucked away at the back. Front row is stuff like rosemary and sage and turmeric. But really, half of my spices seem to begin with C. I would find it difficult to organise by cuisine because a lot of things cross over.