I know I am an extreme type A but..... Here are my tips:
1. Save every reusable jar that comes into your house.
Obviously, canning jars are my favorite thing for spice storage, but they cost money. Some other jars I use are applesauce or pickle jars. Do you see the little brown jars in the picture? Those are my empty Garden of Life (GOL) vitamin jars. I absolutely love GOL's vitamins (I'll save that for another post) but a big bonus is that they come in glass jars. I like to buy spices in bulk to save money, but the big containers they come in are way to big for my cabinet. So I either refill my little jar; or for the spices I use most frequently, I fill a canning jar or GOL jar. The remainder in the bulk container I store in the basement.
2. Buy spices in bulk.
I would only recommend buying the spices you use frequently in bulk as they start to loose potency after about a year. I have found though that a lot of the time it is cheaper to buy a bulk size than the little jar in the grocery store. But then it goes against my nature to waste the extra even to save money. However, if you can pass the extra on to someone else, you've solved that problem and still saved money. I purchase my spices from Costco, Azure Standard, or Country Life. The latter two are co-op's that I can give you more information on how to purchase from if you are interested - just send me an email.
3. Label everything.
I know some spices are obvious, but trust me, you will forget what some of them are. Or when you are not home and some of the less experienced cooks in your home are making something, they won't have to call you every five minutes. I use my Dymo Letratag label maker that I received as a gift. You can buy one at Walmart or Amazon (click here). I do recommend using the plastic labeling tape as it peels off easier and you can wash the jar without ruining it. Of course, a cheap alternative for labeling is masking tape.
4. Alphabetize and use organizers/risers.
There is nothing more frustrating then not being able to find the spice you are looking for, especially when you are in a hurry. You will not regret taking the time to alphabetize. Better yet, let one of your children do it (good learning experience or refresher). I absolutely love the risers. Before I had them, even with the spices alphabetized it was extremely frustrating to dig around trying to find something. Can you tell one of my pet peeves is wasting time searching for things? You can find the organizers at Walmart, The Container Store, etc.
I know for some people organizing the spice cabinet would be a form of torture. I find organizing to be one of the cheapest, easiest methods of preserving my sanity. So just call me, I'll be happy to help. :)
