**Updated at the bottom with additional information!
Today I am linking to Shannon from Rocks In My Dryer, who hosts a weekly "Works-For-Me-Wednesday" feature where people share tips that have made their lives easier. Shannon's blog was one of the first I found when I was a new mama. I can remember being up in the middle of the night with my newborn, reading her old posts on parenting and life with tears rolling down my cheeks. I wrote an email to thank her, and she wrote me right back with the sweetest message. So I guess I will always have a special little place for her in my bloggy heart!
Today I am sharing with you about something that works for me in the kitchen. I used to have a cupboard all cluttered up with spices of varying sizes and shapes, and I could never find what I was looking for when I needed it. I got this idea to put all my spices in jars of the same size, all labeled and organized. Below, you can see the results:
Some of you will call me Type A (and you would be right!) but this has made a world of difference to my sanity. I shopped around online for a place that sold these little tins, printed the name of each spice onto clear address labels (in a cute font, of course!) and there you go! It saves me some time when I am cooking, but it is also secretly pleasing to this organizing junkie to see neat little rows of spices every time I open my cupboard!
Works for me! (And I am sincerely sorry to those of you who this does not work for! I know this is a pretty boring post if you are not a Type A chick like me!)**To answer a few questions:
I found these tins a few years ago and the name of the company escapes me. But I did a quick Google search for "spice tins" or "spice containers" and came up with this website. I know there are others out there. You buy them in bulk. I think I had about 100 of them when I started! The name of the font I used for the labels is Cezanne. Lastly, yes I admit it, the spices are in alphabetical order! Yikes, I need help!
Wow! It looks great. I would love to see that instead of my hodge-podge of spices in a plastic bin.
ReplyDeleteWhere did you find those tins? They're the perfect size.
WOw, Wow thats awesome! All my spices are thrown in the cabinet and we count it good lol
ReplyDeleteGo Martha! Boring is far from how I would describe this pic. Honestly, I think it is pretty enough to put out on the counter. I guess you'd need a rack to house them, but seriously... it is beautiful. And, your handwriting looks great too!
ReplyDeleteI am NOT a type A person, but I am incredibly impressed with the beautiful way that you organized your spices. If mine looked that good I'd probably use more, just so I could open the cupboard and see those pretty little cans in rows.
ReplyDeleteHi~ Stopping by from Rocks in my Dryer. Love this tip- especially since I recently purchased some organic spices wholesale through a co-op with a friend. They came in vacuum packaged foil containers originally, but I would really like to transfer them into something more user friendly. This gives me a few ideas ( : Thanks for the tip.
ReplyDeleteCarrie I love your Idea!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing!
They look gorgeous and yes, I'm a type A chick like you are :)
ReplyDeleteMarcia from Organising queen
I had to look twice to see if they were alphabetical or not.
ReplyDeleteI know my personally would of had to make them alphabetical in addition to organized.
Mine are like you said all different sizes and what not. I may have to give this a try.
I love this!!CUTE Tins!! My spice rack contains the industrial size spice containers from sams....all the same size but not very pretty...I wonder if there are super size tins for a super size family like mine???
ReplyDeleteGREAT POST LOVED IT!!
That looks great! Where did you find those containers?
ReplyDeleteAs for the Type A......Birds of a feather flock together.....you and me both sister!!
So not boring, keep these post coming they are fantastic!
Lisa
Love love love it! I am type A but I don't know if I am when it comes to my spices! They are neat on a spinning thingy but that's about it! Is that your writing on those labels or a label maker?
ReplyDeleteSandy Toes at www.shellinyourpocket.blogspot.com
Personally, I LLLOOOOOOVVVVEEE it! But, the first thing I noticed was the font on the labels (I'm a typography lover...wierd huh?) What font did you use?
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea I love your blog it is very cute with some really good ideas!
ReplyDeleteGreat idea!
ReplyDeleteForget about the time saver! It looks BEAUTIFUL!! I love how it looks. Even the font you used is gorgeous! :o)
ReplyDeleteReally? You're Type A? Who would have guessed??? *wink*
ReplyDeleteSeriously, I love the way this looks! My spices are alphabetical, but having identical tins makes a huge difference in how it looks. Well done!
You don't want to SEE my spice cabinet. I'll have to keep an eye out for some new containers.
ReplyDeleteLove it!!
ReplyDeleteCan you come organize my spice shelf for me? C'mon, puh-lease!!
ReplyDeleteI Lu-huve organizing posts. I don't necessarily consider myself "type A", but I have a passion for neatly organized things. This is a great idea!
ReplyDeleteWow what a great idea and too cute! I'm quite impressed with your organization of those spices!!
ReplyDeleteOh, that's so pretty! My spices are in alphabetical order, but I don't have matching containers for them. That might be my next purchase!
ReplyDeleteThere is no way I am Type A. I wish I were. This is a fantastic idea so neat and organized.
ReplyDeleteOh this is so exciting for me! I love organization, ha! I have all my spices in a pull out drawer in a lower cabinet so most of the spices are labeled on top so you don't have to pull each one up...but! yes they are all different sizes though! Oh I'll have to figure something new out :)
ReplyDeleteI just buy mostly the same brand (so they're in matching little glass bottles, but I can see in them and tell how much is left). Then I sort by type (sweet/savory--basically herbs from spices) and yes, I alphabetize. Why would anyone not alphabetize?!
ReplyDelete(Yup, it's true, I'm another Type A, red, oldest child, blah blah blah! LOL!)
I love that you love to organize - me too. I live in Denver, well, Parker and wonder what are your favorite stores you are talking about?
ReplyDeleteYou most definitely DO NOT need help! This is the MOST amazing sight. And, quite frankly, I'm stealing it. In the last few months it has come to my attention just how much I am unorganized in the spice department. FUMBLING constantly looking for what I need. My fall project is organize the spices. BTW, LOVE your title!
ReplyDeleteYou are tooooooooooooo cute!
ReplyDeleteUm, WOW! I wish I had all my spices labled like that. That is such a great idea. And I agree - the tins are the perfect size. Come do that to my kitchen.
ReplyDeleteWicked good idea! I hate my spice cabinet! thanks for the tip!
ReplyDeleteAngie
Nana's Box
Oh my, oh my, oh my!! I am giddy with excitement and anticipation to do this is in my kitchen! Marvelous!!!
ReplyDeleteI love this idea! I'm a spice junkie, and I have to dig through my Pendery's spice packets to find what I'm looking for. Your idea would save me some time and trouble. It might even allow me to keep all my spices in the same place. I can dream...
ReplyDeleteDoes it make you smile every time you open that spice cabinet? I'm such a wannabe Type A -- I love and appreciate the order, but am too lazy to actually follow through. Great tip! Thanks for sharing it! I think I can handle trying this one.
ReplyDeleteI am a Type A personality too but my cabinet doesn't look like that! I do have them organized, but not in pretty tins, I love them!
ReplyDeleteI love, love, LOVE this idea!! My fiancee gives me a hard time about whether I'll be so inclined to alphabetize the spices...I'm no longer alone!! This is great information; thank you for sharing!!
ReplyDeleteMy husband, our cook, would love this idea! I will show him tonight!
ReplyDeleteI am very Type A too so I am in the same boat!
This might be a little to type A for me, but I do really like it!
ReplyDeleteFrom one Type A to another...I LOVE this! How fun to have a spice cupboard that looks so great!
ReplyDeleteAnd I really like Shannon's blog too. She is such a beautiful writer and she sounds like such a wonderful mom.
Great idea and alphabetical order is the easiest way to find them. Makes perfect sense to me. Jackie
ReplyDeletewow, if only mine could look anywhere near that good, and they're in alphabetical order, phew...
ReplyDeleteWOW!!!!! Come by my house and do mine!!!
ReplyDeleteWow! I want that to greet me when I open the spice cabinet!
ReplyDeleteMissy
love your blog- am just starting my own!
ReplyDeletewhat size are the tins?
ReplyDeleteHow could something so pretty NOT inspire you to cook?! I LOVE LOVE this idea!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat size are yours? 8 oz? 4 oz? (Um, because I need to know to copy you) :)
ReplyDeleteHi Kris!
ReplyDeleteI think the smaller tins are 4 oz. and the larger ones are 8 oz. I use many more of the 4 oz. size and the 8 oz. size is great for things like rosemary, which tends to be bulky and won't fit in the smaller tin. I hope that helps! Let me know if you do the project!
Carrie
Wow, I love this! Gotta try it and thanks for giving us the specifics.
ReplyDeleteI do have my spices alphabetized but they don't all fit in the same place.
I dont think you need help, just help finding your way to my house. I am a type a wanna be. I love the prettiness of it and I guess functionality is good too. Hee hee. Nice work. Im jealous.
ReplyDeleteMy Walmart use to carry the those exact spice tins. They sold for a dollar each. I needed some more so within the last year I went back but couldn't find them. They must have stopped selling them. But it's worth a try, maybe your Walmart carries them. They were in the aisle with all the odds and ends kitchen utensils.
ReplyDelete