Sara West launched her organizing business, South Coast Organizers, in 2018 and assists people in organizing and decluttering to bring their dream spaces to life. Sara blows us away so we had her share with us steps to help you get your spice cabinet cleaned, organized and into tip top shape while we all are staying at home. Get ready to dive into your latest project- your spice cabinet!

9 Easy Steps to Organizing your Spice Cabinet:

1. Start by taking out all of your spices (yes, all of them).
   
2. Wipe down your spice cabinet or shelf. 
   Spray your favorite all purpose spray to clean up any spilled contents and sticky areas.
   
3. Take inventory of all of your spices.
   Check the expiration dates on each and throw out any expired spices. If you can’t find a date, check and see if the spice is clumping together. That is usually an indicator that it’s old. Consider dumping out the expired contents and saving the jars to reuse.
   
4. Make a list of spices to be replaced and clean reusable jars.
   To remove labels, I soak them for about 30 minutes in hot, soapy water.
   
5. Designate a space for your spices.
   Was the previous home not working for you? Do you need more space? Does it need to be more easily accessible? Think about how you move through your kitchen when you cook and choose a spot close by to keep your spices. Consider a convenient space on your counter or in your pantry.
   
6. Decide how you want to organize your spices.
   There are many different ways to organize your spices, such as by type (e.g., herbs, salts, blends), cuisine (e.g., latin, asian, mediterranean), frequency of use, or alphabetized. Think about what would be easiest for you to keep organized. I organize mine by frequency of use and by cuisine. 
   
7. Use risers, a spice rack, or lazy susans to keep all of your spices visible.
   These simple products make it easy to see everything that you have to prevent overbuying. If you need to purchase anything, make sure you measure the space first. For your spice bags from Red Stick Spice, consider using an old tupperware container with a lost lid. It helps to keep them all together and you can flip through them to easily find what you need.
   
8. Put your spices away.
   Organize your spices to your liking. Take the time to make sure your labels are visible.
   
9. Get cooking!
   I’ve been cooking lots of easy, sheet pan suppers using my favorite flavored olive oils and spice blends. I love using my Lemon Garlic Oil with the Tuscan Blend on veggies and chicken for a quick dinner.
   
   

Photos provided by SoCo Organizers, taken by Jordan Hefler. You can find Sara West and South Coast Organizers at www.SocoOrganizers.com and on Facebook here. 

Accessories for spice organization can be found on our website here.