Kitchen Spice Storage - Ideas?

[jyl]

Just thought I'd share my solution to spice storage and access.

I wanted to be able to see all my spices and quickly reach them, to stop rummaging through over-stuffed drawers, and to buy bulk rather than those expensive little bottles. Freeing up space in the kitchen is always welcome, too.

Here's the solution. An old picture frame ($20 from a junk store), a sheet of 1/32 ferrous steel cut to fit ($20 or so), and a bunch of magnetic storage tins (example in link below).

http://www.pfaltzgraff.com/ecomm/Itemdetail.asp?T1=F1226900&GCID=S31062x002&keyword=magnetic%20storage%20tins&gclid=CKOvzJDdmJgCFRFWagod7hudnQ

Hang the whole thing out of direct sunlight and heat. Label your tins and arrange however works for you. I have areas for herbs (thyme, bay, etc), hots (curries, peppers, wasabi, etc) in another, sweets (nutmeg, cardamon, etc), and weird (seaweed, etc).

[jyl]

Oh, ferrous stainless (300 series) would be ideal, but I couldn't find any locally, everyone has the non-magnetic non-rusting kind (400 series). So I went with ordinary steel. You could spray it w/ a clear coat to prevent rust stains. I didn't bother, just give it a light oil wipe (olive, of course) every month or so.



Any interesting spice storage setups out there?

For that matter, interesting kitchen storage of all sorts would be great - am trying to squeeze more room out of my poorly designed, rather small kitchen.

[Zeke]

That thing is ugly.

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by milt

That thing is ugly.

Yeah, but there is some beauty in the function of it...

[austin552]

The wife wants large lab test tubes (new not used) for the spices.

[jyl]

Originally Posted by milt

That thing is ugly.

But it replaces a portrait of my mother-in-law.

[onlycafe]

love the idea, better though inside a cupboard door. spices like to be kept in the dark.

[Drdogface]

I usta' use an old wooden soda pop case (which most of you pups likely have never seen) and apothecary jars with cork stoppers. Label the stoppers with a felt pen. Looks kinda cool....but then I'm an old phart

I do like what John made though !!

[911Rob]

Cool, at least it kept you outa trouble for a day or two?

We got one of those countertop circular swivel jobs from Costco, plus another cupboard full of stuff..... not to mention two shelves of hot sauces in the fridge.

[HardDrive]

Originally Posted by jyl

But it replaces a portrait of my mother-in-law.

LOL. Wife and I got a good hoot out of that one.

[lendaddy]

What did the seasoned salt hit when it missed your head?

[VroomGrrl]

One set of my lower cabinets is drawer-shelves, and this has become my favorite way to store spices - I can put everything in order and see it all at a glance, and they're kept nice and dark and out of sight when not needed:

[126coupe]

Originally Posted by onlycafe

love the idea, better though inside a cupboard door. Spices like to be kept in the dark.

+1

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by jyl

But it replaces a portrait of my mother-in-law.

Gotta be looking better all the time!

[VroomGrrl]

Originally Posted by jyl

Oh, ferrous stainless (300 series) would be ideal, but I couldn't find any locally, everyone has the non-magnetic non-rusting kind (400 series). So I went with ordinary steel. You could spray it w/ a clear coat to prevent rust stains. I didn't bother, just give it a light oil wipe (olive, of course) every month or so.

Any interesting spice storage setups out there?

For that matter, interesting kitchen storage of all sorts would be great - am trying to squeeze more room out of my poorly designed, rather small kitchen.

This is a brilliant idea! And nicely executed. I share the concern of others that this may not be the best environment for the actual spices, but I love the concept! As has been noted, a similar treatment to the insides of cabinet doors (minus the frame) would probably work very well, and would keep your spices nice and cool and dark when not in use.

Personally, I'd be happy with a 100% stainless kitchen - except maybe the floors. But surfaces, storage, sinks - I think I just want a commercial kitchen is what I want - right down to the drain in the floor! But mostly original 1946 stuff is what I've got for now, and it does the job well enough.

[TimT]

I like it!

One thing I do with my spices, is to use a sharpie and record the date I bought it somewhere on the jar... sometimes its hard to find the date codes, etc.. on the containers you bought it in..

Many spices don't age well... meaning they lose all essence...

I toss the spices that I haven used in awhile and buy new ....

[jyl]

I really, really need to install sliding shelves like that in my cabinets. I like the way you can see and reach everything in there.

Originally Posted by VroomGrrl

One set of my lower cabinets is drawer-shelves, and this has become my favorite way to store spices - I can put everything in order and see it all at a glance, and they're kept nice and dark and out of sight when not needed:

[RWebb]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

Yeah, but there is some beauty in the function of it...

also it is artistic kinda sorta

main issue for me would be that there are no shaker tops -- I shake herbs or spices on food all the time.

Thay may be from growing up watching Tony Chachere cooking shows on Louisiana TV as a kid... He used to carefully measure out a spice or herb, then look at it and say "nah, not enough" then he toss a bunch more in.

[Dantilla]

When my sister was still single, she used so few dishes that she never used the dishwasher.

Top rack of the dishwasher became her spice rack.

[DW SD]

When I built my kitchen cabinets, I installed these type in a top drawer next to the range:




It keeps some order to the rows of spices.

You just rip the rack to fit the inner drawer width.

Doug