Cupboard Organization Project

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I spent most of my morning going through several kitchen cupboards. I can’t believe how bad I let some of my cupboards get! I guess it is as I said in my last blog post.. we learn to function in dysfunction. In my quest for getting my coffee cups closer to the coffee maker I also wanted take to the opportunity to clean up and organize my spice cabinet. It was a big mess..



I had spice bottles and bags of bulk spices everywhere. Plus I had a few things in there that I had no idea exactly why they were there… :) .. So where do you begin when it is such a mess? I decided that I needed to pull everything out of that cupboard so I could see what I had and evaluate it all. So I removed all items from my kitchen counter, put them on my dining room table and grabbed my bottle of Basic H2 All Purpose Cleaner…



And washed the counter all clean..



Then I brought everything out on the counter…



I had previously purchased some empty spice bottles from Winco and planned on using those for some of the spices. What I found was spices I never use, spices I had bought but never got them into the spice jars, and way to many of some spices because I would buy them not realizing I already had them.. Really now.. who needs this much celery seed????




So I filled spice bottles and labeled them (I have a hand held label maker that I used for this, however labels could be made on the computer as well). For the bags of bulk spices I put the remainder of what I had (after filling the smaller bottles) and put them in canning jars and labeled the canning jars with labels made on the computer.

When I had it all done and much more organized it looked like this…




I took the bigger bags of unopened spices that I had and put them all into a one gallon canning jar for storage…..




Now it was time to get the spices back into the cupboard. This project has been on my mind for some time so I had already purchased (from Amazon.com) a nifty little stair step type organizing shelf that fit perfectly into my cupboard…



I put the spices that were most commonly used on this and less used spices above. I put the extra spices in the canning jars in the cupboard next to this because it had more room..


I did eventually get the coffee mugs moved too.. I have three cabinets next to each other and the center cabinet is a corner cabinet.. I moved the the coffee mugs to the cupboard on the left. My coffee area is next to my microwave.
 





In the middle corner cabinet I put all my coffee beans and coffee filters as well as tea bags….




I think I have it all organized in a logical way that will be easy to keep this way and no more functioning in dysfunction!!


Comments

  1. SharonRJanuary 4, 2012 at 8:07 PM

    That looks great! The bad thing about all that work, is you just close the doors and no one sees the difference you've made -- until they open the doors to look for something that is. But oh what a difference it makes, seen or not seen!

    ReplyDelete
  2. CrystalJanuary 4, 2012 at 8:17 PM

    Sharon.. that is a good point!! I guess that is why it takes so long to get to projects like this.. cause no one sees it anyway!! But oh how good it makes me feel knowing it is all in order! :D

    Crystal

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousJanuary 5, 2012 at 4:53 AM

    I have a wide flat drawer that I use for my spices. They are are all laying on their sides with labels up so that they can be seen and identified quickly. (it was just a "junk" drawer anyway. Everything looks really neat and organized. I love starting the year like that!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Greg and DonnaJanuary 5, 2012 at 6:26 AM

    That looks wonderful. I've seen the little stair step system. I think it would be great in my spice cabinet also. Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  5. jeanJanuary 5, 2012 at 7:02 AM

    Don't you just love when things are organized and neat! I'm about to do the same. Looking at your neatness is like a little fire under me to get to it.

    ReplyDelete
  6. UnknownJanuary 5, 2012 at 9:29 AM

    Right now my spices are all neat and tidy. But last night I could have used some of your celery seed, lol...

    I am making plans for more spices, dried power mixes and such because I have a large order coming in at the end of the month from Azsure Standard and I want to be ready.

    Thanks for always sharing your tips. They are greatly needed.

    Pat

    ReplyDelete
  7. JenJanuary 5, 2012 at 11:31 AM

    BEAUTIFUL!!

    ReplyDelete
  8. daniburdJanuary 5, 2012 at 9:04 PM

    It looks like we are in the same wave length, I am organizing my kitchen and dinning room for the month of January. I have plans on painting and new curtains as well. It just needs a face lift, it has been neglected for to long.

    ReplyDelete
  9. AnonymousJanuary 6, 2012 at 2:21 PM

    WOW! It looks great. You have inspired me to clean mine...

    ReplyDelete
  10. SandyJanuary 6, 2012 at 5:50 PM

    I love that you have oranized everything and made it nice and neat. When I organize everything and make it nice, my son or husband turns around after using the spices, cups (or anything in the kitchen) and just sits it where it's convenient for them. Frustrates the living day lights out of me, lol.
    Thank you for sharing, I hope you don't have this problem.
    Sandy

    ReplyDelete
  11. AnonymousJanuary 7, 2012 at 8:43 AM

    Yes very inspiring, Crystal and how refreshing it must feel to look into your cabinets and all is in order!!! I will go and attack mine. Thanks for sharing and motivating. Read your tips on homemaking, too and thanks for that, also!!

    Love what you said:
    May we all walk into 2012 with the desire to grow in our relationship with the Lord, rise up to the daily tasks of life and shine like rare gems…
    Now to get into action and shine, shine, shine!
    Amy

    ReplyDelete
  12. villarosaOctober 15, 2012 at 8:57 AM

    Looks lovely! So thrilled to have found your blog!!! Thank you for taking the time to share with us!! We certainly are blessed by YOU!

    ReplyDelete

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