We’re moving … in three days. Three days is all we’ve got to finish getting out of our house! Yesterday I started working on the kitchen. I packed some kitchen essentials that went to the lake house already (where we are moving), and they actually got unpacked last Saturday.
But, as anyone with a kitchen that has lots of cabinet space knows…there are hidden caches of everything from candy to special glass wear to unused “novelty” tools to spices. In the last few years we’ve tried cooking differently (the Keto Diet) and that necessitated buying a lot of alternative flours and some additives (xanthum gum and Psyllium husk). Since our boys have all flown the coop, so to speak, we also tried to cook new recipes, some of the requiring new spices.
This morning I attacked the spice rack, which in our house meant one of the two corner lazy Susans we have in the kitchen. (The other holds the dog treats, bowls, and monthly meds.) It also held my coffee grinder, food processor, and a few knickknacks. Everything but the dog “stuff” from that corner has been packed.
But, back to the spices. There were a lot. Some expired (2016 was the oldest I saw), and some were barely used, but new. They all came out of the cupboard. I sorted. Expired containers were pitched. Doubles were pitched with the most full being kept or transferring into one container. Open sacks of odd flours like almond and coconut were thrown out. It thinned my supply somewhat but the truth will be in the space I have in my one lazy Susan at the lake. I’ll be careful to check if I have a spice before buying more once we move.
Today is Slice of Life Tuesday. I’ve participated in this forum, created and hosted by TwoWritingTeachers.org, since February 2017. Thank you goes to them for creating a wonderfully supportive space for authors, writers, and teachers to share their writing. Today’s post is a true slice of my life from this morning. How do you keep your spices organized? Let me know in the comments!
The Apples in My Orchard 
This is JUST what I needed to read! I am going through a similar labor as we ready for a huge remodeling project. I have had this overwhelming sensation so many times, as I work through the cabinets – “They all came out of the cupboard.” !! oh my, the stuff we collect over time. Best wishes on your move! You are truly organized.
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Maureen, Thank you! Best wishes for your project, too. As my husband said, now that we have moved and are at the lake, all we do is constructive not deconstructing our lives as we did in preparation for the move. I find taking one day and one task at a time helps.
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I always find the smell of spices to be a creative inspiration. One of my warming-up-for-writing tricks is to visit the Penzey’s Spice shop nearby. There is something about wandering around, soaking in the different scents that unlocks me creatively. I’m always ready to write afterward! Sounds like your packing up task had a similar effect on you!
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Ah, Penzey’s! Are you in the midwest someplace? My old boss swore by Penzey’s! I do like the smell of spices, too, but I probably couldn’t pick them out just by their scent! Thanks for your comment!
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Moving – the mixture of excitement and stress. It’s an interesting word choice “I attacked the spice rack.”
My kitchen renovation happened about six years ago and in the process I sorted and decluttered a lot, including the spices. The spice rack is full again, overflowing.
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Yes, spices tend to accumulate. I just unpacked the spices I saved from our move and put them in the cabin…I have doubles of many. I’ll just have to be sure to use them in cooking!
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You can do it. I am inspired by both your writing and your photos. You seem to have a system. The last stages of moving are so hard, but you clearly have strong momentum and a get-it-done energy. I am envisioning a beautiful set-up for the new spices in the new place.
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Thanks so much! I take pride in being an organized person and seem to have a system for most of what I do. Keeping the momentum going was tiring but I do believe we are through the worst of it. I don’t think we’ll have a great set up in the cabin, but it has given me something to think about for when we build.
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The kitchen is one of the hardest rooms to pack up for moving. We also have a “catch-all” drawer in ours. That was fun to pack because I had no idea what was in it. Sounds like you have things under control and everything is going fine.
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Thanks! Ah, yes, the catch-all drawer, fondly known as the junk drawer in our house! Lucikly, ours was small and we do use it a lot so it was easy to pack, most things got pictched! LOL.
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