Marie Kondo, author of the best-selling book “Cleaned Up! the way to bring order and tranquility to your life”, helps people to reduce clutter and increase happiness. After her Netflix show debuted in 2019, many have tried to keep spaces clean and eliminate excess material, hoping it will improve their lives in all sorts of ways. A small organization can go a long way!
You may want to rearrange your kitchen to create more fun while cooking, for example. Or you could make a more modest, but more important, effort to give Marie Kondo an area of your home that you may forget to keep clean:your spice drawer. Here's how to make herbs look neat and organized using Marie Kondo's method.
Put away herbs
If your spices are in your kitchen or on your counter (even if they're in a spice rack!), put them away. “A countertop is for preparing food, not for storing things,” Kondo writes in her book. “Shelves and cabinets are usually designed to store herbs and spices, so put them where they belong.” Find a designated drawer or cabinet to store your herbs.
Does it bring joy?
The main Marie Kondo principle to live by is simple:ask yourself if a particular item is "joy-inducing." If so, save it. If not, throw it away. So if there are any spices or spice mixes in your cupboard that you don't like, throw them out. If you don't like the taste, it probably won't bring you joy. Any spice you'll never use is just junk.
Discard anything that has expired
One of Marie Kondo's principles is to get rid of any food or drink that has passed its expiration date. You may not know this, but spices expire. You probably won't get food poisoning from expired spices, but the taste will change over time. Most herbs are considered fresh for about two to three years, depending on the variety. Everything you've had lying around for a while belongs in the trash.
Remove duplicates
You're not sure how, but for some reason you have 5 sachets of garlic powder lying around. Are you going to use them all eventually? Which can. Need to stuff your drawer with five separate half-full bags? Probably not. Marie Kondo advocates minimalism and practical use of space. Consider transferring the herb to a larger pot instead, or simply remove duplicate herbs.
Label neatly in clear jars
Yes, spices come in free jars when you buy them, but you might want to consider putting them in a new, tidier one. Clear jars allow you to easily see which herbs you have available – helping you know when to replace them. Plus, having some uniformity in the size and shape of your spice jars can keep things looking neat.
Place each spice
Marie Kondo believes that everything should have a place in your home, and the spice drawer is no different. When everything has a place, it becomes easy to keep things clean. It also makes it easier to find the right herb when you need it.
Organize what you use more often
Marie Kondo believes that the things you want to use more often should be placed where you are likely to see them. In terms of your spice drawer, it also works for practical reasons; the herbs you use more often should be the ones you see as soon as you open the drawer or cabinet. Instead, put the herbs you rarely use in the back. Don't let that stop you from using them though – it's good to deviate from your usual food recipes once in a while.
Keep everything clean
A clean kitchen is a happy kitchen. Make sure all your spice jars have caps and are closed when you store them. Clean up any spilled herbs and make sure everything looks neat.
