Spring cleaning: Spices

Like many of my fellow Minnesotans, I can't wait for spring to roll around.  

With warm weather comes spring cleaning.  Windows finally get opened and need to be cleaned, screens get put back on (or vacuumed off if you are like us and leave them on in the winter), planting begins, old leaves get raked up, new batches of mulch are hauled in, spring clothes get moved to the front of the closet (or, if you are like me the storage tubs get switched out).  Bottom line...there is a lot to do.  Personally, I find spring cleaning to be therapeutic (for some people the idea of cleaning puts them in therapy) but keep reading for an easy task.  

Spring cleaning can be overwhelming!  You may very well be tempted to move to the fridge, or the pantry, or the toaster cupboard where all of the crumbs have accumulated, or look at the leaves out front just waiting to be raked, or perhaps even write a blog post about your cleaning tips...but just stick to the task at hand.  Today, the project is simple.  Spices.  Cooking is more fun (and tasty) and it will give you a new appreciation for actually using your spices.  Although using out of date spices won't cause harm (from what I have read), they won't have the potency and flavor intended.  

Also, if you have children at home - this project is a great one to incorporate their help.  Let them smell each of the different spices (great sensory lesson) and give them small tasks of dumping, stacking, or sorting.  Win, win! 

So here we go:

Step 1:  Take out ALL of the spices in your storage space.  

Step 2:  Wipe down drawer or cupboard where you keep said spices.  If you are like me, you may consider sterilizing your drawer if you suspect you are looking at mice turds and not black peppercorns.  When we moved into this house old house a few years back, we found old evidence of a mouse.   Although we never caught one, we haven't seen any more evidence of them.  After today, I am not sure what to think.  I am just going to keep going.  And maybe reading about Runaway Ralph will help me think of mice in a new, happy light.

Step 3:  Check expiration dates.  Empty expired spices into garbage.  Recycle containers.  Combine duplicate spices.  For those of you that have a hard time with throwing out things...think of it as gaining valuable space.  If they have lost their spice, why keep them?

Step 4:  Put spices back in drawer.  And if you want to get really crazy, put them back in according to spice type. (Most used spices in front for easy access, pumpkin pie baking spices grouped together in back...now that is some Type A mentality for you!)

For those of you that don't have a drawer to store spices...try storing spice containers in a smaller storage tub (no lid) for easy access and easy clean up.  

In a short amount of time you've condensed, cleaned, and accomplished one spring cleaning task.  

Next week, Scott will be our guest blogger on how to spring clean your garage.  Wink, wink.  

Happy cleaning!