Look at this poor basket. If you listen closely, get closer, even closer. You’ll hear it saying, “help me, please, I beg you, I’m drowning in spices and I can’t hold on”. So very sad. I couldn’t just stand there and do nothing.
“Hang on my friend, help is on the way!”
I found this poor neglected site (seriously I might have shed a tear or two AND had a moment of silence) when I was helping a girlfriend reorganize one of her kitchen cabinets a couple of weekends ago. The good news is the way she used an old baby wipes container to contain her spices (way to go!). The bad news is the container had exceeded it’s limits.
The way I saw it, I had three options:
1. Leave the basket alone in all it’s overcrowded glory
2. Keep the basket and purge the stuff
3. Keep the stuff and purge the basket
Which one do you think I did?
To be contined…..
Erin says
I vote that you purged the stuff and the basket to have a gloriously organized shelf!
Amanda says
i vote you Keep the stuff and purge the basket
Jena (O.M.) says
O.K. I’m going to be honest. Ugly green baby wipes containers do not turn me on. But I guess you got rid of some stuff–since it’s only food.
Eilish says
hmm
purge is always good – especially with stuff that may be past their use by date
but it may not be enough
maybe let the poor little basket have a friend (do the divide and conquer thing) or let it breed (the more the merrier and less over flowing as they can be specialized)
Untypically Jia says
Oh wow, I totally have one of these on my counter stuffed with opened bags of spices. *hides*
jadekitty says
I would purge the basket… recycle it!
momstheword says
I think you probably kept the stuff and tossed the basket. But I guess I’ll have to wait with bad breath….I mean bated breath….to find out.
Dana says
I think you found a creative way to use most of what was in the basket and replaced it with a cute wicker basket!
Or organized the contents into cute little containers with magnets on the back and attached them to the sheet of metal attached to the pantry door.
Thea @ I'm a Drama Mama says
I’ll go with answer 4. Kept the stuff, purged the basket, bought 2 matching baskets to further organize stuff.
Shelly says
Well Untypically Jia, don’t feel bad, you aren’t the only one with a bucket overflowing like this one! I do too!!! So I guess Laurie won’t be visiting my cabinets anytime soon. If this were my closet she’d purge the stuff, purge the basket and then have to redo the rest of the cabinet as the whole cabinet is THIS STUFFED with stuff! Not much storage space in my kitchen!
~Shelly~
Laura says
Some good guesses/suggestions here ladies. I can’t wait to show you tomorrow the “after” photo! I love projects like these 🙂
Teresa says
Just from what little I’ve learned about you, I’d say you purged the container, thereby giving you a valid reason for putting another in it’s place.
Kayren says
Assuming the stuff had not gone bad and did not need thrown out, I say you got rid of the container. I’ve seen you with your fantastic dollar store plastic bin finds and I’m going to vote that you used a couple of those instead and reorganized the area.
Can’t wait to see the outcome!
susieshomemade says
I think you purged the stuff and the basket.
Shaylyn Ekins says
New Basket and new way to organize the spices…get rid of the bags with clips and use small labeled containers for each spice…That’s my vote!
Elizabeth says
I’m going to say that you got a brand spankin new PRETTY basket. 🙂
Tricia says
I can’t wait to see what you’ve got up your sleeve because I have the same exact thing in my cupboard (did you suggest this sometime or something?!) I guess that you got rid of the basket and put something more lickable in its place.
Nicole @ A Mommy's Musings says
Here’s my vote (and what I would have done).
A. Check to see if everything is still good (not expired). If it is…then…
B. Purge the basket and get a bigger one to fit the “family’s needs”
Obviously…it was a good thought to have the basket to keep everything organized, it’s just too cramped. 🙂
Hey…I just posted about some organizational tips and an amazing company here: http://pankratzfam.blogspot.com/2009/01/i-love-organization.html
Go Check it out!! 🙂
Cathy B. says
I think you’ve found some increaibly cute new system that you are DYING to showcase…something you found at that recent show? Crossing my fingers it’s something that can solve MY cabinet overcrowding. LOL.
The Happy Housewife says
I can’t really tell what is in the basket, so it is hard for me to vote purge…. which is what I would recommend. Maybe just put one type of food in the basket, like only chips….
Not sure! It definitely needs a clean out!
Toni
Jamie says
I can’t wait to find out!!!
Susanne says
I vote you purged the basket, kept the stuff, and went into your “stash” and gave her a lovely new dollar store basket.
patrick says
I think there should be some purging of old spices that have not been properly sealed, and a new container that is larger and clear so that it allows the remaining good spices to be visible .
Lisa Coan says
I’m new to your site so I can’t wait to see what you did with this!!!
Sherry B. says
I say purge the spices..they get old. Recycling is always good, good use for the basket thing! It isn’t as pleasing to the eye as a new basket but it does work and again it’s “green” to recycle these landfill items
Serene Journey says
My vote would be to purge the basket and contents if they are old and stale. I would suggest buying smaller containers for the spices labeling each one and buying your spices from a bulk store. Spices tend to go stale pretty quickly so buying just the quantity you need and storing in a cool dry place really helps reduce the waste.
Good luck!
Carla says
you, my dear, are a tease…
Blissful Babe says
I vote keep the stuff, purge the basket and replace it with a much more beautiful, more functioning piece!!
I hope you fill us in SOON. I’m dying to know! 😉
Nicole says
Purged the outdated or stale stuff, repurposed the green container to somewhere else and put in another repurposed container to hold the essential stuff! I wanna see the end result NOW. Can’t wait til tomorrow.
Ashley Nichole says
I am on the edge of my seat here…Your killin me! 😉
HeavenlyHomemaker says
Well, you know me…Ida pulled out some jars and had a lovely organizational time. 🙂
Jennifer says
I am going to guess #3 ???
pinkbeary says
i vote for 3. keep stuff (that’s not expired) and get a new clear container… and get little spice containers that are also clear (make labels w/ name and exp. date for each container). can’t wait to find out.