How to organize your spices (and know when they're too old)

Spices are the classic duplicate buy: you can't see what's at the back of the cabinet, so a third jar of cumin comes home. A little order fixes that, and keeps them tasting like something.

Take stock first

1. Pull every jar out and group the duplicates - combine them if they're the same age.
2. Smell each one. If the aroma is faint when you rub a pinch between your fingers, its flavor is mostly gone.
3. Wipe the shelf, and write down what you have.

Pick a system that fits your space

• Tiered shelf risers in a cabinet, so the back row is visible.
• A drawer with jars lying flat, labels on the lids, easy to scan at a glance.
• A door-mounted or wall rack if cabinet space is tight.
• Turntables in a corner cabinet - spin instead of dig.

Then put them in an order

• Alphabetical is easiest to keep up, especially with a big collection.
• By how often you use them - everyday ones in front, the rest behind.
• By cuisine (baking, Mexican, Italian, Indian) if you cook in themes.

How long spices keep their flavor

Old spices aren't unsafe - they just get weaker. Store them away from the stove, sun and steam, in tightly closed jars, and they'll last at the long end of these ranges. Writing the date you opened each jar on its lid takes the guesswork out.

Buy smarter

• Buy small jars, or from a bulk bin, for spices you rarely use.
• Whole spices last longer; grind them as you need them.
• Check what you have before you shop - it's the whole trick.