Recently I cleaned out the "Lazy Susan" in my kitchen. I had too much in it and needed to clean and update it. Throw out the things I do not use or that are outdated. If you cook a lot you probably have a lot of seasonings in your cupboard. Sometimes I will use one particular herb or spice for months then all of sudden for some reason or other I start using a different one. Herbs and spices are something I never stock up on. I like them as fresh as I can get them. Though I admit to still using a few that are long outdated. They are just too expensive to throw out. The secret to using a "Lazy Susan" is to keep it organized and always put each item back in its own space.
According to American folk lore the "lazy Susan" was invented by Thomas Jefferson which was actually a "dumbwaiter" for his daughter, Susan. Regardless of who or when it was invented is irrelevant to me. Whoever did it probably did not consider that one day it would be included inside a corner of the cupboard in a kitchen. Honestly I wish they had built one into my other corner cupboard as well. I have a hard time getting things out of it that are in the back. Storing the things I use most often in the front of it only.
On the top shelf of this cabinet I keep all my seasonings, herbs and spices, along with extracts and flavorings. At one end is all the peppers and salts and the other end has paper items, such as plastic Ziploc bags, wax paper, aluminum foil, parchment paper, etc. In the middle is all the seasoning. Everything is easy to get to quickly. I like it to be easy to use while cooking. Searching for something in particular annoys me if I can't find it. That is usually my own fault putting something back in the wrong spot.
Paper products, aluminum foil, plastic wrap and bags are kept in their own boxes on one end. The wall of the cupboard keeps them in place. I find that by keeping the small bottles of extracts and essential oils in a tin without the top keeps them in place.
The plastic trays work well in here also. I don't want any jars falling over when I spin the "Lazy Susan" around. When I am in the kitchen cooking this cupboard is almost always open. I like to put everything back as soon as I am done with it. When I decided to live small I discovered routines work best to keep everything neat and clean. Do not buy anything you are not going to use. If you are trying something new buy the smallest available till you see if you like it or not.
The bottom shelf can hold heavier items. I have things on that shelf that I don't use every day. It holds my health supplies such as the electrolytes, cough drops and Essiac tea extract. Dehydrated onions are also on that shelf as well as coffee and sugar-free syrups. I like to stock up on my supplies but have to be careful how much I buy. Space is limited but that is okay with me. I don't want a lot of stuff. I lived that way in my last home and it was stupid to live like that. Having so much stuff that you never even use it. Now I use everything.
I was amazed that all these items would fit back into the "Lazy Susan". I did get rid of some of the outdated things or whatever I did not use. Still I had a lot of stuff to fit on those shelves. I am careful to not overload the shelves because that could cause them to break. Not sure the management would be willing to fix it for me. At the very least it would take awhile for them to repair it. Best to keep it in very good shape and be careful with it. So I am.
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