Organizing Your Open Tobacco Tins

[Bulldog]

A forum search revealed an older, 2011 thread that addressed the issue of organizing tobacco tins. However, I am interested in how members organize their open or in use tobacco tins, pouches, zip-lock bags, jars etc. This morning I opened an office desk-drawer and began rummaging around for the bag I keep my EMP in. I just smoked the same tobacco yesterday morning, it shouldn't have wandered too far. I am hoping to get some better short-term storage ideas.
By the way, I hope the entire pipe-smoking community had a happy and safe Thanksgiving.

 

[pylorns]

I have pretty poor organization for open tins... but stuff that I have not opened for a while I tighten up the mason jar and put into a plastic bin so that they are stackable.

 

[bluegrassbrian]

Pylons, I never considered that before - a plastic (rubbermaid) drawer organizer thing - for my Mason jars.

Might just tidy up the 2dozen or so loose jars.
Edit: a cursory search yielded various results like this;
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Sterilite-3-Drawer-Wide-Cart-Black/16415880?action=product_interest&action_type=title&beacon_version=1.0.2&bucket_id=irsbucketdefault&client_guid=7079a228-e34a-4b8b-88b7-884d3e5c3b42&config_id=2&customer_id_enc&findingMethod=p13n&guid=7079a228-e34a-4b8b-88b7-884d3e5c3b42&item_id=16415880&parent_anchor_item_id=8282897&parent_item_id=8282897&placement_id=irs-2-m2&reporter=recommendations&source=new_site&strategy=PWVUB&visitor_id=Ye-6Ep-38Bztd1Yn6oPRh8

 

[rodbuster3]

It might be hard for the office but i keep the cases to the jars and put new stickers on top of the jars so i can easily see whats in there.

 

[cossackjack]

I have 144 half-pint mason jars from open tins & bulk tobaccos which are kept in the original cardboard cases with the shrink wrap slit into flaps that keep the jars in place. (All of the remaining bulk tobacco is either in pint or quart mason jars, or heat-sealed mylar bags). I never use plastic bags, even for short term storage. (Plastic bins & plastic ammo boxes are for the unopened tins; I'm in the process of transferring all unopened tins to the ammo boxes as they are moisture resistant).

They are stored on open shelves in a real cellar, stacked only 2 cases high as any higher could compromise the lid seals.

Most are for aging. Otherwise there is no particular organization except the chronological order in which they were jarred. I'm thinking about rearranging either alphabetically or by tobacco families (English/Balkan, VA, VA/Per, Burley, Blending, etc) & labeling each case with rewritable hang-tags for easy identification of the contents.

 

[Bulldog]

Cossack - organizing by type seems an intuitive solution. Thanks for the link Bluegrass. Over the last couple years, trying to keep track of open pipe-tobacco tins or containers has become the most time consuming component of pipe smoking life.

 

[wyfbane]

I have 60 4 oz jelly jars full of open stuff as well.

 

[judcole]

The jars that are in rotation sit on a shelf,grouped by type -lat blends, Va flakes, etc.

 

[pipesofsteele]

Muttonchop piper has some pretty good ideas regarding storage on his channel! Here are two videos in which he talks about storage. Enjoy! ::

https://youtu.be/IZUcAP4232Q

https://youtu.be/ZPdRlniAsI4

 

[Bulldog]

Interesting series of videos.

 

[crashthegrey]

I keep them in an old roll top desk sorted by type. It's not always perfect, and I get pretty disorganized from time to time. But it works.

 

[fitzy]

Everything that's opened goes into a mason jar and a hand written label is slapped on top with the name and date.
I've got a small bookshelf with one shelf for jars of Va type blends, one shelf for english/balkan blends, one self for aro's and the 4th shelf for unopened tins.

 

[drydock]

Hey Bulldog. I have a 3-drawer unit similar to bluegrassbrian's. Pros/Cons, YMMV.

Pros--easy-access 3-drawer set-up, easy to throw a lot of jars in each drawer (roughly separated by tob type). Inexpensive, light and small--can always be re-purposed for other storage uses. A big PRO for me? It visually reduces the observable excess that having all those in-progress/sample jars stacked on a shelf can lead to, which can then lead to rolled eyes, or worse, calculating shark-eyes from my beautiful bride. It helped me de-clutter & think through how I wanted to store open tobacco, it keeps everything I'm trying out/pondering in one spot.
Cons--small though it is, it does take up some space. Mine came with wheels that I took off--too much rolling around while opening drawers. Speaking of rolling around, tins & jars can slide or topple when there's not much in each drawer. Solution? Always try out more tobacco! It's plastic--in my 18th C. fantasy cellar everything is wooden. Or leather. And built-in. My better half threatens to take the unit away for art supplies.
My sample jars/open tins are covered with plastic wrap, then a small disc of parchment paper, then lid screwed down. Helps prevent tob fragrance from leaching into rubber-ringed jar lids. Name/type/date written on jar with grease pencil--easy to wipe off/reuse. And as mentioned, I separate them by tob type in the drawers. I love muttonchop's organized & beautifully labeled system. Maybe someday.

 

[jkrug]

Not really a helpful system but I keep my open tins and jars in the drawer of my pipe cabinet or on the bottom shelf of the end table beside my chair where I can reach it without having to get out of my chair. ::

 

[skraps]

Open tobacco is easy when you only keep a few blends in rotation. I have a jar in my pipe rack for my "all day blend" and then I keep a couple tins/mason jars on my table next to my desk.
I have a handful of blends in my closet/cellar that are jarred and available for use, but they might as well be in long term storage because I seldom dip into any of them.

 

[pagan]

The bookshelf where my pipe rack sits has 2 drawers, that's were I keep my open tins and pouches, they usaly go empty quick so I don't have to transfer to another container.

 

[ray47]

I'm like JUD, all my open stuff are in apothecary jars, labeled and stored on a shelf organized by type of leaf.

 

[mirain]

When I open a tin I smoke it until it's done but I'd like to have a few open at a time and not have to rush through them.
I found these nifty containers on smokingpipes.com. I'm going to give them a try. They seem to be able to fit into the top drawer of my desk without a problem.
https://www.smokingpipes.com/accessories/pipe%20accessories/moreinfo.cfm?product_id=214239

 

[bluegrassbrian]

Scored this nifty little shelf from a local antique shops for $20.

Perfect for my purposes..

 

[mawnansmiff]

"They seem to be able to fit into the top drawer of my desk without a problem."
They also seem damned expensive for a very tiny tin.
Regards,
Jay.