"Dominic T." > wrote in
oups.com:

> I'm not sure, but I'd imagine others around here must be in a similar
> situation as me. A lot of tea and not enough storage. My fiance and I
> have been trying to decide on the best way to store all of my teas. I
> have right now approx. 20 different loose teas. I have a couple glass
> canisters with seals and locks (but they are clear glass and have to
> stay in the cupboard) and the rest are in resealable paper waxed bags.
> We had found a nice spice rack with about 12 glass vials but again they
> are clear and a bit small to hold much tea.
>
> Ideally, I'd have them in ceramic sealed locking canisters but I would
> need a whole other countertop for them. So does anyone have any ideas
> for a fairly streamlined and inexpensive system to house my tea
> happily? How do you store yours?
>
> - Dominic
> Drinking: Sea Dyke Brang Fujian Oolong

I use a Tilia Foodsaver to vacuum-seal my teas in canning jars. I think
the vacuum-sealing keeps the tea fresher for a much longer time. Yes, the
jars are glass, so I do have to keep them in the pantry.

I bought my Tilia new for $80, but I see them on eBay from $20 on up. For
preserving in jars, the model needs to have an accessory port on it, and
you may need to buy the jar sealer (about $10) if it's not included. A box
of 12 canning jars costs about $6, and a box of lids is $1.

This system allows me to remove only as much tea as I will use in a week
and then reseal the rest, keeping it fresh for a very long time. And I use
the Tilia for far more than just tea - it's fantastic for vacuum-sealing
food for freezer storage, too.

Dee