Carolyn said

The Cupboard: How are you using it?

How are you using the Cupboard feature on Steepster? How do you decide on what teas to put in it? Do you only put teas that you have a certain quantity of (more than a sample, for example) or do you put samples there as well? Are you thinking of it as a repository of tradeables? If you run out of a tea but have ordered more do you plan to remove it from your cupboard and then add it again? How much keeping up with your cupboard do you plan to do?

I’m kind of hung up on the logistics of this feature, which is preventing me from putting anything in my cupboard. So I’m wondering how you are using it.

Thanks!

83 Replies
teaplz said

I’m using it literally as what is in my tea cupboard at the moment. Anything, even if it’s one bag or two. I’ll be adding and removing things as I run out/purchase more. As I grow a tea collection, I think I’ll be using it more and more to sort out and remind myself what I have. The Cupboard also tells you how long ago you reviewed a tea, so it’s a good reminder to keep in rotation some of your neglected teas that might get buried in the cabinet otherwise!

Heyes said

That’s how I plan to use it.

That’s what I’m doing with it as well—whatever is in there physically, is here virtually.
BTW, I would like to mark teas in my Cupboard that:
1) Are available for swap/not available so that if someone runs across it, we can discuss a swap.
2) Are ones that I will repurchase when empty vs. those I’ll have to have an exorcism to remove their influence in my tea mugs. That way, my ratings are all in one place. This is because I’m often lured in by vendors’ websites with enticing descriptions (Insert Snidely Whiplash’s evil laugh here).

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Angrboda said

I’ve added everything I own. When I run out I’ll remove it. So it’s really a mirror image of my RL cupboard.

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Jason select said

Great question. I use my cupboard as a representation of what I currently own, including boxes of tea bags (like my tin of Vanilla Almond tea bags from TRoT). However, I did not include the teas from a Mighty Leaf Sampler box I recently bought since it is just one tea bag for each type of tea. The reason I don’t include those is because I still look at the cupboard as a means for initiating tea swaps (which will soon be assisted by private messaging). Since I wouldn’t trade a single tea bag, I haven’t included it. But really, our desire is to make the features focused so they are relevant, but also flexible so different types of tea drinkers can find them useful. I hope that helps…

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khsheehan said

I keep everything I own in the cupboard. I don’t have only a little bit of any one tea at the moment so I haven’t really thought about removing something I only have a little of. That does make me think that maybe a quantity slider should be added to teas in the cupboard. From what I’ve read about facilitating trading teas, I think that it could be important to note how much of any given tea you may have. Other than that I think it’s really a great idea. This is clearly one of the best tea sites on the web and it’s only getting better. I commented on this earlier but I’ll say it again. I think that there should be a daily update podcast possibly on the Steepster Select.

takgoti said

I like that idea, though I can also see it becoming overwhelming to maintain. I have a lot of tea. If it only had a few settings, like “brand new,” “halfway there,” and “running out,” I think that could be manageable. Nice one!

khsheehan said

Absolutely, it would get ridiculous putting in exact measurements. Just a rating system to give a general idea (possibly with an actual number reflecting what you bought at first).

Cofftea said

Takgoti, in order for “brand new”, “halfway there”, and “running out” to work for the purpose of trading teas we’d need to now how much you started w/. I LOVE the idea of making trades easier, but I’m just not sure the cupboard is the place to do it. Maybe a forum just for have and ISO ads?

takgoti said

@cofftea Yep. That’s pretty much what khsheehan said right after I did.

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takgoti said

Similar to everyone else, mine mainly reflects what I actually have right now. Anything that I have received from a tea swap, I haven’t included. If I have a sample big enough that I have quantity I’d be willing to share, it’s in there.

I’ll definitely be taking things out once I run out, and while I’d like to think I’ll be on top of things enough to remove them when I’m running low, I kind of doubt I’ll do that. [Especially if I know I’m going to reorder it.] I should, but I’m kind of lazy. Though perhaps once this feature begins to sync more into my tea routine I might end up doing it automatically.

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Cofftea said

I have it, in there. If I run out and am planning on buying more ASAP, I won’t delete it just to re-enter it a few days later. I am CONSTANTLY trying new teas. The only containers I have that aren’t sample sizes are 8oz tins of my 2 staples: Adagio’s White Cucumber and Ginseng Green, 2 of my Adagio blends (4oz tins), and a few things I bought at my local tea shop that are only sold by the ounce. I have 1oz each of Maple Sugar Black, Cafe Latte, and Ginger herbal (another daily staple). I need more Cream Caramel oolong and Black Whiskey Creme from another tea shop, but they are only sold in 4oz tins so I gotta wait til I have room.

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Marlena said

Oh, now I see what to do with it. Thanks all

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Carolyn said

Thanks to everyone. I’ve decided that it would drive me out of my mind to put all the tea samples in the cupboard, but I’ll put larger items in. I foresee great difficulty in maintaining this.

BTW, is there a way to sort the tea by company or alphabetically?

Jack said

Not yet, but I’m making a note of it right now :)

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Jillian said

I put in pretty much everything in my cupboard even the small sample packets that have only 2-3 cups’ worth of tea leaves in them.

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denisend said

Wow, I would go crazy listing all of the 1-3 cups worth of stuff I have. I just included the major ‘stock’. :-)

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