A method of allocating memory operates to avoid overlapping hot spots in cache that can ordinarily cause cache thrashing. This method includes steps of determining a spacer size, reserving a spacer block of memory from a memory pool, and allocating memory at a location following the spacer block. In an alternative embodiment, the spacer size is determined randomly in a range of allowable spacer size. In other alternative embodiments, spacers are allocated based upon size of a previously allocated memory block.