Kitchen organization can be a daunting task and keeping it organized is another thing. But, one part of your kitchen that you probably use daily that can get the ultimate makeover and make you feel organized each day is your spice storage. If you’re not sure where to start, I put together the ultimate guide to spice storage.

Assess your spice storage

To really tackle your kitchen organization issues you need to start with what kind of spice storage your spices have. There are tons of different options for each spice: you can store them in jars, bags, boxes, tins, airtight containers, or on shelves.

If you have smaller spices like dried herbs, blends, or some fresh/herb blends like basil, oregano, dill, parsley, chives, and dill, those can go on the top shelf. Mixing blends can go in containers on shelves, while long-staple herbs, like thyme, basil, and marjoram, can go in jars on shelves. But you can’t go as fancy as you do with fresh herbs.

From there, you can narrow down your spice storage options. Do you have your spices organized by style? Most people do spice racks that can hold multiple brands, sizes, and styles of spice.

Create a system

Spice jars can be organized and streamlined with a little planning. Many have thematic spice jars or sections that can help you organize it better and eliminate the clutter.

Makeshift spice racks can also be helpful to get your spices off your kitchen counters and into more organized locations. They also allow you to store different spice mixtures and dry mixes in one small space.

Keeping it clean

Spice jars need to be clean at all times. Cleaning the jars can help you have fewer temptations to grab one out of the cupboard and use it. Not only can a clean jar eliminate any urge to get to the spices, but it also keeps the mixtures fresh.

Use a spice rack

Use a spice rack to keep your spices in easy reach so you don’t end up digging through a mess when you’re looking for them.

Write labels to make it easy for your spice

Tear or cut the labels down

Fold them in half

Tape them on the sides of the jars

Cut slits in the bottom of the label so they don’t fall through the sides

Making it even easier to label is by writing a short note and then wrapping that up with tape. This makes it even easier for you to remember the spice. This is especially helpful if you’re shopping for a specific spice and it comes with instructions on the back.

Keep spices in their original container

This is a great tip to keep your spices organized and in order. Simply take your spice containers out of their original containers and line them up like you normally would. Simply label the inside of each container as to which spices go into which section.

Find the perfect containers for your spices

First, it is important that you know what size is right for your spice containers. The most common size for storing herbs is 3-1/2 by 5 by 7 inches. But, this size may not be big enough for larger herbs or spices. Go with what you use most.

If you don’t have a lot of spices to store, choose your containers in standard size. This will help with the organization of your spices. There are a lot of options available to choose from, with various prices and designs. If you don’t like the patterns or designs available, check out Amazon for kitchenware with a variety of containers available, even without the pattern or design.

Select your spice bins

There are a lot of options available, including built-in spice cabinets, jars, and lids.

Location is key

Spices can be one of those things that get stored all over the kitchen but at the same time, they have to be available to you in a particular location so that you can just reach out for it. This is where the actual storage comes into play. It is not enough to just put spices in an air-tight container and not think about them. You need to keep an eye on the quantity and make sure you don’t get over-laden. Also, you need to keep an eye on the type of spices as well. If you are using the same spices with every recipe, it is better to keep them in alphabetical order and don’t mix the spice with something else.

Bulk is king

One mistake that you can commit is to store your spices in small containers and make it difficult for you to distinguish what’s in which container.

Stay organized and enjoy!

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