A dash of this, a sprinkle of that. Spices are what make food taste interesting! But when your spice cabinet is overflowing, or you are purchasing duplicates because you don’t know what you already have, it’s time to simplify and organize your collection.
Here’s what you need in order to get started:
Swommoly 36 Glass Spice Jars With Labels
I love to cook and I use a lot of different spices in my meals, which means I have way more spices to store than is practical in my small kitchen. And while I’ve tried to cut down for the sake of storage, there is always something new that we just have to add to our collection!
For the past 10 years I’ve used the same spice containers from IKEA, labeled with my p-Touch label maker. And while they have worked well, I realized that the size and shape wasn’t going to work in my new kitchen. After living with a less than stellar spice system for a few months, it felt like time to upgrade to something that was easier to store and organize.
I found switching over was painless and relatively quick – especially since this time I didn’t have to make my own labels! I purposely selected a set of jars that came with labels that I thought were attractive (LOVE the white lettering on clear stickers!)
5 Steps For Simplifying and Organizing Your Spice Collection
Step 1: Figure out what you have
First and foremost, pull every single spice out of your cabinets, drawers and pantry. Place them all in one area so you can see everything you have.
Sort through your spices and group by type. Place any duplicate spices next to each other so you can choose what to keep. Toss any expired or nearly empty containers. Then, make a list of any that you need to purchase.
Count the number of spices you use regularly plus any that you plan to buy. This is the number of jars you will need.
Step 2: Purchase spice jars and labels
I found that Amazon has the best selection of jars and spice labels. Since there are many similar options, I selected my jars based on the look of the label AND the number jars that came in the set. I made sure that all my frequently used spices were included in the pre-made labels.
Step 3: Wash and dry all containers
Take every jar out of the box and separate the lids and plastic shaker caps for washing. Either hand wash in hot, soapy water or run through the dishwasher. Once everything is dry, you are ready to label the containers and fill with spices.
Step 4: label the new jars, then fill with spices
Labeling is easy, with the pre printed label stickers. Simply peel back the sticker and center on the front of the jar. Once all of your jars are labeled, it’s time to start filling!
I like to use the included funnel to help guide the spices into the jars, but transferring certain powdery spices can still be quite messy, so I recommend working over the sink for easy clean up.
Step 5: Storing the jars
Once you have all your spices decanted into pretty jars, it’s time to find a home for them. Where to store spices in your kitchen depends on your kitchen and what space you have available. If you have more cabinet space than drawer space, consider using a turntable, stair riser or acrylic bin. If you have a free drawer, you may like an in-drawer spice rack that will neatly display all of your spices.
Completely optional, but you could also consider organizing alphabetically in order to make it easier to find a spice while you are in the middle of a recipe. I find that things never end up back in alphabet order in my kitchen so I don’t even try. Getting them uniform and neatly organized is generally all I’m really looking for.
Remember, whether they are stored in a drawer or a cabinet, it’s important to make sure that your spices have a home and your collection isn’t expanding beyond what you have space for.
Watch the video:
@smallishhome It was time to upgrade to new spice jars and I love the labels that came with this set – it saved me so much time not having to make my own! #spiceorganization #kitchenorganization #cabinetorganization #labels
Here are some other kitchen posts you may like:
3 Rules That Revolutionize Tupperware and Food Storage Organization
Organizing Pots and Pans in a Corner Cabinet
MAXIMIZING MUG STORAGE IN THE KITCHEN
Happy Organizing!
kitchen organization small space organization spice organization
