Need ideas on how to organize spices? I have the game changer for organizing spices in your kitchen! It's odd to realize that I am writing this blog post with 30 years of experience in spice organization. Name it, I've tried it: spice racks, a spice cabinet, a spice cupboard, a lazy susan in the pantry, inside a cabinet door, and even those magnetic tins on the fridge.
In general, the best way to organize spices is in a shallow drawer with spice drawer liners (after decades of trying all the methods!) because it is easy to access and easy to clean.
The spice drawer liners I use in my kitchen are number 4 of The Best Kitchen Organizers for 2024 under $20. You can read that blog post by clicking here or the image below.
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Now, let's discuss five ways to organize spices in your kitchen!
Four years ago, I organized our various spice containers into one drawer with these spice drawer liners. I have kept it the same. The spice drawer is a storage space workhorse in our kitchen.
Notice the variety of containers, the different sizes, and the mixture of glass and plastic containers. These liners handle it!
When organizing spices, you should consider two main considerations: location and container.
Where in the kitchen will you store spices, and how will you store them?
In terms of location, the five best ways to organize spices are:
in a drawer
on a lazy susan
on a tiered shelf (in a cabinet or on the countertop)
wall spice rack
in a basket
Note: it does not matter the container (glass, jar, bag) with any of these five ways. You can make any of these spice organizers work!
In terms of containers, the top three containers to store spices are:
glass
plastic
bag
Why I think a SPICE DRAWER Works Best:
easy access
near meal prep areas
accommodates different size spice jars
easy to clean
offers multiple ways to organize
you can see all your spices without moving any
Frequently Asked Questions on How to Organize Spices
Do I have to use spice drawer liners?
No! You can keep them in a drawer without liners. I tried that first. However, the containers rolled around and felt disorganized. These spice drawer liners keep them ordered into columns, making it easy and quick to find the spice I'm looking for each time.
Do I have to declutter to create a spice drawer?
Depending on your kitchen layout, you may need to reorganize to empty a kitchen drawer. Decluttering is a great idea to make this happen if cabinet space or drawer space is limited.
There are several categories to tackle with kitchen organization, including utensils, pots and pans, dishes, serving tools, linens, and spices (to name a few). My advice on YouTube and on this blog is always to take it one day at a time, one shelf at a time, one drawer at a time. You can do this.
If you don't use chili powder or black pepper, then do not keep those spices. Check for expiration dates, and only keep the spices you use in cooking and baking.
How should spices be organized?
You can organize spices in various ways:
frequency of use: keep the kitchen spices most often used together or organize them by type (cooking vs baking)
expiration date: buying bulk spices requires you to keep track of dates
alphabetical order: scan your drawer fast and save time while cooking and baking
This is truly a preference. We organize our drawers by frequency of use. The most used ones are kept to the far left, as that is the side we access the drawer from the stove. All spices are kept in this one drawer, so if we have it, it's in there. Maintaining one area for spices helps because we have three "chefs" in our home (myself, my husband, and my 10-year-old son).
How should spices be stored?
There are several options to organize your spice collection:
cabinets
drawers
wall racks
spinning racks
How do you properly store spices?
The best place to keep your spices is in a storage space, like a pantry, drawer, or cabinet, protected from direct sunlight, heat, and moisture. Spice companies recommend airtight containers such as glass jars or plastic containers with lids for spice storage. Larger containers may be necessary for storage if you buy spices in bulk. However, you can use smaller containers in a drawer and restock from your larger containers stored on the bottom shelf of your kitchen cabinets.
I once loved the look of the spice shelf above a stove, especially in a small kitchen, but it is not one of the best places to keep spices. The heat of the stove plus the risk of sunlight can affect your spices.
Can I reuse spice containers?
Yes, you can reuse containers, and it is a great way to add a sustainable practice to your kitchen. However, I love the feeling of new jars! I just make sure I use them multiple times. We have a stash of jars in a cabinet—just in case—but a professional organizer would tell me to declutter them. I do not save the plastic, original container, though. I recycle those and swap them for glass when I can.
How do I switch from plastic containers to glass jars?
I am loving this swap in my kitchen. Instead of buying a set of glass spice jars, I'm allowing it to take time. The first step was making the decision to make a more sustainable choice and then figuring out how to avoid the plastic choices. Shopping in bulk buy stores or growing your own aids in this sustainable swap. We do not have much space to store bulk buy spices long-term, so I've been growing my own and shopping around.