Organizing spices can take some time. But don’t let that overwhelm or discourage you. You’ll likely need a full afternoon to get this project done with some planning in advance, of course. The end result is soooooooo worth it.
When planning to organize your spice drawer/cabinet you’ll want to consider the jars and the labels you use before you do anything else.
What look do you want?
Do you want to handwrite each label? The benefit to handwriting is you can quickly change the label without having to pull out the label maker when spices change. If you use a label maker you can use a basic printed label or a fun stylized label using a Cricut machine. Or you can print a page of labels at one time using a printer and Avery labels like these. Whatever you choose consider your needs in the future. Will you want to create a pretty label each time something in your system changes?
Buy more spice jars than you need now.
You will likely buy new spices and need to add them to your system later. Store the empty jars in the back of the drawer, or cabinet, or elsewhere in your home for use later.
Think about storage for spices used daily and leftover/bulk spices.
The beauty of a spice cabinet or drawer is the jars are all the same size. Giving you a cohesive, consistent look. Some jars of spices that you have will be larger than the jars you’re decanting into. So think about the storage space for the spices you use daily, AND think about where leftover/bulk spices will be stored. Leftover/bulk spices can live in the back of the drawer or cabinet or they can be stored in the back of your pantry.
Here are the items you’ll need for the project:
Small funnel
Spice jars of choice
Label system of choice
Basin for washing/rinsing spice jars
Here is a link to buy these items if you need them!
STEPS TO ORGANIZE SPICES
- Count the number of different spices, throw away any expired spices, and order/buy any that are low.
- Research jars for the desired look. Order spice jars online. Order more than you need now.
TIP: For a spice drawer overhaul stores often don’t have enough spice jars in stock to ensure you get a consistent look. Your best bet is to order online. - When the jars arrive wash and rinse them. Soak them in a basin full of soap and water briefly. Dry them thoroughly. You don’t want moisture in your spice jars.
- Fill all the jars with spices using a funnel to prevent spills.
TIP: We labeled jars as we filled them so we wouldn’t forget what was in each jar. - Alphabetize them. We go all out for our clients to make sure things look amazing before we leave. But you can certainly skip this step.
Over time monitor the system. You will find some tweaks that might need to be made. If you alphabetized and they seem to get jumbled. no worries. Maybe it’s best to leave it. Do what works best for you and the chef(s) in the house.
Enjoy your new organized spice system!
Yes, these are a great tips. Having a spice section in your pantry is another good way to keep them off of the counter and out of your cabinets while also at your fingertips. https://www.aclosetgallery.com/