Before you begin to organize your spices, go through what you have and discard any that are old and have no scent. Combine duplicates into one jar if possible.
1: Decide where you are going to store your spices. Spices are stored in a cool dark place to prolong their life – avoid direct sunlight or heat. The most common places to store spices are in a cabinet or cupboard, in a pantry, in a drawer, hanging on a door or wall, or on the counter. If you keep spices on the counter, try to limit them to the ones you use most often. The place you choose to store your spices will mainly depend on how much space you need and where that space is available.
2: Sort spices alphabetically or group by use. Don’t be afraid to group spices together and keep them in different areas of the kitchen. Most commonly used spices, such as salt, pepper and even red pepper flakes, can be kept close at hand when cooking. Cooking spices (cinnamon, cloves, cream of tartar, ginger, nutmeg, pumpkin spice and extract) can also be added. Other seasonings may include dried herbs, spice blends, and spices specific to ethnic cuisine.
3: Take advantage of the many different types of spice organizers available. They come in all shapes and sizes, and many expand to fit the size of your space.
4: If you keep your spices in a cabinet, use door-mounted spice racks or magnetic strips (with magnetic containers), turntables and double turntables, and tiered shelves that maximize vertical space. . Some shelves even pull out or down (for the height impaired). If you use drawers, find a drawer organizer that stores jars tilted and in tiers, or use a divider that keeps jars upright and curled. If you’re short on storage space, hang racks or magnetic strips on walls or under tall cabinets. You can even store spices in a shoebox or plastic bag.
5: Clean spice containers that are of the same shape and size will be more pleasing to the eye. They can be purchased empty, or consider buying spices from the same company so the jars can match. Try using recycled small glass containers such as baby food jars.
6: Label your spices so you can easily identify them. Place the label or sticker on top of the lid if it is only visible from the top. Place the label in a visible place on the edge of the jars when they are staggered on a tiered shelf or on a slanted rack in a drawer.
7: Buying large bottles of spices can seem cheap. However, if the spice or herb isn’t something you use often, buy a small container or share with friends so you don’t waste your “savings” when buying in bulk.