Spice Organization tips from the experts

From Disaster to Nirvana – Talking about all things spicy.

I love cooking with spices…I mean spices is what makes a meal taste GREAT (and not so great if you get the balance wrong)
But they are a total pain to keep neat and tidy and you have to dig around looking for the Smoked Paprika as you know you have it “Somewhere”

Most of us have a not so great way of storing these precious flavour wonders.
Do you have yours stored in all different jars, packets, boxes and tins?
Or the name is hard to read or have you even had to open it up to smell if it is nutmeg or cinnamon in the jar ( *Raises her hand…Yes I am guilty of this)

If you would like to do a major Pantry ORGANIZATION overhaul – I have created a post and complete checklists to easily get this job done.
Here is the post and checklists – PANTRY ORGANIZATION

Now this whole topic about spices is close to my heart –Spices was how I got to start owning a Kitchen Brand – Cooking Gods
You see…I had this favorite recipe and it required spices and a lot of them and I had trouble measuring them out as my measure spoons did not fit into the spice jars , so I went searching for a set and realized they were hard to find – The idea was born and I began to sell these amazing spoons and measuring cups on Amazon

Psssst……….I have a limited time 10% coupon for our AMAZING Cut and spoon set on Amazon.
Click on the button below to grab a set and sav

I finally had the right spoons to measure my spices…
But I still had a mishmash of jars and packets that were difficult to read – So I went and created a label set for spice jars and the pantry ,as the second product I sell on Amazon – Pretty cool Huh?

(And yes spice jars are soon to come.
We are just finalizing the last bit of the design)

Psssst…….Another bonus from us
Save 10% on our label set – Limited time coupons so grab a set now
Click on the button below to grab a set on Amazon

So back to the Spice organization -Since we started selling our AMAZING label set. We came into contact with a lot of Professional Organizers and a few of them tried our labels and posted all the beautiful new spice organization set ups in their clients kitchens and pantries. It is exciting to see all the different storage options but it can be confusing to know what will suit your kitchen and pantry the best.

So it made a lot of sense to ask two brilliant Organizers – their 5 tips on how to store your spices and what certain set ups work in different kitchens.

I asked two Professional Organizers – their tips for spice storage solutions

Introducing Ruthie Levy from Simplifized

You can check out her work on Instagram and her account is @simplifized
She is based in New York and does virtual sessions as well.
Her email is [email protected]

First off…a cheeky question – How do you store your spices at home?
I store my many spices on a built in turntable in a corner cabinet in my kitchen. I’ve transferred my spices to uniform spice jars and love how it looks! I don’t mind transferring and replenishing every once in a while, in fact my kids help me with it.

For a small pantry – what is the best way to organize your spices
It’s always best to store your spices at point of use which is generally by your cook top. Even in the case of small kitchen and limited space, I’m not a big fan of contraptions that connect to the inside of the cabinet door. I’d rather leave the basic spices in pretty jars on the counter and have the rest stored away in a less prime location.

For a large kitchen when space is no concern  – what is the ULTIMATE way to organize your spices?
When designing custom kitchens, I always recommend creating either a spice drawer within which the spices are stored on a slant in uniform jars or a pull out spice rack. Both are places right by the cook top. Of course there’s always the option of using turntables (check the depth of your cabinet before purchasing!) which allows full view and access of all the spices inside kitchen cabinets. Though I’ve seen stackable shelves used for spices often it isn’t my go-to product as I’m afraid it requires too much maneuvering.

For a busy cook who uses a lot of spices – what system is works best on a kitchen counter or at the food prep area
I always recommend creating either a spice drawer within which the spices are stored on a slant in uniform jars or a pull out spice rack. Both are places right by the cook top

What are your best tips for keeping spices organized and looking great
Uniformity is key to making the space look beautiful and maintaining!
Of course, the right labels can take the spices from looking functional and organized to looking WOW! I personally love chalkboard labels for spices and all areas of the kitchen, they pop and are eye catching. Pre printed labels are the best especially for us organizers who have less than stunning handwriting (to put it mildly!)

Introducing Daria from Your Organized Life

You can follow her on Instagram at @your_organized_life
www.yourorganizedlife.org
She is based in North Carolina

First off…a cheeky question – How do you store your spices at home?
I am lucky enough to have a 3 tier Lazy Susan cabinet in my kitchen. I keep my spices in glass jars with beautiful chalkboard labels (thank you Cooking Gods!) on the lowest level.

For a small pantry – what is the best way to organize your spices
For a small pantry I like the YouCopia Chef’s Edition Spice Stack 30 Bottle Organizer
You pull the drawers out and down for easy access to your spices. It holds quite a lot in a small space.

For a large kitchen when space is no concern  – what is the ULTIMATE way to organize your spices?
Oh I think having the Rev-a-Shelf built in spice drawers right next to the stove would be the ultimate ideal!

For a busy cook who uses a lot of spices – what system is works best on a kitchen counter or at the food prep area
For those who use a lot of spices, or just prefer the natural, organic look of spices, the Invisible Acrylic Spice Rack
It shows off your spices and keeps them within easy reach.

What are your best tips for keeping spices organized and looking great
The best way to keep your spices organized is to not have too many of them! For recipes with a spice that you probably won’t use again for awhile, consider buying just a small amount in bulk from a store like Whole Foods. For spices you use often, just purchase a small jar since spices are at their freshest for six months. Decanting the spices into glass jars with uniform labels like yours is the best way to make spices look not only tidy-but beautiful.

So there we have it!!

Tips from 2 of the best Organizers I have being lucky enough to get to know.
Get your jars clearly labeled, keep only the spices that you use often ( Don’t be a spice hoarder)
And keep them where you can easily reach for them.
If you are looking for professional advice to get your kitchen looking SCHMICK – Please reach out to either Daria or Ruthie to get some more ideas or guidance from them.