Spice rack cupboards get out of hand quickly, am I right? You reach in for garlic powder and come out with ground mustard. With these tips for simple spice rack organization, you can turn your cluttered cabinet into a glorious organized display of spices right before your eyes and add a little style along the way.
Do you like your spice rack?
For so long I have tried to keep my spice rack cupboard organized. Every so often I would go in to clean and reorganize it convinced that I would keep everything in its place. But as we all know, in the heat of cooking it usually ends up a disaster again.
I have even bought cute organization tools to make organizing my spices easier. The truth is, I really dislike spice containers. They all look different. Some are small. Some are large. And depending on what is available, you end up with multiple brands in your cabinet.
For someone who likes to make things look simple, concise and beautiful, the spice rack is an on going nightmare.
Style as well as organization.
Finally one day I had enough of the mess and decided to take control of my spice cabinet! I have an antique spice rack that I got from my grandma. I have fond memories of walking into her house and seeing it hung up in her entryway. For years, I hung it up as decoration like she did. However, I have always loved the idea of actually using it. The trick was simplifying my millions of spices down to a small rack of 15!
Your First Tip:
Here the first little secret I learned …. You don’t actually need all the spices you have in your cupboard! I know I’m not the only one who has bought a random spice for one recipe and never touched it again. For example, we had two containers (and rather full containers) of celery salt. What on earth is celery salt used for anyway, besides a Chicago Dog?
In the effort of simplifying your spice rack and making your cooking experience more enjoyable, do a good ole’ Marie Condo style purge and chuck the ones you don’t use. For all you out there saying “But what if I really do need it again.” When that time comes, ask a friend to borrow the amount you need for the recipe. Or simply tell your self “i probably won’t use it again, but if I do I can buy it then.” The space in your cupboard for 5 years will be worth the $5 you will spend on a random spice for only one recipe.
The Goal
The goal of having simple spice rack organization is to have the spices you use the most often right at your fingertips. Having less to dig through saying to yourself, “I know I have oregano in here somewhere” the quicker, you will be able to make a delicious meal from scratch with little brainpower. Now that we have our goal in mind, look below for a simple step-by-step guide to organizing your spice rack.
Step by Step Guide to Organizing Your Spice Rack
Here are some simple steps to follow:
- Purge your spice rack of all unused (or barely used) and expired spices.
- Set aside the spices you use the most (think garlic, salt, herbs, etc. Keep reading to see my beginner’s guide to cooking from scratch spice checklist).
- Consider the spices that are leftover and ask yourself the questions. The spices that aren’t in your essential spice category, but you find worthy of keeping, put in a separate cupboard for when you do need them.
- When was the last time I used this?
- Can I easily borrow it if I need to?
- Decide how you want to display them. Here are a few options:
- Pull open drawer organizers next to the stove or your most common workspace area. Here is an example.
- On the back of your stovetop in some cute mason jars, or repurposed glass jars.
- Antique spice rack. Thrift and antique stores are filled with cute racks, containers, and ideas of how to display spices. Go shopping and look for something that matches your style!
- A turning spice rack. These really do come in handy. If you decided to toss out all your spices and start from scratch, this would be a great go-to. It can sit next to your stove or your workspace area and is visually appealing.
- Put your spices into the containers you chose.
- Extra bonus step for your glass container types: wash and label your spice jars.
- Alphabetize them! – This may seem like overkill to some of you wildflowers, but it will save your brain one more extra step in searching for what you need when you need it.
Done! After following these steps you will now have a simple spice rack organization that will actually work to your advantage, simplify your life and be easy on the eyes!
Beginners Checklist of Essential Spices for Cooking From Scratch
Are you new to cooking from scratch? Use this checklist to make sure you have all the essentials you need!
- Salt
- Black Pepper
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Cumin
- Chili Powder
- Oregano
- Basil
- Italian Seasoning Blend
- Curry Powder
- Paprika
- Ground Ginger
- Red Pepper Flakes
Follow along for more tips on simplifying your life and recipes from scratch! Check out my about me page to learn more about what you will find here!
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