9 Ideas and Tips to Organize Spice Racks

Any home cook knows that adding a dash of the right spice can make a huge difference to any dish. However, if your spices are stored away in hard-to-reach areas or places you don’t even remember, you may easily forget to make use of them until you’ve already begun eating. On the other hand, a clutter of spice containers on the countertop can be rather unsightly. Organizing your kitchen cabinets when storing your spices can make them a whole lot more convenient to access. Moreover, a dedicated spice rack can allow you to display your seasonings in a visually appealing fashion that will have you looking forward to preparing the next meal.

Besides the aesthetic and practical advantages of a spice jar storage area, you will also have an idea of what you have in your collection; you’ve probably picked up a spice from the grocery store only to find the same somewhere in your cabinets — we’ve all been there. From carousels to shelves, there is a wide range of storage ideas to choose from for your herbs and spices — accounting for a wide range of needs in terms of kitchen space as well as the size of the spice collection.

1. Wall Mounted Spice Rack

Making use of wall space to store your herbs and spices would be an efficient method.

A spice rack that you can mount on the wall can be ideal if space comes at a premium. If you want your herbs and spices to be out in the open, but there’s no room for them on your countertop, consider a wall-mounted kitchen spice rack. This is also a clever solution if you don’t have an open-shelf unit, or if you’re using your pantry to store other items such as tea or coffee sets. You can find a variety of wall-mounted racks to fit specific design styles. Many units even come with their own spice jars, saving you the trouble of looking for ones that go with the rack.

2. Slide-Out Spice Organizer

Kitchen additions that can maximize organization and decrease clutter include slide-out organizers.

A slide-out spice rack is another clever storage idea for a spice organizer. Even the seasonings that you barely use become easier to access as you can slide the whole unit out. This can be ideal if you prefer to limit what you keep in the open but still value accessibility. Many cabinets come with their own built-in organizers that you can slide out. If your kitchen doesn’t have this feature, you can still have one installed with ease. Slide-out racks can be separately sold in home centers. Simply attach the unit with two screws to the back of an underused storage area. 

3. Spice Carousel

Spice carousels can facilitate access while serving as a unique feature.

Similar to a lazy susan in function, a spice carousel is exactly what the name suggests — a rotating spice organizer. These units typically come with their own containers which are sometimes even labeled and pre-filled. Available in a wide variety of designs, a spice carousel can make for a lovely addition to your kitchen countertop. The revolving function of the spice stand allows you to look through your collection of seasonings without having to turn the whole unit around. The aesthetic and practical value of the carousel makes it a must-have in any kitchen. 

4. Airtight Glass Jars

Airtight glass jars are old but gold options for your spices and herbs.

Spices that aren’t stored properly may lose their flavor over time. Consider keeping your seasonings in airtight glass jars to preserve their freshness. A set of airtight jars also helps in organizing your herbs and spices. You can then display your spice jars in a kitchen pantry or an organizer. It also helps to label your herbs and spices as some of them may be similar in color and texture. Consider uniform jars for a clean aesthetic that’s easier on the eye; the myriad of the spices’ earthy shades and colors also makes the display a sight to behold. You could store seasonings that you don’t use as often in smaller jars and place them on a single shelf above or below the more frequently used ones.

5. Tabletop Spice Shelf Organizer

Making use of countertop space to maximize organization.

If you have extra countertop space and would like to use it for your herbs and spices, a shelf organizer can offer a tidy display. Certain varieties are even expandable, allowing them to accommodate a wider collection of seasonings. The cascading shelves can even make the tabletop racks suitable for cabinets; basically, you won’t have to take out the front jars to access the ones in the back. As with carousel racks and others, many shelf organizers are sold with their own set of jars. In any other case, you can easily find containers that would fit your tabletop unit just fine. 

6. Glass Tubes

Tubes are a unique way to store your seasonings.

Glass jars are simple and trusty containers for storing herbs and spices, but if you’re looking for something more unique and elegant, glass tubes are an excellent choice. And if you like to “experiment” with new dishes, glass tubes can make your cooking space look more like a laboratory — make sure to complete the look with a streamlined kitchen design.

You can normally find these sleek containers together with their own specially designed rack. As visually appealing as they are, glass tubes may not be the most practical container for herbs and spices. The narrow opening makes them tricky to wash, and taking a pinch of spice from a half-empty tube can be frustrating. However, you can work your way around these drawbacks using certain hacks such as pipe brushes for cleaning and cocktail spoons for scooping.

7. Hanging Steel Rack

Hanging steel spice racks are great for kitchens with limited space.

Similar to wall-mounted units, a hanging steel rack essentially makes use of wall space; and can be ideal for preventing clutter in small kitchens. The only difference with these racks is that the units themselves aren’t mounted on the wall. Instead, they feature hooks on the top from which you can hang the units on pre-installed towel bars. This gives the hanging spice racks somewhat of an advantage over the wall-mounted variety since you can easily remove the former whenever you want. Hanging organizers are available in a myriad of shapes and designs, many of which are multi-purpose. 

8. Metal Spice Rack

Metal spice racks are among the many ideal ways to store your herbs and spices.

Moving away from the more common shelf racks, an interesting option involves a spice organizer that features rows of metal rings in which you place the seasoning containers. These modern spice racks can correspond with the sleek design of a contemporary kitchen design. Meanwhile, the numerous rows of the spice stand accommodate an extensive selection of seasonings. Since you’d be storing the jars in a way that they point outwards, it can be a good idea to label the lids — or get prelabeled ones — as the contents might not be visible. This way, you won’t have to remove the containers one by one when searching for a certain spice. 

9. Spice Shakers

Spice shakers can be ideal for quick and convenient access.

Why bother grabbing a spoon and opening the lid when you can sprinkle the seasoning directly from the jar? Spice shakers are great if you prefer even quicker and more convenient access to your herbs and spices — which is perfect if you're cooking up a quick meal. These containers can go on a variety of organizers including spice carousels, wall-mounted racks, and table-top shelving units. Many home centers will even sell spice shakers together with an organizer.

After washing a shaker, make sure that it dries completely before restocking it. Any moisture that gets trapped inside will result in the spice clumping up, making it a pain to sprinkle.