Spices are the spice of life, so to speak. So if your spices are disorganized, what does that say about your life? There’s still no spice feng shui that I’m aware of, but there certainly should be. Don’t worry though, there is hope for those of us who can’t find our cinnamon between our fennel and nutmeg!
What is this hope that we can cling to? Spice racks. Yes, it sounds like an overly simple solution, but the spice racks really do make a world of difference for anyone who has more than three or four spices. There are various types of spice racks for you to choose from. Need help deciding which one is best for you? Follow this simple guide on spice racks:
Carousel spice racks (rotary spice racks)
A carousel spice rack is perfect for storing your favorite and most used spices. You can simply leave your carousel spice rack next to your stove or on your table, or pull it out of your cabinet when you’re cooking.
This type of spice rack may have room for only a few spices, or you may even find one that holds 16 or even 48 bottles, depending on style and size. Of course, if you have one of the larger revolving spice racks, you’ll probably want to leave it in your cabinet. Just flip it on and choose the spices you need, when you need them. You don’t have to worry about shorter spices hiding behind larger ones!
magnetic spice racks
Magnetic Spice Racks are a fun and easy way to store 9-12 different spices. Of course, part of the beauty of one of these racks is… the beauty! You will definitely want to display such a charming shelf.
Each spice jar has a magnet on the back that sticks to a magnetic board. One possible problem (or a godsend, depending on how you look at it) is that you’ll have to empty the spices into the jars already provided. This really works well if you buy your spices in bulk.
You can find a magnetic spice rack with a window so you can see exactly what spice is in each jar. But if you’re not very familiar with what your spices look like, you may find it necessary to label them as well.
spice drawer organizer
Not everyone has to keep their spices in their cupboard! In fact, a spice organizer is a great option for anyone who prefers to reach for the perfect spice down, rather than up. When you store your spices in your drawer, it’s often much easier to see them and be able to read the labels than when you store them in an upper cabinet. A spice drawer rack will usually have different levels that will tilt the spices so you can more easily read the labels.
basic spice rack
Basic wood or metal spice racks are a great way to help you organize your spices and save space. It is best to get a spice rack in which all the spices should stay in a single row, so that no spice gets lost behind another.
To alphabetize or not to alphabetize your spice rack
You’ll be surprised how easy it will be to find the right spice when you need it once you have a spice rack. Of course, even when you have a shelf to organize your spices, they can still be hard to find. Sometimes you can be looking directly at the spice you want and yet somehow miss seeing it. The simple solution is to alphabetize your spices.
Of course, such a system is often more painful than it’s worth. It’s hard to keep spices in alphabetical order, especially when you’re adding new spices to the mix. Instead, I say the best method is to keep the spices you use the most within easy reach (at the front of the spice rack, etc.), and just take that extra time to search for those “other” spices when I need them!