How to organise a spice rack so you find every spice
Most kitchens hold 20 to 40 spices, often in different bags and tins. With a simple system you find each one in seconds and stop buying duplicates.
Take stock
Put all your spices on the table. Combine duplicates and throw out the very old ones. Ground spices lose their aroma faster than whole ones. If a spice barely smells, it is time for a new one.
The right place
Spices like it dark, dry and cool. A shelf right above the stove is handy, but heat and steam make them lose aroma faster. Better options:
- A drawer: everything lies flat and you read the lids from above.
- A cupboard with a tiered shelf: jars stand in rows with their sides visible.
- A turntable: good for corners, with a few jars per turntable.
Decant into matching jars
Matching small jars with shaker inserts look calm and use space better than bags. Only fill what you will use within a few months and keep the rest sealed in the cupboard.
Label the side or the lid
Jars in a drawer need a label on the lid, round with Ø 40 mm. Jars on a shelf need one on the side, small at 40 × 25 mm. On very small labels clear lettering matters: “Modern” and “Apothecary” read well, “Script” looks lovely when the label is big enough.
Sort alphabetically or by cuisine
Alphabetical is easiest when several people cook. If you cook a lot from recipes, sort by use: everyday spices at the front, baking spices together, spices for one cuisine in their own row.
Keep an eye on age
The “With date” extra line puts the date you filled the jar on every label, so you spot old spices at a glance.
Printable spice labels
The page spice jar labels has a list of 20 spices in the right size. Add your own and print them as a PDF. The printing guide shows how to print them at true size.
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