Let's be honest— we're all guilty of neglecting our spice rack. Before you know it, your pantry is a disorganized mess of dried herbs, cinnamon, and chili flakes, and searching for any ingredients is much more annoying and stressful than necessary. A proper method for organizing your spices is crucial, but where should you start?
‘The solution isn’t more cabinetry space, but to have more mindful organizational pieces added to cabinetry or the selection of cabinets that offer better storage solutions overall,' says Tanya Smith-Shiflett of Unique Kitchens and Baths. 'This can be in inserts or by simply having more drawers or roll-out options incorporated.'
If you've been wondering how to keep all your favorite spices and herbs neatly contained, a nifty pullout is one of the best options. You don't need to reconfigure your entire kitchen to incorporate one into your home, however. If spice storage has been letting you down, we've found a genius space-saving hack for pantry organization that you'll wish you knew about a lot sooner. Maybe now you'll actually use that za'atar seasoning you bought, after all! Here's how it works.
If you don't have space for a designated spice drawer or a free-standing rack on your countertop, this clever trick is for you. After coming across this super easy DIY video where Instagram user Letitia transforms her messy cabinet into a super organized spice rack haven, we can't wait to follow Tanya's advice and reorganize our spice collection at home.
It makes use of a sliding pullout that's easily installed within your kitchen pantry or cabinet to house all your spices neatly and efficiently, and we reckon it's one of the best ways to organize spices. All you need for this hack is, firstly, to empty out your current spice storage (sorry!) then start by sorting through the spices you have, and throw away anything that's expired or empty. You may find this already helps to declutter and organize what you already own.
After giving your cupboard or pantry a quick clean, to begin your journey toward your Instagram-worthy spice storage, you'll need smooth sliders to line the bottom of your pantry. These can be purchased to match the interior of your cabinet for a seamless look (or you could paint them to match), and they are pretty inexpensive too. ‘The best spice storage solution harmonizes with your kitchen's design, cooking style, and budget,’ says Olivia Parks, owner of Professional Organizer New Orleans. 'The main aim is to make your spices easily accessible whilst preserving their quality and flavor.’
Next, you just need the vertical rolling drawers to match the sliders. As Letitia says in her video, this helps to maximize your cabinet real estate as tiered racks double the amount of storage space you have, whilst the rolling drawers help to make even the back of your pantry accessible. Small rails along the sides of the rack help to protect your spices by keeping them in place, which also helps you stay organized.
Buying matching glass spice rack containers is a great, affordable way to update your newly refreshed pantry storage, and you can use a label maker to replicate those oh-so-satisfying spice collections you see all over your Pinterest. 'Just remember to not store your spices above your stove - the heat will damage them,' says professional organizer Melissa Gugni.
Now you've spiced up your seasoning organization, you're ready to cook all those recipes you've been bookmarking but haven't quite got round to making yet. Bon appétit!
