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Do you have lots of spices in your kitchen? Are they buried in your pantry or can you reach them from your cooking station? Too many spices can leave you frustrated when you can't find what you're looking for or don't know if you need to buy more. Implementing an organized system can help you enjoy them more easily!
As a Professional Home Organizer, I have the privilege of working with clients in their home. I am so grateful when they put their unwavering trust in me! This particular client had asked me to work with her in the kitchen and pantry. One of her major struggles was what to do with all the spices! Below you can see that we pulled them out of the pantry and set them aside to be organized outside the pantry. We decided to move them to a kitchen cupboard to make them more accessible in the main kitchen area.
Below are the clear glass jars and samples of different labels from the label maker. These 8oz glass jars are the best choice here because this client likes to buy and keep spices in bulk and to scoop with teaspoons when measuring for recipes. We chose jars with smooth sides to be super see-through and solid lids for easy on and off. Also, the tiered risers allow for easier visual identification and quicker grab-and-go. Two of the risers fit side-by-side perfectly in this 30" wide cabinet. Each riser comfortably holds 12 jars.
We labeled both the sides and the lids of the jars in case of accidental separation. For the lids we chose pre-printed round spice labels. These were quite handy and covered nearly every spice we had. They come in a set of 144 stickers in a classic chalkboard style with a few blank stickers included.
Altogether there was room for 72 spice jars of this size and shape in her upper cabinet. The lower 48 (just like American States!) are easily accessible. The very rarely used items can go on the top shelf. Up there are empty, pre-labeled jars as she was excited to add to her collection. You may be tempted to as well after seeing all the pre-printed labels as inspiration!
After filling up and labeling the jars the rest is history and another project is complete!
Thank you for following along on our spice adventure journey! If you're wondering what happened to the rest of the pantry, I've included it in the remainder of this post!
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Below is a BEFORE photo of the pantry! Which is certainly a good amount of space for food storage. However, because there is so much space, food items could be placed just about anywhere. This makes it much more difficult to find the things you need later on.
To begin with, the entire pantry was emptied and all items loosely categorized in large bins and moved out of the way. Then we wiped down the shelves and drew up a plan for zones and containers on graph paper. Be sure to measure in all three dimensions before purchasing bins!
Three 18" turntables from The Container Store hold condiments, sauces, and other tall narrow items. The clear cube-shaped pop-top containers from Walmart hold a variety of baking products such as flours and sugars.
Clear shallow bins from Bed, Bath and Beyond are at an easy-access height for the most frequently used grab-and-go items such as healthy snacks. The wicker hyacinth baskets from Lowes hold pasta and dry-goods. The large bins on the floor from Menards contain heavier items categorized into oils, jars, and cans.
Now everything has a home and a zone! You too can take back control of the chaos in your home. You too can find the things you're looking for when you need them! Reduce stress, anxiety and clutter in your home for a more calm and restful atmosphere. Thank you for your interest in home organizing, particularly spices and pantries. May your home be blessed by your efforts!
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