8 GENIUS WAYS TO ORGANIZE YOUR SPICES

I think my entire family would agree that I am not by nature an extremely organized person. I would definitely fall under the category of a more "creative type" which by my husbands standards means I am a queen of chaos.

However...... there are a few spaces in our home where I am beyond organized. The kitchen is definitely one of those spaces. I love to cook, so our kitchen is used 3 times a day almost every day of the week. Here are a few rules I follow to keep this cabinet organized:

1. WHAT METHODS WORK BEST FOR YOU - If maintaining an organized space isn't your strong suit, take note of what does work best for you. don't go against the grain of what works naturally for you. In my case, if I can see all my spices, gravy mixes and other seasonings in one place, it helps me to know not only what I can make that day, but what I need to add to the shopping list.

2. DESIGNATE ONE SPACE - by categorizing your kitchen needs and designating one space to each of these categories you'll be able to help yourself stay organized. Example: I have a cabinet just for pasta and rices, another for flours, a space for can goods, and my spice cabinet is for spices as well as seasoning mixes. If I buy extra spices I put them on the top shelf in my cabinet instead of in the pantry or somewhere that it could easily become overcrowded and lost.

3. CLEARLY SEE EVERYTHING - Using clear jars not only helps to make everything look organized, but you won't waste your money overbuying on spices that you really don't need. I like to use libby jars that hold 3oz. for most of my spices. This is slightly larger than your average spice bottle you find in the market. They're air tight glass jars that are dishwasher safe. They come in all different sizes which makes it even nicer to integrate with the rest of your kitchen organization. (see link below for purchasing options)

4. LABEL - Use labels, I like using washable, reusable chalkboard labels. (see link below for the labels I purchase most) This way I can wash the jar out before I refill with new spices.... which leads me to my next tip...

5. DATE - Not only should you label your spice names on each jar, but spices do expire. it's important to use a small label on the bottom of each jar also to write the expiration date so you can keep track. The labels I usually purchase come in a pack with small round chalk labels as well as a chalk marker. I use these on the bottom of my jars to put expiration dates.

6. TIERED SPICE RACK - Although I have a good amount of cabinet space, I like to keep all my spices together. To make this happen my husband and I built a 3-tier spice rack (spice bottle bleachers) from precut strips of wood from home depot and some wood glue. You can buy other riser options online, but I wanted to have them fit our cabinets exact dimensions.

7. SHELVING - Don't be afraid to add extra shelves to your cabinets. Sometimes people feel the need to stack items on top of each other in a cabinet. Take a shelf with you to the hardware store, yes the shelves in your cabinet are removable.... most times. You can even have someone help you cut a piece of cabinet grade lumber down to size right there in the store, so there's no need to rush out and buy a table-saw. Don't forget to pick up a few extra shelf pegs (might be a good idea to bring a sample from home also, as these do come in different lengths and diameter) and voila! No need to stack items haphazardly on top of each other.

8. FUTURE PROOF - Plenty of stores have cute spice racks that sit on your countertop that can hold all 20 spices they come with. Realistically we know you have about 50 spices at any given time. Not to mention any type of grill rub, or salad dressing mix, gravy mix, chicken bullion, bulk peppercorn and salt to refill your grinder. So when planning out your space, truly take a look at everything there is in this category, and add a few extra empty jars for expansion.