How To Organize Spices, Plus the Best Spice Racks on Amazon

For some, a spice cabinet can look more like a knick-knack drawer: half-open bags of coriander and ground cumin floating around duplicate jars of paprika because you couldn't see the one you already had at the back of the drawer. (No judgment, we do this too.)

Spices are crucial to a lot of what we cook, but the place where we store these prized ingredients can often get overlooked—and organizing it for better storage and ease of use can make your cooking better, and your kitchen a little more aesthetically pleasing to boot. Here are four simple ways to organize your spice rack or drawer, plus eight affordable and highly rated spice rack picks to help you get started. (Oh, and if you feel all fired up with accomplishment after organizing your spices, consider some of these smart storage solutions to bring order to the rest of your kitchen.)

Organize spices according to use

You don't need to store all your spices in the same place. Consider keeping your most frequently used spice jars closer to your stove where you’re more likely to reach for them. (But not too close: Consistent exposure to heat can degrade their quality.)

Less frequently used spices, such as those for baking, can be stored separately and/or closer to your baking supplies. It also doesn’t hurt to group spices according to dishes you commonly cook: If there’s a blend you often reach for a weeknight soup, place that closer to the front of the drawer. Do you often combine fennel and cumin? Keep them together!

Store them for longevity

Spices are best kept in dry, dark environments that aren’t exposed to heat—i.e. a cabinet or drawer that isn’t directly next to your oven or stove. If you plan on decanting bulk spices into containers, glass jars are your best bet; plastic bottles will absorb the colour and smell of your spices, while metal tins are harder to clean and thoroughly dry.

Label them properly

If you’re using different types of spice bottles to store your seasonings, labels are a great way to make the collection of bottles look cohesive and cute—and help you identify your ingredients faster. Pay attention to label placement, too, ensuring they’re visible from wherever it is you’re reaching for them. If your containers are stored standing up vertically in a drawer, side-facing labels aren’t going to do a whole lot of good. 

Buy smaller, and buy better

One drawback to buying spices in bulk is that particular kinds can lose some of their flavour and quality before you’ve finished the package. This is particularly true of pre-ground spices, which begin to degrade after about three months, especially if they aren’t stored properly.

A way around this is to buy certain bulk spices whole and grind them periodically when needed (coriander seeds, cinnamon, black pepper and other non-root options can work for this). However, we know this can be time consuming and require extra storage space. 

Spending slightly more on fresher, better-quality spices from specialized vendors allows you to use less of each ingredient, and store less at a time. If you prefer the savings of buying in bulk, consider distributing your haul among friends and family.

Here are our picks for the best spice racks on Amazon

Mystozer Magnetic Spice Rack Organizer, $75 for four shelves (jars not included)

The strong magnetic shelves of this smart kitchen organizer are perfect for lining up against the side of your fridge for easy reach. The deep shelving space allows you to choose larger jars for bulk amounts of spices you tend to use often, and to double up on smaller jars for the less-frequently used, smaller amounts.

Swommoly 3-Tier Spice Rack, $84 (jars and labels included)

The angular placement and forward-facing labels on this spice rack set make it an excellent space-saver for even the shallowest of cabinets: Up to 24 jars fit into a tight space footprint of 25 by 10 centimetres.

1Easylife Over-The-Door Organizer, $97

This pantry-door hanging shelf can be used for anything from canned ingredients to condiments. It’s also a great way to store several spices without taking much cabinet space, including special-occasion spices that aren’t often used—such as those for baking or whole spices.

YouCopia SpiceStack Adjustable Spice Rack, $60 (labels included)

This modular, pull-out spice rack can store up to 24 bottles and its individual shelves can be adjusted for container height. Each drawer pulls out and angles downward, making selecting the right bottle a breeze. It comes with a set of labels to affix to the drawers.

DecoBrothers Spice Rack Organizer, $35 (jars and labels included)

This budget-friendly, space-saving spice rack lays bottles on their sides to make identifying and removing the container you need a snap. 

Lynk Professional Pull-Out Spice Rack, $35 (jars not included)

Make the most of your cabinet space and avoid rummaging around for the right container by installing pull-out racks. This wall-mounted design of these cabinet organizers allows you to secure the rack directly to the cabinet, ensuring you can pull the full extension without the rack falling out.

KitchenArt Spice Rack, $35

Got the counter space for a carousel? This ultra-precise spice organizer from KitchenArt features 12 containers, each just a flick away. The self-select measuring function of each individual spice container allows you to measure and pour your selected spice right into the dish without reaching for a spoon.

SpaceAid Spice Drawer Organizer, $50 (jars and labels included)

Dedicating a full drawer to spice containers frees up cabinet and counter space for appliances, keeps them out of the sunlight, and makes identifying the individual bottles easier. This highly-rated drawer rack holds up to 28 bottles.