31 Spice Organization Ideas for Your Kitchen

Spice collections tend to be the wild, wild west when it comes to kitchen organization. But a neatly-organized spice collection not only makes your kitchen look good, but it also ensures you don't buy yet another jar of dried basil just because you couldn't find the other two you had.

Though spice organization can seem like a hefty task, there are plenty of storage solutions out there for nearly any size kitchen, pantry, or spice collection. Keep reading to see 31 of our favorite spice organization ideas.

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Use the Back of the Door

spice organization ideas back of the door — a fresh space

It's easy to forget about potential storage space on the back of a door, as it's hidden most of the time. But the back of a door, whether it's a pantry or a kitchen one, is a great spot to store spices. Try what A Fresh Space did here, with a series of racks installed up and down the door.

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Use Your Cabinets

spice organization ideas cabinets — a fresh space

Not all of us are lucky enough to have a dedicated pantry space—and that's okay. Kitchen storage nearly always involves creative solutions, and spice storage is no exception. You may need to use a cabinet or two for pantry storage—if that's the case, use a tiered shelf to store your spices in a cabinet.

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Install a Spice Cabinet

spice organization ideas spice cabinet — a fresh space

Kitchens can be full of forgotten and awkward spaces, like the gaps between appliances and cabinets or tricky corners. But rather than ignoring them, make use of them. Pull-out spice cabinets, like the one pictured above from A Fresh Space, makes use of a tiny space while providing lots of storage.

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Use the Wall

spice organization ideas wall — brianna deegan designs

If you have the wall space, wall spice racks are a great addition to any kitchen, especially if the spices are stored in coordinating jars. Use minimalist wood shelving to keep the jars in and you'll be left with a spice collection that feels more like art than storage.

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Use the Same Labels

spice organization ideas matching label — neat method nyc

Matching labels will elevate your spice organization look like few other things. It's a great way to keep them looking good if they're displayed in a more "public" space, like open shelving. But even if your spices are hidden behind a door or drawer, you'll know how neat and tidy they look—and that's what counts.

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Organize Them at an Angle

spice organization ideas angle — neat method nyc

If you choose to go the store-in-drawers method, you'll need to make sure you can easily get your spices out (you don't want to move three other spices out of the way to find the one you're looking for). To help with this, use an organizer that holds jars at an angle, ensuring easy access.

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Use the Back of Your Cabinet Door

spice organization ideas back of cabinet door — neat method nyc

Similar to the back of your pantry door, the cabinet door is also a great and oft-forgotten spot to store your spices. This storage solution works well if you don't have a huge spice collection, as your door can only hold so many jars. Additionally, make sure your cabinet door can support the weight of 15-20 jars before you start stacking them in.

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Don't Forget Drawers

spice organization ideas drawers — a fresh space

Kitchen drawers are quickly becoming the new favorite spot for spice storage. Gone are the cramped, narrow drawers of kitchens from decades past—today's kitchens feature deep and wide drawers that can fit a number of things, including spices. Just make sure your jars are the right size to fit within them.

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Add a Narrow Pantry

spice organization ideas tall cabinet — neat method nyc

For the amateur home chef, a well-rounded selection of spices is a necessity. But keeping that many spices can prove to be a challenge, to say the least. That's why we like what Neat Method NYC did with the kitchen above—utilizing pantry cabinetry to display rows and rows of spices, rather than shoving them in a bursting-at-the-seams pantry.

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Use Narrow Drawers Too

spice organization ideas narrow drawer — neat method nyc

Just because many spice drawers take advantage of wide and deep drawers doesn't mean that narrow drawers can't hold spices either. This narrow drawer storage solution comes from Neat Method NYC and uses the length of the drawer, rather than its width, as the primary way to store spice jars.

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Add an Upper Spice Cabinet

spice organization ideas upper cabinet — neat by meg

Pull-out spice cabinets don't need to be relegated to your lower kitchen cabinets—they can find a home in your upper ones too. This space saving look from Neat By Meg provides function and storage to a tight space.

If you try out this method yourself, make sure you store your least-used spices on the top (unless you want to grab a step stool every time you reach for the cinnamon).

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Use a Lazy Susan

spice organization ideas lazy susan — neat by meg

The always-handy lazy Susan is a great way to store spices too. It's the ideal storage pick for tight spaces like corners, and a double-tiered lazy Susan can take advantage of taller spaces too. Get ready to spin your way into organized spices.

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Paint Your Storage

spice organization ideas paint storage — simplify with shelly

Don't forget that your spice storage, wherever it may be, is a part of your kitchen too. Therefore, you have the freedom to style it to match the rest of your kitchen, like what Simplify with Shelly did in the pull-out spice cabinet above. You can do this in pantries too—small spaces like these are the perfect spot to try out some funky wallpaper.

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Store Spices Horizontally

spice organization ideas horizontal — neat by meg

For the look of a shelf without the wall space, store your spices horizontally, rather than vertically, in a drawer. Doing this makes it easier to find what you need, as you're not scanning multiple rows, and it's easier to organize too. To do this yourself, look for drawer organizers and sets of spice jars that will fit within them.

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Show the Lids

spice organization ideas lids — neat by meg

For a spice organization look that's visually clean and not too fussy, look for a spice organizer that only shows the tops of the jars, rather than the entire jar. This will keep the look of clutter down in your pantry, thanks to its seamless, minimalist look.

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Try Chalk Labels

spice organization ideas chalk label — mika perry

Sometimes you'll finish using a spice only to realize you'll probably never use it again. When that happens, chalk labels are your new BFF. Unlike some custom spice labels, which have to be reprinted for each new spice addition, chalk labels can be wiped clean and rewritten—perfect for the home cook that's always switching up cuisines.

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Split the Difference

spice organization ideas split cabinet — mika perry

If you want to store your spices in your drawer without dedicating your entire drawer to them, look for some drawer dividers to split the space. We like what Mika Perry did here, as half the drawer is dedicated to spice storage, while the other half holds knives. Plus, you can make even more storage sections by adding more dividers.

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Store Bulk Spices

spice organization ideas bulk — joanna organize

It's often cheaper to buy spices in bulk, especially if you use a lot of them quickly. However, if you go this route, you'll need storage that's air-tight as to prevent your spices going stale. Thankfully, there's plenty of stylish bulk spice storage out there—think large jars with wooden lids (like the ones in the space above styled by Joanna Organize) or bins with pop-off caps.

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Use Wood

Looking for a more luxe spice storage option? Try out glass jars with wooden lids. This stylish storage makes a statement and elevates your regular old spices. Try out different sized jars for different spices—large jars for bulkier spices, like cinnamon sticks, and small jars for more compact ones.

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Use See-Through Storage

spice organization ideas see through — breathing room organization and styling

Want to ensure you can see everything you're storing? Try out clear plastic storage options, like see-through shelves or bins. This helps you quickly find what you need, and it doesn't add any extra visual clutter to your pantry or spice storage space.

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Follow Your ABCs

spice organization ideas alphabetical — breathing room organization and styling

When it comes to organizing spices, there's one key rule that will make everything easier: storing your spices in alphabetical order. Alphabetized spices are easy to find and put back, and it makes easy to guests to find what they're looking for too.

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Store Spice Blends

spice organization ideas spice blends — breathing room organization and styling

If you're creating your own spice blends, you'll need to store them too. We like storing homemade spice blends in large glass jars, like what Breathing Room Organization and Styling does above. This is a simple and stylish spice storage option that shows off the various spices that make up the mixture and all your hard work!

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Add a Spice Carrier

spice organization ideas spice carrier — breathing room organization and styling

We all have a few staple spices in our cooking, and it can be quite the hassle to pull out three or four jars each time we make dinner. But an easy solution to this problem can be found in adding a spice carrier to your spice organization setup. Place a few of your most-used ingredients in it, and you'll be able to quickly grab what you need.

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Try White Marker

spice organization ideas white marker — breathing room organization and styling

For a unique spice label look, stay away from the chalkboard labels. Instead, look to white paint markers. We love the bright and clean look they give spice jars, and labeling them involves no time spent hassling with a label printer or cutting out 20+ tiny labels.

To ensure that this label look is legible from a distance, use a thick white paint marker, rather than a thinner one. Thin strokes will be hard to see on small jars.

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Keep in Shape

spice organization ideas shape — breathing room organization and styling

If you need to use different sized jars for your spices, but still want to ensure that you're left with a neat and clean spice organization look, use jars of different sizes but the same general shape, like what Breathing Room Organization and Styling did in the pantry above. This makes the space feel cohesive and put-together, even if your jars are a little bit different.

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Use Bins for Bulk Spices

spice organization ideas bulk bins — breathing room organization and styling

If you need to store bags or jars of bulk spices, trying putting them in bins. The bins hide away any clutter that comes with a multitude of bulk spices, while still making them easy to access. Sort spices by cuisine or from A-Z to keep everything organized.

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Add Spice Details

spice organization ideas spice details — stay golden organizing llc

If you're making (or printing) your own spice labels, you have the unique opportunity to customize whatever is on them. Consider adding what type of spice each spice is (blend, whole, ground, etc.) or what cuisine the spice belongs to. Little features like this can take your spice organization to the next level.

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Use Multiple Lazy Susans

spice organization ideas multiple lazy susans — sparx organizing

Lazy Susans are a helpful addition in any spice collection, but don't stop at just one. Add a few to your pantry and use them to store similar spices together, like herbs or baking spices, making ingredients even easier to find. Want to get extra organized? Label the lazy Susans (and their categories) too.

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Add a Half-Wall Shelf

spice organization ideas half wall shelf — little house on the corner

Want the look of a spice wall but don't have the space to spare? Consider adding just a few shelves instead, like what Little House on the Corner did above. You'll still have the unique look of spice shelving, but without all the wall space it requires.

If you have too many spices for too few shelves, select your most-used or favorite ones and store those on open shelving. Keep the rest in a cabinet or pantry nearby.

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Keep Your Extracts Upright

spice organization ideas upright extracts — finding lovely

Extracts, unlike spices, are water or alcohol-based, meaning that they're prone to leakage if not stored upright. Add that to the fact that most extracts are quite pricey (hello, small batch Madagascar bourbon vanilla extract). It's a good idea to always store your extracts where they can be upright, rather than on their side.

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Keep Most-Used Spices on the Counter

spice organization ideas counter spices — mika perry

For spices you need access to more often than not, consider keeping them in a few jars on the counter. To keep your counter from looking cluttered, use coordinating jars that match with the style of the rest of your kitchen. Additionally, if you need to label them, make sure the label is subtle and low-key to avoid adding visual clutter.

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