This is one of those things I’ve been meaning to do for years, literally—I finally got my spice situation organized! I bought three RATIONELL VARIERA spice racks from IKEA, mounted them inside of a kitchen cabinet door, and transferred my 18 most commonly used spices to them. And look, labels! I bought a 3-pack of Martha Stewart labels to make life easy (I had planned to design my own labels, but for some reason, graphic designers tend to be really lazy about designing things for their own homes/lives—I’m not sure why this is…), and it’s done. Bulk and seldom-used spices were moved to a tray in the pantry (with labels on the TOPS of the containers, because I am smart).
I can’t even tell you how much better this makes my life, seriously. For years I have been digging through shelves of spices; buying 3 duplicate tins of cumin because I thought I was out, neglecting to buy nutmeg because I was sure it was in there somewhere, etc. The hour or so it took to get this done was totally worth it.
51 Comments
it looks so nice and neat! I should do this…. :^O
You just summed up all of my pregnancy cravings* in that bottom picture. YUM.
*OK, chocolate would also need to be represented, but still.
wow, love the little jars.
This looks so wonderful and tidy, and so modern & sleek at the same time. It makes me want cumin seeds, and tidy handwriting…
Love it. I need to do the same, but I’m going to wait until the new/old kitchen is installed.
Looks great! You have great handwriting too…Mine looks like a third graders cursive. We have SO many spices in their orginal ugly plastic containers piled in our pantry, this motivates me to do something! Thanks.
Ooh I want these too.
I’m a graphic designer and totally agree with what you said about being lazy when it comes to our own things, I cant for the life of me work out why. I love designing and I take pride in my house but when it comes to putting the two together I just never get around to it. Maybe it feels too much like work. Hopefully I’ll change that habit now I’m a homeowner. We’ll see!
Love your handwriting on the labels.
On a sad note, I just read that Domino is going out of business ***sob***. More than ever, I’ll now rely on my favorite house blogs such as yours.
Urgh I just had a fight with my spice drawer on the weekend. I am so over trying to find things and thinking I don’t have it and buying another jar. I have four jars of ginger! I so need to follow your example!
Does the door close well? It looks like your cabinet items are up to the front of the shelves. And were you afraid the screws would go through to the front of the door??
You have lovely hand writing.
genius.
How did you attach the shelf. I, too, am having a spices crisis? Also, I’m not too sad about Domino’s demise since bloggers like you give me much more useful information. Thanks and keep it coming!
Love it!
What a fabulous idea. And frugal because bulk spices are so much cheaper than those in jars! I unfortunately have little baggies of bulk spices intermingled with mixed and matched jars of spices. I’m inspired! Thanks for the great idea.
Denise: The doors close just fine — I positioned the racks/jars so they don’t interfere with the shelf or frame at all. And no, I wasn’t worried about the screws, I just used ones that are shorter than the thickness of the door. The racks come with a piece that allows them to be attached to doors with thin center panels, but I didn’t need that.
robin: The racks come with screw holes and are all ready to attach — it only took a couple of minutes, nothing hard. :)
The Virgo in me salutes you.
Thanks for answering! Blogs are better than magazines any day…blogs can talk back!!
i LOVE this, and so need to do it myself!
Anna, you are my idol.
Awesome! I’ve been looking for a spice solution, and this is a great idea!
I am SO stealing this.
and I’m going to send you a photo of my spice drawer.
make sure you’re sitting down when you see it:)
thank you!!!
I so need to do this. I have about 5-10 unknown spices that all look almost the same.
I am so doing this. Thanks for the inspiration!
doesn’t organization just give you the biggest feeling of accomplishment?
Thats rad… I have been having the same problem…Totally doing this to my mess of a cabinet. thanks!
Nice!!!
Oh, they look great! IKEA open here in July and I’m already lusting after the FAKTUM/RATIONELL kitchen stuff. I’ll definitely be picking up a few of these.
Its true!!!: “graphic designers tend to be really lazy about designing things for their own homes/lives”… jaja
my spice jars are waiting the labels that “I have to design”
all the things you do to your house totally inspire me! I LOVE your taste and clean style. xoxo
>for some reason, graphic designers tend to be really lazy about designing things for >their own homes/lives—I’m not sure why this is…
ME. NEITHER.
This serously inspires me to put a little extra thought into the unseen spaces in my home…first seeing your closet and now this! I just bought a dehydrator so I can dry my own herbs this summer when we have a garden. These spice racks are exactly what I need, and what a space saver it will be.
Ive meaning to do this too but you are inspiring me to get my lazy ass in gear. I do admit, Im afraid of drilling holes into my cabinet doors.
PS: So true about designing stuff for your own use. I have a lot of plans to do this and that but it rarely happens.
this is so fantastic. it looks even better on the black cabinets too.
so lovely! i’m envious.
xo
Kelly
Totally awesome!
NICE RACK !!!!
(I had to!)
xoxo
Aww Shucks,
My cabinets aren’t wide enough. I have very narrow and tall cabinets next to the stove. Do you think these will hang sideways without the jars coming out? And I don’t want to drill it into my tile backsplash, what to do?
love it! Great idea!
cuppy: Love you. xox
Kasia: Unfortunately, no, I don’t think they would work hung sideways. :( What about using something like this, though? You could mount 3 or 4 of them vertically inside the door, maybe…
I wanted the same thing, but I feared that my cabinet doors were too thin to support the racks (alas, now I know the crafty rack makers thought of this).
I wound up painting 5 coats of paint that is made to be used with magnets on the inside of the door and sticking magnetic spice jars on it. So far, so good!
Ok, I have been keeping up with this site for a while now and have really, really liked it but when I saw the spice racks, I knew it was love. I mean, I think I heard angels sing! Love your organization tips and style. Here’s a toughie… How do I create your level of style and “home crispness” (love your colors and clean lines) with two small boys and a sixty pound dog? LOL Anyway, keep all the great pics coming! They are a bright spot in a dreary, cold winter!
oh my goodness! I have had “buy spice rack” on my to do list for forever too!! I never seem to remember it whenever I go to Ikea or some place like that. My jars are such a mess! [and so unsightly]
This has been very inspiring, maybe it will light a fire under me..
omgosh! i love love love this. i’ve never been a fan of spice racks. but this one. my! i love that it doesn’t take up space. i love that it’d actually make space! this is now on my must do list! thanks.
oh thats awesome, been thinking of doing something like it myself. But, how did you put them up there? nailed?
hedwig, they’re just attached with short screws.
Glitter jars!
how do you remove the spices? does the entire jar (lid & jar) snap out? or does just the glass jar unsnap from the lid? it’s hard to tell from the photo.
No snapping involved, the jars (and caps, which have integrated shake/pour tops) lift right out of the racks. It’s a pretty simple operation!!
Anna, a big question for you! Most of the spice racks I’ve found had jars that were smaller than the standard jars we buy at the store, so to use them I’d have to store the excess spice from a single jar somewhere other than in the jar on the spice rack, which pretty much negates the advantage of the rack!
How about these jars, will they hold the entire contents of a standard 1-7/8″ x 4-1/8″ jar? Please tell me this is the solution I’ve been looking for!! :)
love this! truly inspiring. You are so right, it seems like a huge task, but once you do it, it saves you loads of hassle. Thanks for the references!