Organizing Spices in a Drawer

Have you tried organizing spices in a drawer? If you run out of cabinet space, a spice drawer organizer is just what you need! I am sharing my tips on how to lay out a neat spice drawer. You will learn what kind of jars fit best inside a drawer, the spice organizers you’ll need, decanting, and how to label your spice jars.

The spices in my kitchen have been organized the same way for years. I dedicated an entire kitchen cabinet shelf to storing spices arranged on three-tier expandable shelves. This system worked for me for years, but I thought it was time to give the viral idea of organizing spices inside a drawer a try.

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Finding the Right Drawer for Spices

I first had to find a drawer that would accommodate the spices using a drawer organizer specially designed for that purpose. These organizers are interlocking slanted shelves where you can lay the spices flat next to each other.

Ideally, the drawer you choose should be near the stove, so you can easily access the spices while prepping or cooking dinner. I decided on a drawer to the left of my range that was big enough to organize my spices.

Based on the dimensions of my drawer (15.5″ wide by 19″ deep) I purchased this clear acrylic spice drawer organizer. The option that fits my drawer best is the 4 Tier – 2 Set (8 pieces total) that expands from 9″ to 18″.

Alternatively, I have a lazy Susan inside a cabinet next to the stove, where I keep the spices I use more often, if not daily. These are garlic salt, garlic powder, onion powder, chili, brown sugar, cumin, oregano, basil, Italian herbs, thyme, and herbes de Provence.

Types of Drawer Organizers for Spices

The spice drawer organizers come in different materials and colors, like bamboo, plastic, or clear acrylic. Most drawer organizers come in a set with clear glass jars and labels to organize the spices in matching containers.

Bamboo SPICE RACKS

PLASTIC SPICE Racks, Jars, & Labels SET

ACRYLIC SPICE RACK EXPANDABLE SET

While I love neat and cohesive things, I thought this was unnecessary. Most of my spice jars are in clear glass, square, and neatly labeled by the manufacturer.

Do I need to Decant Spices into New Jars?

You do not necessarily have to purchase a spice drawer organizer set that includes jars and labels. As much as I love a cohesive look, I am tired of picture-perfect projects that do not portray the average homemaker’s home. While they look beautiful with matching labels, decanting spices into new jars is not strictly necessary to get the job done.

That said, if you have spices inside small packets, plastic bags, or large round jars that don’t fit your organizer, by all means, decant them to make your spice drawer tidier. When I laid out some of spice jars on the drawer organizer, I realized that some spices needed decanting into new glass jars.

I recommend using square spice jars to use the most space on the spice rack inside the drawer. The straight angles also prevent the jars from rolling in case you have some empty spaces on the spice drawer rack. They just fit better when they’re square. Whether you purchase spices packaged in square jars, or decant them later, square and glass jars are a better choice.

I purchased 4 oz glass jars, but I think smaller jars would match the store-bought spice jars and better fit inside the drawer organizer. When I decanted my spices, I had room to spare inside some of the jars. Regardless, they still work great.

Store-Bought Spices that Fit in a Spice Drawer Organizer

Below is a list of store-bought spice jars I had in hand and did not need to decant because they fit great on the spice rack inside the drawer.

• Spice Island – Although these spices come in round jars, they fit just right in width and height.
• Great Value Organic Spices – Walmart’s generic brand of organic spices.
• Good & Gather Organic Spices – Target’s generic brand of organic spices.
• Greenwise Organic Spices – Publix generic brand of organic spices.

Ways to Label Spice Jars

If you decide to decant your spices in new containers, you will need to label them. After transferring some spices to the new glass jars, I labeled 11 spice jars.

There are many ways to label your brand-new jars to make your spice drawer look cohesive and tidy. Here are some options:

1. Use a Cricut machine and die-cut the name of the spices on vinyl. Follow the exact instructions in my post How to Make Decals with Cricut.
2. Use a thermal label maker like the DYMO LabelWriter 550. Although this is a quick and easy alternative for making labels, the downside is that they won’t be water resistant. You can see these labels in my Tips for Storing Christmas Decor.
3. Use a Cricut Joy using writable vinyl. This is how I labeled the bins in my laundry room.
4. Lastly, you can print them at home using a template. I created an editable file where you can type the spices you need. After downloading the file, you can print the spice jar labels on water-resistant vinyl matte sticker paper.

How To Use The Spice Jar Labels File

After your purchase, you will receive an email with a link to access the editable file. Here’s what you need to know for great results.

• You can try this file before purchasing.
• The file is hosted in an online platform named Corjl. You do not need to download any apps or programs. You can type directly on their website.
• Each label measures 2.25”x1.25”.
• By default, at least 24 labels are required to fit an 8.5”x 11” page. If the quantity is less than 24 labels, the software will repeat some labels to fill the empty spaces.
• When you’re ready to download, follow these prompts:
  • Select PDF file.
  • Show trim marks.
  • Select ‘Tile different designs.’
• Download your file.
• For best results, print on waterproof matte vinyl sticker paper.

Let me know if you have any questions about using this file. I’m happy to help!

I hope my spice drawer inspires you to organize your spices!

happy organizing, Flavia