Are you tired of not having enough counter space in your kitchen? Have a hard time finding what you’re looking for when cooking? Maybe it’s time to declutter your kitchen. A spice rack or two can be a great help in this decluttering process. Regain control of your kitchen spices with a variety of spice rack products designed to fit any kitchen layout and storage space constraints you might have.
The first step is to take inventory of your kitchen and figure out where a spice rack might make sense and actually give you back space. Start by emptying out all your cupboards, drawers, and clear the counter. Take stock of all the spices you have and how often they are used in everyday cooking. You’ll want to think about storing your frequently used items closer to you so they can be found quickly when you need them. Larger containers or less frequently used spices can go in the back.
While you’re at this, make sure to check that your spices aren’t too old. Spices generally last about 6 months, and up to one year if stored in dark airtight containers. Many people don’t realize this and may keep spices way beyond their expiration date. This is where a spice rack with custom labels can really help you out since you can write the date on the containers to be sure to replace the spices in a timely manner.
Now that you’ve identified which spices you use frequently, replenished your stock with fresh spices as needed, and identified seldom used spices that can be hidden away, let’s talk about the different spice rack options. Let me tell you, there are plenty. But don’t be intimidated by the volume of products out there. Let your kitchen tell you what will work best for you, here’s how.
If you have some counter space near the stove, you might look at a stainless upright spice rack. This can make it handy for you to get at your most used spices and can complement a contemporary kitchen. If you don’t have counter space but have drawer space, look at a drawer spice rack. These clever products let you store the spices in your drawer neatly and make them easy to get to. So you get the idea, work with what you have. There are wall spice racks if you don’t have any surface space, magnetic spice racks that can stick to your refrigerator if that works better for you. The trick is to be creative with your space and find a location where it would be really convenient to have spices within reach and I bet you there’s a spice rack product out there to fit that need.
Now the larger spice containers or less frequently used spices can easily take a back seat in the back of a cupboard. You’ll want to store these in airtight containers as mentioned above to ensure longevity. It also helps to keep them in a dry and dark place. There are spice rack products that will help you organize these within your cupboards or drawers as well so you have plenty of choices here.
After going through this process you’ll find you’ve ended up with less clutter, more conveniently accessible spices when you’re cooking, and are properly storing extra spices to ensure they last long. Now you can figure out if you really need all that other stuff you pulled out of your cupboards and drawers and apply a similar process to help declutter your kitchen.
