Organize Spices For Stress Free Meal Prep

Good Food Needs Spice!

Whether you are a gourmet cook or like to assemble quick meals, having an organized kitchen creates a sense of ease in our homes. It is already challenging enough for most of us to get a healthy meal on the table with the busyness and demands of day to day life. When there is chaos in the kitchen, it can be easy to take the path of least resistance and eat out, or order in, night after night. 

Spices are the defining ingredient for any recipe and are an essential part creating a meal worth staying home for, yet their importance and placement in the kitchen are often overlooked. Imagine how much easier it would be to make nutritious and delectable meals if your spice collection was stocked, organized, placed in an easily accessible location, and was easy to maintain. 

I recently organized our spice collection in my own home, and it has made meal prep so much easier. My husband, Y.E., and I recently moved to Raleigh, NC, after he lived in an apartment for a year and commuted home to Charlotte. Because of this, we had a number of duplicate spices and I had not yet found the most efficient spot to store spice jars and back-stock in our new kitchen. Y.E. is one of those enviable cooks who can whip up anything without a recipe and it tastes amazing. He loves spices, has been known to overbuy and enjoys trying new flavors. I am more of a recipe follower myself, but have fun learning how to incorporate spice into my cooking. 

How To Organize + Store Spices

Following is a step by step guide to get your spices sorted and organized, including some local resources in Raleigh and Charlotte, NC to restock your spices.

STEP 1 - take everything out

Start by gathering all your spices from cabinets and drawers and put them on your kitchen counter or table. This is the part where it gets worse before it gets better! Chances are there might be some hiding under, or behind, other ingredients, so do a thorough search. This step is important so that you can see everything you have, find duplicates, and see the extent of your spice collection.

STEP 2 - sort & categorize

Group duplicates together, including back-stock, so that you can see the quantity of each spice you have. Make a list of any spices that you are out of or running low on so you can restock at one of the local shops listed below.

STEP 3 - decant

Decanting spices, or taking them out of their original container and putting them into jars, has many benefits. Space is saved by having all containers the same size, organization is easy to maintain, and a look that is simple and easy on the eyes is created. It also can be a more environmentally friendly alternative when spices are purchased by the bag and not the jar. Take any backstock spices that you have and refill your containers. I use a small spice funnel to make the process easy. My glass jars are from The Container Store and I like that I can see my spices and how much I have left.

STEP 4 - label

Adding labels that are easy to read and durable is an important aspect to having an optimally functioning spice collection. I chose to make labels with my label maker so that I can easily make new ones when adding more spices, since we are more adventurous with the meals we create. You can also order custom labels from my friend Cathryn at The Label Coterie or pick from many stock options from Amazon. Labels are a fun way to customize your spice collection and make it as elaborate or simple as you like. Another part of the labeling process is to write the expiration date of your spices on your jars. These chalkboard markers work great and wipe off with a wet cloth or wipe when dates need to be updated. I like to write the dates on the bottom of the jars.

STEP 5 - locate

Where your spices are located in your kitchen is important. I like to have mine near my range for easy access while cooking. One option is to arrange your collection in an upper cabinet, so you can see them at eye level. Housing them in a drawer is another alternative. Even though my kitchen has a pull-out spice rack built into the cabinetry, I opted to utilize an adjacent drawer for easy access. After living with our spices in the pull-out rack for a few months, I found that it was hard to see what I had and was not very functional for daily use. It is a good place to store back-stock spices and functions well for storage of larger containers.

STEP 6 - organize

Consider adding an organizational element to create an easily maintainable system for your spices. When jars are located in an upper cabinet, a shelf, rack or lazy Susan, make all the difference in keeping your seasonings sorted and contained. I incorporated a couple of bamboo drawer organizers in my spice drawer. Since we are a little more eclectic with our cooking, we end up with spices that we only use on occasion. The drawer organizers contain the spices at the front of the drawer that we use most often and the rest live behind. A drawer divider would also work well for this set up. I recommend organizing your spice jars alphabetically to make preparing meals even easier. Back-stock is best housed in a basket or bin and can be stored in your pantry or other area of your kitchen.

STEP 7 - maintain

Maintaining an organized spice collection is much easier after the steps above have been put in place. Putting jars back in the correct spot and keeping them filled with back-stock will ensure that your seasonings stay organized and at the ready for making delicious meals.

Raleigh Spice Stores + Local Resources

When I organized my spices, I found that I was low on a few items and took the opportunity to explore some local resources, beyond my typical trip to the grocery store. 

Savory Spice Shop is located in Lafayette Village, in North Raleigh. I am always trying to reduce, reuse and recycle and what I liked most about this shop is that they offer the option to buy ½ cup bags of spices that fit perfectly into my glass spice jars. They do sell by the jar as well, if you choose not to decant. The customer service was excellent, and the store is charming, well thought out and has an outstanding selection of both single and blended seasonings. They also have a location in Atherton Mill, in Southend Charlotte.

Fresh Market is a smaller grocery store with several locations around the Triangle. Unlike most grocery stores, they sell spices by the bag that are perfect for decanting. They offer a good assortment of individual spices at an affordable price. Fresh Market also has several locations in Charlotte.

Penzeys Spices is located in Cameron Village, west of Downtown Raleigh. The layout of the store is very organized and has a corporate feel. They have a comprehensive assortment of spices and the location is very central. I was disappointed to find that they only offer spices by the bag for large quantities and for smaller amounts it is necessary to purchase in jars. They also have a location at The Arboretum in South Charlotte.

I hope these tips help you create an organized space for your spices, and you enjoy preparing and creating both sweet and savory fare for your friends and family to enjoy! Our Simplify Studio team loves creating spice drawers! Let us know if you need help organizing your kitchen or any other space in your home! Click the button below to connect!