Knowing how to organize spices properly is one of those tasks that looks small and reveals a lot. Most spice cabinets contain expired bottles, duplicates, and at least a few things that have not been touched in years. This guide works through the process the way we approach it at The Uncluttered Life, Inc. — including the option to Decorganize™, which means combining decor and organizing to reduce visual clutter while keeping things beautiful and functional.
Set your timer for 60 minutes and take a before photo. Note: if you plan to transfer spices into matching jars with printed labels, this prompt may need more than one session.
Pull Everything Out and Check for Leaks
Line all your spices up on the kitchen counter rather than making a pile — spices can stain, so place a cloth or paper towel underneath the bottles as you pull them out. While you are at it, take a look at your olive oil and vinegar too.
Most extra virgin olive oil lasts eighteen to twenty-four months, but it starts to degrade as soon as you open the bottle. For best results, use it within six months of opening. If you buy in bulk, decant a smaller portion into a separate bottle to avoid constantly exposing the main container to air and light. If you do not cook frequently, smaller bottles are the smarter purchase — you can finish them before they turn.
How to Handle Large Spice Containers
When my household was larger and I cooked more, I kept bulk containers on a top shelf and refilled smaller jars from them. That system made sense for that season. Now I buy smaller quantities. Clients store spices in a variety of places — pantry shelves, kitchen drawers near the cooking area, a shelf beside the stove, or displayed on a wooden cutting board alongside olive oil and vinegar. All of these work. Personal preference and proximity to where you cook are the deciding factors.
Spice Expiration Dates
Spices do expire, and many people keep them well past their prime without realizing it. You can tell if a spice has turned if it is not aromatic or fails to add flavor to food. Check the freshness date on the bottom or side of each bottle. Look for vibrant color and a strong smell. Ground spices lose freshness fastest and typically do not last beyond six months. Whole spices can hold up for five years or more. The full breakdown on spice shelf life from Healthline is worth a read if you want specifics by spice type.
Group What You Have
Once everything is out and leak-checked, match exact duplicates first. It is common to repurchase a spice by mistake or to stock up when it runs low, ending up with two open bottles of the same thing. Group those together and use the fuller one first.
If you have the same spice from different brands, group those together too. You may have oregano from Trader Joe's and oregano from your local grocery store — put them side by side and use them down before opening anything new. Open each bottle and smell the contents. Spices should smell fragrant and sharp. If they do not, toss them. A curry powder that has been sitting in the cabinet for ten years is a straightforward decision. Let it go.
Going forward, write the purchase date and the date opened on each bottle in permanent marker, somewhere that will not rub off on your counter. This single habit transforms how you organize spices over the long term.
Edit Honestly
Go through the spices you have grouped and decide what stays. If a spice has lost its taste and you will not use it, discard it. One option before discarding: cayenne pepper sprinkled around the perimeter of your yard discourages raccoons from foraging at night. I used this for years at my previous home and it worked reliably, as long as I kept it up after rain.
If you have a lot of a spice you rarely use, offer it to a neighbor or friend before tossing it. People use spices, and a good bottle costs real money. A friend of mine is sending her daughter off to college with sandwich-sized plastic bags of her extra spices from the edit. That is exactly the right kind of resourcefulness.
Wipe down every bottle with a damp cloth before putting anything back. Make sure every lid is screwed on securely.
Return Everything and Choose a Storage System
Return only what passed the edit, organized thoughtfully. Now is the time to assess whether your current storage setup is working or whether a better system would help you organize spices and keep them that way.
A few options worth considering:
Square spice jars sit neatly next to each other without rolling and look clean when lined up on a shelf or in a drawer. Some have preprinted labels; others work well with a chalk marker for handwritten labels. For a larger lid and more of a food storage container look, these containers are worth considering.
If matching jars are not your preference, a Lazy Susan with a rubber mat on a pantry shelf is one of my most-recommended spice storage solutions. They are inexpensive, sturdy, and give you full visibility and access to every bottle with a single spin. The rubber mat keeps spices from sliding off. I use Lazy Susans in almost every pantry makeover. Bonus: my husband always knows where to find the oregano and has never once asked me if we are out of it.
If you need more guidance on hidden storage options, The Uncluttered Life has a full set of recommendations.
Take an after photo. You are done for the day.
Steps provided by professional organizers at The Uncluttered Life, Inc.
Pull the Next Card
The Declutter Deck® covers every room and category in your home with the same focused approach. Each of the 52 cards gives you one specific task sized for 30 to 60 minutes. Tag us at @lifehackdecks with your before and after photos.
