10 Spice Rack Storage Ideas That Will Put an End to Kitchen Chaos

When designing a kitchen, it's not unusual to have a bit of dead space in various areas where a full-sized cabinet won't quite fit. Instead of covering it with a decorative (and ultimately, useless) front and calling it a day, consider adding a skinny pullout drawer instead. The slim profile (and close proximity to the oven) makes it a great spot to stash spice jars, olive oils, and even cooking utensils—all without adding clutter to your countertops.

When it comes to finding an organizational solution that is aesthetic and functional, take inspiration from your favorite apothecary or cafe. Most display their goods in uniform glass jars on gilded shelves—a look that just happens to look incredible in most kitchens, too.

If your kitchen is short on space, consider doctoring up a standing cabinet to act as a "pantry," allowing it be the go-to- storage spot for your spices, baking ingredients, snacks, and more. Here, common spices like parsley, pepper, and more take up residence on the back of the Fresh-style doors.

Logically, there's no better place to keep your spice collection than the spot where you'll be using it most—the stove. If you're going fully custom with your kitchen, that's a great time to invest in a nearby integrated shelving unit where you can house your most-used flavorings for easy access.

If you don't love the look of your spices and you want to keep them out in the open for easy access while cooking, then transfer them to glass storage containers! But be sure to label them so you don't make any major mistakes (no one likes mistaking ground mustard seed for saffron).

The back of cabinet doors can be a handy place to carve out extra room for many kitchen items, from pot lids to—you guessed it–spice jars. In this kitchen, designer Lauren Nelson made the most of a deep kitchen cabinet with recessed spice storage on the door that's secure yet easy to access, thanks to rails that keep everything stable as the door swings open and closed.

There's nothing better in design than when form and function collide—and that's exactly what this clever solution achieves. Hidden discreetly behind a hinged piece of artwork lies a roomy spice storage rack that can be filled to the brim with your favorite cooking add-ons.

The pullout spice drawer in this kitchen designed by Studio Dearborn is beautiful in both functionality and aesthetic, with three tiers of deep shelves with plenty of room for spices and extra serve ware. Our favorite part? The door front masquerades as a stack of apothecary-style drawers instead of a slide-out cabinet for an added bit of visual interest.

If you like to make your own spices, like ground garlic and dried herbs, transfer them to airtight containers and keep them in a drawer in a convenient location.

Many people find keeping spices out of sight in a drawer to be a worthwhile storage solution, but said drawer can still devolve into a mess if there isn't also organization within it (think: your "junk drawer" but with messy spices—yikes). Instead of letting it take on a life of its own, deck out your drawer with a stadium-style spice rack insert that will keep everything neatly in a row.