How to Organize Spices & Free Labels

Learn tips for how to organize spices in the kitchen, and get a free printable spice jar labels. These spice jar organization racks make your life easier and an organized kitchen.

I admit it. I’m a sucker for labels.

We have made linen closet labels, labels for seasonal storage and even labels on all of the pantry staples. A few weeks ago, I completely organized the pantry and am sharing a few tips for organizing spices and herbs (including some free printable spice jar labels).

Cinnamon sticks label on clear glass spice jar filled with cinnamon sticks.

Contents show

How to Organize Spices

Begin by taking an inventory of what spices you have and actually use and those that are old or used infrequently. You may want to just dispose of the latter and create more space for organizing the ones you reach for the most.

Check to see if your spices are still fresh. They should smell strong, taste potent, and have a rich color.

Spice Organization Supply List:

Clear Glass Spice Jars *these are perfectly sized for the printable labels
Plastic Funnels (the glass jars above came with one too)
Inkjet Printer
waterproof label sheets
scissors
washable paint pen

Depending on where you want to store your spices, there are several options and these are a few of my favorites:

A shallow drawer spice rack – easily see just what you need
A large door rack to store not only spices but also seasonings, sauces, and baking goods (this is the one we used and is pictured)
A fully customizable door rack – we have this one in our linen closet and LOVE it.
Smaller racks that are adjustable and can be used on a wall.
Spice Gripper clips – great for small wall spaces or the back of cabinets

I generally don’t recommend magnetic spice racks (too small), countertop organizers (clutter), or tiered racks (too much space wasted). That’s just my personal preference, however.

Organized pantry with hanging wire over-the-door spice rack organizer and labeled pantry bins organization.

Frequently asked questions:

Where can I find printable spice labels for the pantry?

If you bought the exact same jars I used, (these jars from Amazon) then it’s super easy for you. You can use my exact template of words that are already sized to fit those jars. I have included most common spices. The labels are sized 1.2in x 1.8in if you want to use them on similar jars.

**Extra Tip: Use a washable paint pen to write the expiration date on the bottom of your new glass bottle.

You can find a copy of these PRINTABLE SPICE LABELS here in my post.

What is the Average shelf life of spices?

-Opened, ground spices last six to nine months
-Opened, whole spices like cloves last about two years.
-Unopened spices last about 2-3 years

Since spices stay fresh longer when away from heat and light, avoid storing them next to the stove, oven, or windows. Store in air tight containers to keep their potency.

Wipe off the spice bottles and refill them if needed. Combine multiple jars if necessary. I set up a mini-station at the dining room table to clean and transfer the spices to their new jars. A mini funnel is helpful in transferring the spices from jar to jar.

Tip: It may seem over the top, but storing spices alphabetically helps you find them faster.

What can I do with expired spices?

Spices won’t necessarily make you sick if consumed a bit after the date. They do tend to lose their potency and flavor after a while however. If you find yourself doing some spring cleaning and have a few spices that you’d like to replace, don’t toss them out just yet! They have plenty of uses from cleaning to repelling unwanted critters. You can also use certain spices in making homemade soaps, potpourri, and candles!