My oils, spices, vinegars, etc

The metal rack with labels and jars is on Amazon. The jars have plastic shakers and a flap to pour, but the flap is too small. Plus it does not stay closed after using it a few times. Easier to remove the shaker lid. I went to buy a 2nd one, and it had almost tripled in price. I decided to make the mini wood shelves. I have not labeled the lids yet.

I have two older Rubbermaid circular caddies that rotate by a 2 finger touch .... fit in wall cabinets ....one is two tiered one is not . They stay behind a doored cabinet and the jars are a mix of sizes ( this would be a small la z Susan for upper cabinet by Oxo or similar) ...I can read all the labels as I affix them myself due to repurposing of jars. ( I buy a few also) ....varying sizes . I tend to buy spices at a bulk / gourmet place and do not buy larger amts than what I need for a period of time which I know from style of cooking. I do not stock up on spices. Oils are below the counter: the bottles are taller: the roll around and roll out storage has sides. I use a lot of oils and vinegars and those are store bought bottles . Just keep away from light and heat at minimum , but there are different ways.

I have a wonderful, wonderful spice rack that is no longer made. It's triangular spice jars (metal) that snap together and are housed on a Lazy Susan. It's something like this one by Joseph Joseph but larger:

I have a small kitchen with lots of stuff on counters by necessity, and I have one of the rotating spice racks you mentioned, and it's not my favorite just because it seems to add more clutter to an already-cluttered space. I'm planning to eliminate it during the kitchen remodel and relocate as many spices as possible to the refrigerator or freezer, actually. I learned many years ago while helping a friend through cancer treatment at the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor that dried spices can be sources of food contamination which wouldn't affect most of us but would a recovering cancer patient with low immunity. Ever since then, I have tried to move toward fresh spices harvested from a garden or storing spices in the refrigerator or freezer for better preservation. If spices are thoroughly cooked, the risk is neutralized, and many people with strong immune systems wouldn't be affected regardless of how the spices were processed, but I thought I'd mention this here since we were talking about the best locations for spice storage. You'd definitely want to avoid exposing your stored spices to unnecessary heat whenever possible to extend shelf life.

Destiny, your spice drawer is gorgeous.

Magnetic. Metal cans so light will not affect the spices. I wonder how well they stick. Knives at the other end.

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I think these next two would be easy to build, but I imagine you can fit more spice jars using an angled rack. Plus you would not need to buy jars and print labels. For the 1st picture, you just need 2 or 3 pieces built almost like stair risers. (The right angle) Add very thin boards for the jars to rest in. You can buy oak, pine, poplar craft boards at Lowe's. We used them to make dividers in some of our drawers. The 2nd picture would be easy but you would spend more on jars.

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Or even easier...

This house has a narrow pull-out in the cabinetry near the cooktop that holds most of the spices I use day-to-day. My less used spices are in a bin in the pantry. Really, though, when I cook, I tend to put all the ingredients I plan to use on the island, so it doesn't really matter where most of the spices are stored. I really only need salt and pepper right by the stove.

Rev-a-shelf in drawer next to stove. Love it!

I also decant into spice jars that fit in a drawer. I use these with these labels. I prefer to buy spices from a specialty store like Penzeys or the bulk bins, so the Libbey jars work well.

Currently mine are split between two IKEA Grundtal spiceracks hanging from a rail and outliers on a 1/4 sheet pan that sits in the corner of the counter. But SOON there will be a rev-a-shelfy drawer next to the range and all will be right in my world.

I have two kitchen ( outside and inside one) and a small kitchenette upstairs. We cook everyday and other family members too-sometimes at different times, thus, two kitchens. In the inside kitchen I have the set of 6 connecting spice boxes on the counter top besides cooker where I keep stronger spices such as coriander powder and black pepper etc and salt, other like cinnamon sticks, cardamom, and the like in twist top spice jars in the top cabinet next to cooker.

In the outside kitchen, much larger containers as some spices are homemade so bulk is made -all spices whatever they may be -occupy again the two top cabinets besides the cooker.

Upstairs, smaller jars of each spice just for convenience when making small snacks. One with rosemary, thyme, and fresh black pepper are on a tilted magnetic stand. Some in the connecting spice boxes as convenient to store anything in them even stock cubes, teabags whatever.

I leave cooking oils on a turntable on counter next to cooker.

And sometimes because, I don’t know which kitchen I’d be using ( since I am the flexible one in the house) , I have a small basket of extra herb jars to carry - a DIY portable spice basket- as often I find my spices are run out and no one bothered to refill. It’s rather a ‘ emergency go to’ basket lol.

In a drawer and upper cabinet:

I found a largish spice rack that is attached to the back of a door such as a pantry door. It fits standard spice jars as well as small bottles/jars like tabasco or liquid smoke. Just search etsy for door spice racks—they come in a variety of sizes to fit most doors and also white and wood finishes. Handmade so they take a while to come in.

My kitchen is big and they are in a drawer like the pictures above. My Dad's kitchen is very small, so I thought I'd have to put his somewhere like the inside of a cabinet drawer or on the countertop. But he has corner drawers, so I put them in there. He doesn't use a large number of spices, so purging the old/unused spices helped a lot.

Here's his:

Nice, Vinmarks! That would be so easy to make as a custom divider. Love the expansion for those without tools. Nice and neat.

Oak stainable boards https://www.lowes.com/pd/Common-1-4-in-x-3-in-x-4-ft-Actual-0-25-in-x-2-5-in-x-4-ft-Oak-Board/1000595207

Poplar boards https://www.lowes.com/pd/Common-1-4-in-x-4-in-x-4-ft-Actual-0-25-in-x-3-5-in-x-4-ft-Poplar-Board/1000595303

Our kitchen has enough stuff on the counters. We have a narrow cupboard, about 11” wide, with 3 fixed shelves, and I have a turntable on each shelf for the spices. Spices A-L on the bottom, M-L in the middle, and sugars and blends on the top. Well, that’s MY intention: when DH is cooking or baking, who knows where they end up lol. And of course, what happens with things like Crushed Red Pepper? Lol

It is almost a waste to buy more of any spice or seasoning that you are not going to use in short time. Most lose their essence, color, potency and those processed seasoning mixes tend to cake at the bottom of the container.

You might want to take a serious accounting of them and you might realize that you really only use a few on any frequent basis. As with just about everything else that you begin to look for storage space for, it is always best to reassess and edit and set priorities for the things that are of true value and eliminate the rest.

My preference for keeping spices is to use those smallest little 8 oz wide mouth canning jars. I know 8 oz sounds like a lot, but it is not really. These little jars are about 2" high, max, and hard to believe that it holds 8 oz. There are some more decorative little jars from Ball that you can get that are tiny.

The jars reside in a pull out drawer right where needed. I have followed my own advice and eliminated so many things that didn't seem to be of much value. A couple of things are in small containers in the freezer, such as sage and whole nutmeg.

I don't buy or use any mixed seasonings, not even Penzeys. My daughter kept giving me these Penzey blends and I just found that I did not really use them. Just having some basic things around works just fine since I don't care much for blends that have hydrolyzed anything. Fresh and real is better.

Also, it is valuable to be able to shop at a good local coop where you can buy the basics from the bulk jars in any amount that suits your needs.

My own are down to about a dozen things and they arn't all the mundane and boring ones, either.

There are real spices and then there are those mixed seasonings that are often highly processed and based on mostly salt and something hydrolyzed. Those seasonings are really of limited and dubious value when you take an honest look at them. Many of them are redundant and basically the same thing. They are easy targets to eliminate and make it all so much more simple and organized and easily stored.

I have a spinning tower 'o spices and hate it but the darn thing rotates smoothly and is here. Never would it go on the counter. Cleaning a bazillion tiny jars and complicated holder not going to happen.

It logically fits into a narrow cabinet but impossible to fit the remaining spices and associated powders that go along with them in that space. I moved them to a 24" wide cabinet with the second shelf high enough for that dratted spinning thing. There's a little shelf we had on hand next to the spinner so other often used things are at eye level then I put most of the rest into 3 bins on the shelf above with the duplicate spices in a seldom used roasting pan on the next shelf and in the freezer. I made up a master list hoping we won't accumulate 4 bottles of basil again.

It is much easier to find the bottle I want now the tower is in the cabinet because it is at eye level. Unless DH is very short or the labels have much bigger print than the dainty ones on mine he will just be annoyed by the thing.

My goodness, Kathy. Are all of those really something that you use? Your post paints a picture of a situation that is more irksome than it is useful. Three bins, a roasting pan full and a spinning thing and an inventory list?

I offer you the thought that you might benefit from some reassessing of the value of many of those jars.

You use so many terms of frustration -- "hate it", "darn thing", "complicated", "dratted spinning thing", "duplicate", and "annoyed". Your cooking supplies should not cause this much consternation in life. Deciding which ones actually contribute to your pleasure in life and eliminating those that don't can go a long way towards creating a more peaceful space and experience.

it sounds as if you have more than you want and, probably, more than you need, and probably more than you, honestly, really use. A lot of those things really don't keep very well for very long.

Kathy, I'm with you sister! Cleaning a bazillion jars... I love your sense of humor, and I understand that your post was not about complaining or about frustration. You were being funny. I understand entirely. I just gave away three jars of unopened basil to friends. I swore I didn't have any basil. My memory is not what is used to be. I am sure you know how long spices last, and that they are not as potent as when first purchased so nobody needs to tell you. Geez!

I cook every night since I have retired, so I have more spices than ever. I don't care if the spices get old. If I use them...I use them...if I don't...then I don't care. I just like having both unusual spices and my usual spices available. My newest kick is Mediterranean food. Za'atar, Sumac, Cardamom, Coriander, Turmeric, Spanish Paprika, Dill, Mint, Thyme, Aleppo pepper, Baharat, Garam Masala, Herbes de Provence, Ras el Hanout. I never knew I liked Mediterranean food. We tend to cook what we grew up with, but I am branching out.

I have extra spices that do not fit in the small jars, too. So the extra goes into the cabinet. I get where you are coming from! I live two hours from a decent grocery store, so everything gets ordered online after I ask what the expiration date is. So, that gives me more spices than I can use because some spices come in a bag. No big deal. I don't need anyone telling me I don't need that many spices. I would never dream of telling someone they don't have enough spices.

So, Kathy, spin that spice rack! I have an ugly Tramontina enameled cast iron Dutch oven and an ugly crock pot that work perfectly fine. Why trade them for something shiny and new, or expensive like Staub? When my daughter says, "Get rid of that salt and pepper shaker. It is so old!" (Tupperware 1980s!!) My answer is always, "Why? Just because it is old? So am I! Besides that, you have a lot more money in your pocket by keeping that spinning spice rack and using it until it spins no more.

Keep spinning!

It is a personal decision to continue living with a dysfunctional situation. If that is a person's decision, so be it. The only real solution is to actually do something about it.

I don't find much humor in aggravation. Who needs it?

I have the magnetic ones and I love them. Only downside is the my daughter (5) thinks they are fun toys and loves to rearrange them.

Zero aggravation using, some aggravation seeing. MAJOR brain overheating working out how to get to this point. My ideal would be a drawer with the odd stuff in the cabinet above.

It works so much better than before when the bin in the freezer had who knows what in there, the skinny shelf above the spinner had unknown stuff on it and the shelf over eye level had a wide variety of loose jars but mostly terrible because oregano was on one side and fresh garlic on the other. We cook nearly every meal at home and use them all. Boogles my mind but have looked through the spinner jars and most if not all have been refilled over the years let alone get usedl.

I just hate that spinner, it seems so make do with the little wire shelf next to it it, feels like it's wasting space and the shelf above is so high up. If it dies I'd fit in pull down organizers, drop the next shelf down and probably be able to put in another shelf. My ideal would be a drawer for small jars with the odd larger things in the cabinet above though.

The oldest stuff in there might be the whole cloves as studding a whole ham doesn't happen these days - they smell wonderful. Ground cloves are long gone so I use a mortar and pestle when necessary. I've never noticed herbs and spices losing potency over years.. Things like whole red peppers cannot fit into little jars and it's cheaper to buy in bags so they go into the freezer with prepared fresh ginger cubes and such. A list inspires me to dig deep rather than assume we are out if what I'm looking for isn't in plain sight.

I want cocoa, baking power, fresh garlic, molasses, bouillon cubes and so on with the spices, that's where they logically belong according to my brain so am stuck with a wide array of shapes and sizes of jars. What happened was the little jars that fit in the spinner hold less than what is in the refill bags and jars then we didn't know if we were out or not. No worries now. I sorted it out less than a year ago and the roasting pan only has 4 bottles left in it, 2 being surplus black peppercorns and Himalayan salt. 4 bottles of basil. I think 2 were part full too.

I just wanted to share a pic of our spice and condiment storage—one spice rack (found on Etsy) attached to the inside of the pantry door and then a little garage door cupboard next to the range where I keep my spices, herbs and oils I use every night. I have the land line phone in there as well. Like many here I have too many jars and really need them visible or I won’t remember to use them. I threw away a lot of herbs when we started our reno—I have resolved to only buy herbs from our local spice merchant who sells them by the tablespoon and puts them in tiny plastic bags. I have a bunch of little spice jars ordered from Anchor Hocking to transfer the contents to.

This my way. Getting a new kitchen in April and I plan to just transfer them to the new cabinet.

I separated baking spices from cooking spices, each on their own lazy Susan in an upper cabinet. Alphabetical order -- it's a snap to find what I need. After moving to a retirement community where dinner is served every night I gave all the cooking spices to my daughter and kept the baking spices. Works for me.

I use these in my kitchen. Fit well under my upper cabinets near the cook top/prep area. https://www.containerstore.com/s/kitchen/spice-racks-jars/acrylic-20-bottle-spice-rack/12d?productId=10024130

'The problem is that many of the jars are too tall to stand up in the drawer and we have to lay them down. So the drawer is a mess because we have different sized jars.'

I use IKEA spice jars and Hayley Cherie labels. This drawer is only 18" deep front to back. When I decanted everything I found some doubles and got rid of stuff that I used once in a blue moon like marjoram. I now refill with bagged spices from our large grocery store as they are less expensive. Baking spices, extracts, cupcake liners, and food coloring are in a separate drawer.

upper cabinet to left of range. I have lots of spices and cook a lot. Top is oils vinegars etc. Also keep baking powder and soda and cocoa etc. in here. It's messy but works. Super convenient for when throwing things into the pot or pan on stove.

Building and I am leaning towards doing the same thing but maybe with those organizers that are like steps so don't have to dig behind spices...