An Easy Spice Drawer Hack That Keeps Spices Organized

My previous kitchen was small — so small that it necessitated the use of vertical space to store my collection of jars (on a shelf suspended above the counter) and spices (on a magnetic board screwed to the side of a cabinet).

I’m in a slightly bigger kitchen now, but have the opposite problem: plenty of drawers and cabinets, but no vertical space for storage.

But I came up with a simple DIY spice drawer that doesn’t require building any wooden racks or inserts, or buying yet another ill-fitting tray that fails to maximize the space I have.

01.

Step 1: The jars

I came across these miniature Ball jars and immediately knew they’d be perfect for storing spices. They are an exact replica of the brand’s iconic mason jars, just scaled down to a diminutive 4-ounce size with a one-piece screw-on lid.

02.

Step 2: The labeling

The miniature jars have a smooth side for labeling, and I found that an extra fine-point paint pen worked great on the glass.

Something to keep in mind: A water-based paint pen can survive a light rinsing, but comes off with soap and scrubbing so you can relabel your jars as needed. An oil-based paint pen is a bit more permanent if you’re labeling jars that will always hold the same spices.

03.

Step 3: The filling of the jars

To transfer all my spices from the old tins to the new jars, I used this silicone funnel and found it super efficient for the job. It’s wide enough for whole spices like peppercorns, but narrow enough to fit the mouth of the jars.

04.

Step 4: The organization hack of the spice drawer

I found these soft foam liners and they are seriously game-changing! They can be cut to length with just a pair of scissors, and they work really well in shallow drawers where tiered racks may be too tall.

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