Professional kitchen organization tips for decluttering your spices
If you’ve ever reached for cinnamon and emerged with paprika, turmeric dust, and kitchen bewilderment — welcome to the club. Your spice cabinet may be small, but it holds huge potential for calm, creativity, or culinary chaos.
You can bring kitchen organization to the spice zone — one clinking jar, surprise duplicate (or triplicate), and faded bay leaf at a time.
Step 1: Gather Your Entire Spice Collection
Start your kitchen organization project by bringing all your spices together from every hiding place: cabinets, drawers, window ledges, that one shelf above the fridge, and yes, even your coat pockets. (What? You’ve never suddenly found a great deal on saffron?)
Why this matters: This way, you’ll actually know what you have before you start deciding what stays and what goes. Plus, you might discover that you have enough cinnamon to outlast an apocalypse.
Ready to Transform More Than Just Your Spices? — let’s make a plan together.
Step 2: Sort, Smell & Declutter (Even the Suspicious Ones)
Hold each jar, tin, packet, or ancient plastic bag. Ask yourself:
- Does it spark joy (or at least smell like something you want to cook with)?
- Is it unlabeled, unnaturally pale, or vaguely… fluffy?
- Is that “oregano” or dried grass clippings?
If it’s stale, clumpy, a complete unkown, or older than your last international move — thank it for its service and let it go. It won’t hurt you, but it also won’t help you win any Michelin stars.
Pro tip: Faded color and weak aroma are your best clues that a spice has lost its punch. If it smells like nothing at all or like old paper, it’s time to say goodbye.
Step 3: Consolidate and Harmonize
It’s time for your own Spice Girls reunion — but in the pantry. Do you have two jars of smoked paprika and something unlabeled that looks suspiciously similar?
Combine where it makes sense — just make sure they’re actually the same spice. We’re not mixing Italian herbs and curry powder here (unless you really wanna zig-a-zig-ah). Merging doubles (or triples) is oddly satisfying — like getting the band back together, one spice jar at a time.
Step 4: Know Your Shelf Life — Roughly
Understanding how long spices last helps you make better decisions about what to keep:
| Spice Type | Shelf Life | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Whole Spices | 3–4 years | Peppercorns, cinnamon sticks, cloves |
| Ground Spices | 2–4 years | Cumin, paprika, ginger, chili powder |
| Dried Herbs | 1–3 years | Basil, thyme, rosemary, oregano |
| Spice Blends | 1–3 years | Curry powder, taco seasoning, za’atar |
| Seeds | Up to 4 years | Fennel, mustard (poppy/sesame: 2 years) |
| Salt | Indefinite | But flavored salts can fade over time |
Note: Whole spices last longer than ground ones. If you use them often enough to grind fresh, you’ll get superior taste and savings.
Step 5: Create Beautiful Spice Storage
Spice organization solutions that work:
- Glass jars (reuse or unify — no need for “influencer pantry” chic)
- Lazy Susan for easy spin-access
- Drawer storage with labeled tops, or lay jars on their sides for easy viewing
- Stadium-style risers in the cupboard for full visibility (my personal favorite)
- Clear labels = kitchen sanity
Remember: Give your containers a good wipe while you’re at it. Cooking creates grease, which attracts dust, which can make your spice cupboard look like a crime scene.
Step 6: Keep It Fresh Going Forward
The secret to maintaining your newly organized spice collection? Buy smaller quantities when possible. Small quantities equal fresher flavor. If bulk bins are available at your store, even better — you can buy exactly what you need and refill your containers as you go. That’s it.
Your cooking deserves fresh, flavorful spices — otherwise, you’ll end up with ancient spice collections that could qualify as archaeological artifacts. (I still have bad dreams about that scary bottle of sage from the A&P that somehow survived two cross-country relocations and lived in my parents’ cupboard for at least a decade after they’d last seen an A&P.)
Simple maintenance tips:
- Store spices in a cool, dark place
- Use airtight containers when possible
- It’s not about being fancy — just giving your cumin a fighting chance
Big Shifts Start with Small Shelves
Organizing your spice cabinet might seem small, but it can shift your mood, your cooking, and your sense of control in the kitchen. And that’s exactly the point.
Small changes in organized spaces create ripple effects throughout your home and daily life. When you can find what you need when you need it, cooking becomes more enjoyable, meal planning gets easier, and your kitchen becomes a space that supports your life — tailored to your needs and preferences.
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Need help with home organization beyond your spices? As a professional organizer (opruimcoach), I help people declutter and organize with purpose — from chaotic pantries to entire homes. Whether you’re in Amsterdam, Utrecht, Rotterdam, The Hague, or anywhere in the Netherlands, I offer both in-person and online organizing services.
I’m Sheila, your opruimcoach/professional organizer. Each month I’ll drop fresh organizing inspiration, smart tips, and a nudge to let go of what doesn’t serve you. Sign up now and get organizing inspiration without adding to your clutter pile!