Tackling our spice rack/drawer/shelf has been a goal going on 7 years, and now that it’s done I can’t quite figure out why I put it off for so long! It’s an easy project you can complete within a day (longer if you only have 10 minute windows to work in), and elevating little things like this gives a big dopamine hit – essential for the dead of winter.
Supplies
- Spice Jars – I went with a pack of 30 as that was the exact amount I needed. It’s not hard to find packs with less or more
- Label Paper – this works for inkjet or laser printers
- Label template – this is meant for A4 paper, but I shrunk it down to fit 8.5×11 and it was perfect for the size of my jars
Process
- Wash the jars and let them dry thoroughly
- Gather a list of all the spices on hand and start editing the template to reflect those spices. I love that you can edit every line of the template, so to be extra I added Halli House Kitchen at the bottom, you know in case anyone had any doubts about where the spices live. Brandon promptly rolled his eyes when I pointed out that feature, and rightly so.
- Print the label sheets. I have a laser printer, so I cannot attest to how the paper works with an inkjet. It says it works with both type of printers.
- Cut out each label with an exacto knife, ruler and self healing cutting mat.
- Wipe down the jars with rubbing alcohol to ensure the surface is free of any dirt.
- Adhere the labels to the jars. I didn’t take the time to make a template and eyeballed it instead. I really want to be the perfectionist I know I truly am, but my impatience always wins. So they’re not perfect, but fairly close.
- Fill the jars and admired all the colors that have been hidden behind large labels and tin containers.
For now, the spices live in the cabinet in neat rows. This is admittedly not the most efficient way of identifying which spice you need in any given moment, so a custom rack is in our future. I’m loving everything about this project – the aesthetics, the practicality of knowing how much I have left, and the ease of quickly finding what I’m looking for instead of wasting time sifting through disorder. 10/10 recommend.