Declutter Your Spice Drawer in 5 Easy Steps

Add decluttering and organizing a spice drawer to your deep cleaning list! It only takes a few simple steps depending on when spices expire and how often you use them for the dishes you enjoy cooking the most. And when everything is in its place, you’ll be able to grab and use your seasonings with your eyes closed — almost!

Why Declutter Your Spice Drawer?

1. You’ll know exactly when spices expire and need to be replaced, saving back-and-forth trips to the grocery store.
2. You’ll learn which seasonings you use a lot — and which you don’t.
3. It’s a great habit to get into!
   Organizing the kitchen pantry takes a little longer the first time. After that, if it’s done once or twice a year, it becomes a quick and easy task. 

PRO TIP:
Keep empty containers and bottles that are in good condition. Recycle or repurpose them, or if nothing else, reuse them to store your restock of new spices.

So, can you use spices past the expiration date? Possibly, but consider this:

While it’s safe to use spices past the use by date, they don’t do their job well. Old seasonings lack flavor, and they don’t have much aroma either. 

We recommend throwing out seasonings that have been in the spice cabinet for more than 6 months.

When we find duplicate containers of the same spice and they aren’t older than the use by date, we condense them into one.

Oh, and while you’re in there, throw out your stash of restaurant sauce packets, too! If you haven’t used them in the past few months, chances are, you won’t use them anytime soon. 😉

Not only that, but over time, dust can settle on walls, and even inside of drawers. A handheld vacuum is great for larger messes, but doesn’t do a very good job of cleaning up ground spices from the tiny corners of a spice drawer. 

We suggest using food-safe disinfecting wipes and a microfiber cloth instead. Not only are they free of bleach and other harmful chemicals, they also slip easily into tiny nooks and crannies.

PRO TIP:
Need to organize the spice cabinet or drawer quickly? Use a hair dryer – it helps dry the insides of bottles faster than air drying.

5. Use an insert or drawer spice rack to stay organized.

Using spice tins with labels and an organizer, like a spice rack insert, will keep each bottle firmly in its place. After all, there’s almost no point in going through all the effort to declutter a spice drawer if everything’s just going to roll around the second you close it!

PRO TIP:
If using spice tins doesn’t work for your space, you might like these containers instead. We love them because there’s an opening on one side for measuring spoons, and a shaker on the other side.

How you decide to organize is up to you — by cuisine, type of seasoning, expiration date, etc. In time, the method that works best for you will reveal itself!

Do Spices Expire?

Tips to Stay Organized

• Keep them dry by using silica gel packets, a small container of baking soda, or another natural moisture absorber inside the cabinet.
• Stick to a spring cleaning schedule so that each time you need to declutter a spice drawer, it’s quick and painless!
• Don’t replace the seasonings you hardly use. Did you toss two almost-full bottles of nutmeg? Don’t replace them — instead look for substitutions among your more commonly used seasonings.

How do you organize a spice rack?

Organizing a spice cabinet or wall rack system is similar to organizing a spice drawer! Empty it, clean and refill the bottles, then order them in a logical way that matches your kitchen needs.

Racks can be great for easy access, and they don’t accumulate the same dust and odors. However, they take up a good bit of counter space. Ultimately, it’s all about preference and what works best for your available space.