18 Genius Ways To Store Spices Without Cluttering Up Your Kitchen

Spices are key to mouthwatering home-cooked food. But once you've built up a good collection, storage and organization can become a hassle. A mishmash of spice jars, containers, and pouches can make a kitchen look cluttered and disorganized — not an ideal workspace for busy home cooks. There are plenty of products that help sort and store spices, including racks, wall-mounted shelves, drawer organizers, pull-out bins, and more. However, sometimes it's best to make your own. Maybe you want to customize a spice storage system to your space. Maybe you're on a creative project kick, or are on a strict budget. Regardless of your reason, making your own spice storage is a fun and easy project that you can personalize to your needs. We've rounded up some creative DIY ideas for inspiration.

These spice storage ideas are easy to make and we've included various storage types, so you can organize cabinets, drawers, and countertops. The right system can greatly reduce kitchen clutter and make spices easier to find. This means no more searching through jumbled drawers and no more forgotten expired herbs in the back of cabinets. Ahead are some of our favorite DIY spice storage ideas and solutions to get your seasonings straight in style.

Who doesn't love a Dollar Tree hack, especially when it means you can make something for less? This project from @homegoodiys uses plastic picture frames (the 4-by-6-inch Freestanding Borderless frame for $1.25 from Dollar Tree). Before buying the frames, you'll want to measure your drawers and spice jars to make sure the frame and jars will fit (this hack won't work for shallow drawers). Place the frames inside the drawer, with the front of the frame facing upward. This creates an angled support to organize and display spice jars.

If you don't have a Dollar Tree nearby (or if the above frames don't fit your drawers), this is a fabulous alternative to the previous project. It makes a similar stand using foam board from the Dollar Tree. Measure your drawer depth and plan out how many rows of holders you would like. Make three cuts on each foam board piece accordingly so you can fold them to create a triangular stand. Be sure not to slice completely through the foam board; leave a thin but flexible layer to hold the stand together. You can also make the surface more wipeable by applying contact paper.

This project is another spice drawer organizer, this time using wood instead of plastic or foam board. It's also a made-to-measure option, perfect if you want a custom organizer. This project uses square wood pieces to create a stand for jars to lean on. You can use square furring strips or molding, for example, a square Whitewood furring strip for $2.68 from Lowe's. Square wood dowels can also work for shallower drawers, like these square poplar dowels from Lowe's ($4.98). Lowe's should also be able to cut the strips for you, but they might not be super precise. 

Keep spice jars within easy reach and make them look extra stylish with a wall-mounted shelf. This simple project from @simply_evexo takes a slim shelf and attaches it to the wall. Plenty of affordable shelf options are available, like the Songmics Floating Shelves ($25.99 for three from Amazon) or the Upsimples Acrylic Shelves ($15.99 for four from Amazon). Ideally, choose a shelf with a front lip to prevent jars from sliding off. For a damage-free alternative to screws, heavy-duty Command picture hanging strips cost $12.99 from Amazon and should be able to hold most small spice shelves.

If you have a cramped kitchen with no free walls, you can still make a mounted spice storage system. Install a shelf on the inside of a pantry or cabinet door instead. Again, you can use a simple wall-mounted shelf, similar to the previous project. Just make sure to space them so they don't bump into the cabinet shelves inside. To prevent jars from sliding, you can add clear adhesive bumper pads. A product like the Scotch Clear Bumper Pads costs $3.99 from Amazon and can prevent jars from slipping around.

An over-the-door shoe organizer can make for an unexpected storage tool for spices. While not the most aesthetically pleasing, it's simple to install and completely damage-free for those wary of sticky strips. It's possible to find nicer-looking options, like this neutral canvas organizer from West Elm ($29). If style is less of a concern, an organizer with mesh or plastic pockets like the Gorilla Grip Shoe Organizer ($14.99 from Amazon) makes it easier to see your spices. Not loving the idea of fabric? You can always opt for a bona fide over-the-door spice rack ($29.99 on Amazon).

This idea is a very low-effort option that's perfect if you need a quick solution to cluttered spice cabinets. Choose suitable storage containers that you can easily slide in and out of the cabinet. Besides measuring the cabinet space, you can also measure your spice jars (particularly if they are uniform) for a snug fit inside each container. For ease of use, label the top of each jar lid and the alphabetical range on the front of each container. Alternatively, you can opt for an all-in-one solution like this spice box and case set from Amazon for $14.99.

On a tight budget or looking for an eco-friendly project? Creating a spice holder is one of many ways to repurpose a milk jug. This DIY works best with square-shaped milk or juice cartons. All you need is scissors to make an opening and some paint. If you prefer character-filled home décor, this is a fun little project. It's kid-friendly too; help younger kids cut the box and then give them free rein to decorate. If you're not confident in your calligraphy skills, you can also jazz up the exterior with printed labels or découpage.

A magnetic fridge-mounted spice storage system looks downright stylish and frees up cabinet and counter space. With this DIY from @amanda_cleans, you can build your own for cheap. You'll need some spice jars, strong craft magnets (like the DIYMAG ones for $7.49 from Amazon), a hot glue gun, and a strong craft adhesive like E6000. You can label the jar bases instead of the sides so you can read the names at a glance. Don't have time to DIY? Amazon also sells magnetized hexagonal spice jars ($39.99 for 20).

You can use magnetic hooks to make a fridge-side spice system that's even simpler than the previous project. The creator used magnetic hooks from Dollar Tree, but you can get more heavy-duty 10-pound hooks from Amazon ($9.99 for 20). For a similar rustic look as this video, you can go for mason jar spice shakers from Dollar Tree, or these salt and pepper shakers for $1.06 from Walmart. However, any hanging loop will do, so you might even be able to attach something like these metal hangers from Amazon ($11.99 for 24) to existing jars, depending on their size.

If your fridge is too covered in artwork and reminders, you can still create a magnetic spice holder elsewhere in the kitchen. This one is positioned under the cabinet, taking advantage of under-utilized space. It works by attaching a thin sheet of metal (Amazon sells steel plates for this for $14.99) and then magnets to the jars. @rayzorback glued the magnet to the inside of the lid, so the lid can sit completely flush with the bottom of the cabinet. You can also buy already-magnetized jars, like this set from Amazon for $26.99. 

This under-cabinet spice box requires a bit of DIY know-how, but the finished result is a polished and convenient pull-down spice compartment. You can custom-make it to your cabinets to create the perfect fit. You'll need to build the box out of wood, then attach it to the bottom of the cabinet with a suitable hinge for a pull-down rack, like these KV Under Cabinet Pull Down hinges for $62.55 from Woodworker's Hardware. The front locks in place with a window sash lock. You can read our full directions for this DIY project here.

The section on top of some ovens can provide support for a small spice shelf. @jbmaniseng1 shows how to build one using a 1-by-4-inch timber plank (you can choose the size that best matches your appliance). It's cut to length with a handsaw, and then assembled to create a frame over the oven range. Small corner brackets (like the GBGS corner braces that cost $13.99 from Amazon) hold the shelf together. Keep in mind that steam from the stove can negatively affect some spices. Ideally, only place smaller quantities of your most-used spices here.

This creative video shows how to make a rustic DIY spice rack using Dollar Tree trays and crates ($1.25 each). Paint them to your liking, then glue them together. Stock can vary between Dollar Tree stores, so you'll want to test out your design and make sure the crates fit together nicely before buying. For even more convenience, mount the finished product on a lazy Susan (you'll want something flat-topped similar to this turn-table from Amazon for $12.99) so you can access all sides with ease.

We love small wood pallet projects for the home and garden, and if you're partial to them too, you can build your own custom spice rack. This project essentially just involves making a frame, covering the back, and adding a shelf inside. It's possible to make this project with hand tools since it's so simple. A handsaw and a hammer and nails are the necessary tools to put this attractive shelf together. It can either be mounted to a wall or placed on a counter, and looks fabulous either way.

This woodworking DIY lets you turn dead kitchen space into functional storage. The finished project is a large frame on wheels, with shelves for spices. @EngineerYourSpace shows an easy way to make this type of rack. You might be able to get larger wood pieces cut at the hardware store, but if not, it's possible to cut them to size with a hand saw. Measure carefully for this project and factor in any molding pieces to avoid fit issues. Too much DIY? You can also get a ready-made rolling spice rack from Amazon for $60.

Making use of rails is one of the easiest DIY pantry ideas to expand your kitchen storage. Charmingly casual, we like this easy spice storage hack courtesy of IKEA. You can grab the HULTARP rail for $6.00 from IKEA for a similar look. Curtain rings are used to hold onto each spice bag, and you can use the SYRLIG rings at $8.00 for a 10-pack from IKEA. If you have spice bags instead of jars, this is a great way to keep them nice and organized. You can also extend the idea to snack storage in the pantry.

This video from @spicyrainb0w shows how to make a large wall-mounted spice organizer that's easy to personalize with paint, wallpaper, or contact paper. It mounts spice holders onto a backing board, which makes it easier to move the whole unit (compared to a bunch of individual shelves). Instead of screwing the organizer directly into the wall, they recommend using a picture wire (the OOK Professional Picture Wire mentioned costs $4.58 from Walmart). Paired with a picture anchor hook, like the Gorilla Monkey Hook ($3.98 from Lowe's), this mounted organizer only leaves minimal holes in a wall.