7 Small-Kitchen Spice-Storage Hacks That Actually Work

Despite coming in little containers, a decent spice collection can be a big headache in a small kitchen. Anything more than four or five jars of spices can start to eat up a lot of space, plus an organized system will help you see spices at a glance without having to rifle through a drawer or cabinet. If you've been avoiding adding some of the more uncommon spices to your kitchen because there's simply not enough room, you don't have to go looking for a new apartment. We've compiled seven solid solutions for storing all of your spices, and many of them can be flexible for adding more jars to the roster should something new and aromatic come along.

The key to organizing a small kitchen is to look for storage in non-traditional spots. Tiny kitchen spaces mean that drawers and cabinets are at a premium, so look for spice organization that can utilize vertical space like wall-mounted units, refrigerator doors, the back of a door, and the shelf above the stove. Depending on the space you have to work with, one or more of these setups should get your spices off the counter — without breaking the bank.

Every kitchen, no matter what size, has at least some wall space that would be perfect for mounting a spice rack. If you own your home, look for wall-mounted racks that have a shallow profile so that they don't take up too much room. The X-cosrack 5-Tier Stackable Spice Rack can be mounted to a wall or the side of a cabinet, holding up to 48 jars. It's also possible to distribute the five racks separately, placing them throughout the kitchen.

If you need something less permanent, look for an over-the-door rack, like the Evelots 6-Tier Spice Rack, which holds 52 bottles. There is no installation necessary, and when you move out you can easily take the rack with you. Both of these options are ideal if you have a large collection of spices or are looking to add more jars in the future.

If your collection is on the small side, you probably don't need a very big rack, just a way to organize the spices so that you can see them all and keep them in the same place. This is the perfect job for a small lazy susan, like the 360 Degree Steel Lazy Susan, which has a decent-sized lip around the edge to keep the bottles from going flying. You can choose either a single or double-tier version depending on how many spices you have, and it's small enough that it can live in the corner of your kitchen without taking up a ton of room.

A rotating spice rack is a similar option, and looks a little more aesthetically pleasing since the spices are all decanted into matching jars. Look for models that don't take up a lot of horizontal space, like the Vdomus Rotating Steel Spice Rack, which is 7.4 inches wide and holds 12 bottles. Rotating spice racks are also pretty easy to find secondhand at thrift stores and garage sales.

Pull-down spice racks are good for small kitchens, as they can store a decent number of bottles, but the shelves can be pushed back to provide more space. They come in several different models; the AEB Home & Lifestyle Pulldown Spice Rack hangs off the edge of a shelf, and holds six jars of spices in each unit. When you're not using the spices, the rack can be folded up and pushed back to save space. While they don't hold a lot of jars, you can buy multiple units to accommodate your entire collection. There are also cube-shaped models that sit on the counter and can hold multiple jars in a compact space, such as the YouCopia Adjustable Pulldown Spice Rack.

If you don't want to invest in an actual spice rack, tension rods and cabinet shelves are very inexpensive ways to create more space inside an existing cabinet so that you can stack another layer of spices in the same place. Cabinet shelves are removable shelves with legs that fit inside an existing cabinet. A set of shelves, like the Vertogan Bamboo Stackable Cabinet Shelves, will fit inside most standard-sized cabinets and will double your stacking space.

A tension rod, which is a metal rod with a spring inside (usually used to hang curtains), can create an extra single layer of space for stacking spice jars against the back or side of a cabinet when placed properly. Mount the rod with about an inch of space between the wall of the cabinet and the rod and you can prop the jars up in a line on top; or, you can insert multiple tension rods spanning across the interior of the cabinet to create a DIY rack. 

The door and sides of the refrigerator are excellent unused spaces for storing spices, and there are many magnetic spice rack options to consider. The easiest (and cheapest) method is to buy magnetic tins, like Sanvcomy 12-Pack of Stainless Steel Magnetic Spice Tins, and simply fill them and stick them to the fridge in a group. If you collect more spices, all you have to do is add more jars. 

If your refrigerator is made with a facade that's not magnetic, you can get something like the Aiyola Magnetic Stainless Steel Spice Jars with Wall Base that attaches to the fridge or any other smooth surface. These kits can also be used anywhere else you want in the kitchen, like the wall next to the stove or on the side of a cabinet. The nice feature of these cans is that they're airtight, which is a good storage practice to preserve the flavor of your spices for longer periods of time.

Similarly, magnetic storage shelves, such as HuggieGems 4-Pack Magnetic Spice Storage Rack. are a great option for storing spices. Look for models that have a lip so that the jars stay in place. Again, if your collection grows, all you need to do is add more shelves.

Another way to utilize some wall space for spices is to mount a couple of floating shelves in your kitchen. Spice jars are typically only about 2 inches in diameter, so choose shelves with a shallow profile. An option like Haihomebest 2-Pack Wooden Floating Shelves has two sides and a bar in the front, which will prevent the spice bottles from escaping. You can also buy an extra one and mount it upside down under your spices to create a towel rack, which makes this setup ideal over the sink or close by.

Don't neglect that little strip of space above the stove when you're looking for spice storage in a small kitchen. If you only have a small collection of jars, this could be the perfect spot because the spices will always be at arm's reach so you can season your food every during each step. To keep them from falling off the edge, try using a magnetic stove shelf, such as the StoveShelf 30" Length Stainless Steel Finish Magnetic Shelf, which has a lip around the edge and a few dividers to keep things orderly. It might not hold your entire spice collection if you're an avid chef, but you can keep the jars you use the most up there, along with salt, pepper, and a small bottle of cooking oil.