How to Buy a Spice Rack

When designing a kitchen, a number of factors count, the first of which is your available space. The amount of space determines everything in the kitchen, from the appliances right down to the accessories. Some accessories, such as a spice rack, aren't just for decoration but have a purpose and choosing the right one depends on where you plan on keeping it.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Find a spot on the wall. If you lack counter space, many spice racks are wall mountable. Install them near the stove so that all of your spices are within easy reach when you need them. Load spices on the shelves with the labels facing out and they will be a breeze to find.

2. Make use of all your counter space. So many kitchens have awkward corners that aren't usable for food preparation. This is an ideal spot for a carousel type spice rack. The spices are out of the way when you're not using them, but accessible when you are.

3. Store your spices in a drawer. This is a great solution for both new construction and older homes. When you're designing your new kitchen, ask the builder to make a spice rack in one of the drawers near your stove. For an existing drawer, you can buy spice rack insert that's similar to utensil dividers and tuck your spices away neatly.

4. Consider the insides of your doors. This goes for the inside of a pantry door or the inside of a cabinet door. Either option is a good storage solution for spices. Just choose between wooden and wire spice racks, pick the size you need and attach it to the inside of the door.

5. Buy a Lazy Susan. Similar to a carousel, a Lazy Susan can be fitted to any cabinet and have multiple shelves. Lazy Susans are a good way to utilize corner cabinets that can be awkward for any other kind of storage.

6. Check out the bottoms of your cabinets. If you don't already have under cabinet lighting, there are spice racks made for this space that can be tucked up when not in use. This is another opportunity to capitalize on unused space, especially for smaller kitchens that don't have a lot of cabinet storage or free counter space.

7. Use spice racks as a beautiful addition to the kitchen. Nothing says "I can cook" more than a diverse collection of spices and if you have the counter space show them off with a pretty countertop spice rack. The spice rack can become part of your kitchen's décor and the spices are readily available.

Tips & Warnings

• When choosing a spot for any spice rack, be sure to keep them handy near your stove, but not too close. Spices lose their taste if overheated repeatedly.