How to choose spice jars and organise a spice collection: glass, tin or plastic, drawers versus racks, where not to put them, labelling, and systems that stay tidy and keep spices fresh.
The short answer¶
The ideal spice storage is uniform, airtight jars, labelled with the name and date, kept in a drawer or cupboard away from the hob, oven and sunlight, arranged so you can see every label at once. The most popular arrangement — a decorative rack on the wall beside the cooker — is the worst for the spices, which sit in heat, steam and light. A collection of mismatched packets in a deep cupboard is the second worst, because you cannot find anything and end up buying a third jar of bay leaves.
Choosing jars¶
| Type | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Clear glass | Easy to see contents; does not absorb smells; easy to wash | Lets in light — keep it in a dark drawer or cupboard |
| Tinted or amber glass | Blocks some light; does not absorb smells | Harder to see contents |
| Metal tins | Block light completely; robust; stack well | Cannot see contents; some tins are not truly airtight; can rust if washed and left damp |
| Magnetic tins | Save space on a steel strip or fridge door | Often on display in light and heat; check the seal |
| Plastic | Light and unbreakable | Can absorb smell and stain; some are not airtight |
| Resealable bags | Cheap, good for bulk | Hard to organise; easily punctured |
Whatever the material, look for:
- An airtight seal. Rubber or silicone gaskets, or a tight screw lid.
- A wide mouth, big enough for a measuring spoon.
- Sifter inserts (the perforated caps) — useful for shaking, but remove them for spooning.
- Sensible size. 50–150 ml suits most spices; larger jars only for the ones you use in quantity, such as cumin or coriander seed. A small jar holds less air and is used up before the spice fades.
- Uniformity. Matching jars stack, line up and fit a drawer far better than a jumble of shapes.
Where to keep them¶
| Good | Bad |
|---|---|
| A shallow drawer, jars lying down or upright with labels on the lids | A wall rack beside or above the hob |
| A cupboard with tiered shelves or a lazy Susan | A shelf above the kettle, dishwasher or oven |
| A pantry or larder | A sunny windowsill or open shelf in daylight |
| Inside a cupboard door, away from the cooker | Next to the extractor, where grease and steam gather |
If the only practical place is a rack, choose one inside a cupboard, or put it on the coolest, shadiest wall. Keep only a small working selection on display and the rest in the dark.
Organising the collection¶
There is no single right system — the best one is the one you will keep up. Common approaches:
- Alphabetical: simple and scalable, the best choice for large collections.
- By cuisine: a shelf or box for Indian, Middle Eastern, Mexican, baking. Intuitive, but many spices belong in several.
- By use: everyday spices at the front; occasional ones behind.
- By type: whole spices, ground spices, dried herbs, blends and chillies.
Whatever you choose, keep one jar per spice and store bulk refills separately.
Labelling¶
- Name, and the botanical name where confusion is possible — cinnamon or cassia, green cardamom or black cardamom.
- Date filled or opened.
- Label the lid as well as the side if jars live in a drawer.
- Chalk pens, printed labels and masking tape with a marker all work. The date matters more than the typography.
Decanting and bulk buying¶
Large bags from specialist grocers are often much cheaper per gram (see buying spices). Decant a small jarful for daily use and store the rest airtight in the dark, or freeze whole spices in well-sealed bags. When refilling a jar, empty and wipe it rather than tipping new spice on top of old; otherwise the bottom layer never gets used.
A sensible starter collection¶
A well-used kitchen might keep these ready to hand, as whole spices where possible:
black pepper, cumin, coriander seed, fennel seed, mustard seed, green cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, star anise, turmeric, paprika, smoked paprika, chilli flakes, bay leaves, dried oregano and thyme, and a garam masala. Add to it by cuisine rather than by impulse.
💡 The annual audit
Once a year, take every jar out. Smell each one (see how long spices last), discard anything that smells of nothing, is clumped or shows signs of pests, wipe the jars and the shelf, and put back only what you use. It takes half an hour and usually frees a surprising amount of space.
Kit for specific needs¶
- A masala dabba for the handful of spices used daily in tempering.
- A pepper mill rather than a jar of ground pepper.
- A spice grinder or pestle and mortar, so that the collection can be mostly whole spices.
- Small tins for expensive spices: saffron, vanilla pods.
- A separate airtight container for asafoetida, whose smell escapes almost any lid.
See storing spices for the principles behind all this.