# How do you organize your spice racks?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-organize-your-spice-racks/708296
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [December 27, 2014, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-organize-your-spice-racks/708296 "2014-12-27T20:26:22Z")
**Posts on this page:** 9
**Page:** 3
### Author:  [@No\_umlaut\_for\_U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/No_umlaut_for_U)
#### Post date: [December 28, 2014, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-organize-your-spice-racks/708296/41 "2014-12-28T23:55:53Z")
Something like **Hello Again**. Baking spices (sweet) are on a shelf with other baking stuff, including jimmies and extracts. The next shelf down (eye level) is split between mixed savory spices and single savory spices. If it’s something which can go either way, it naturally percolates to the front of the baking shelf.
Alphabetizing does not work to my mind in this case.
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### Author:  [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)
#### Post date: [December 29, 2014, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-organize-your-spice-racks/708296/42 "2014-12-29T00:36:15Z")
I am sooooo happy! 48 spices, 2 square (well, round) feet of space. [10888684\_10204891259738650\_6081057464013160797\_n | rhiannon\_dreamsnake | Flickr](https://www.flickr.com/photos/9460062@N07/15946984349/)
(Went with alphabetical on three racks for the regular stuff, blends on the fourth.)
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### Author:  [@tadtooornamental](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tadtooornamental)
#### Post date: [December 29, 2014, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-organize-your-spice-racks/708296/43 "2014-12-29T03:21:30Z")
I have an actual rack that hangs above the stove that is ordered alphabetically. The jars came prefilled and prelabeled, so only those 16 spices get that distinction. The rest are on a shelf near the stove, and are grouped by type (sweet/baking spices, “ethnic” spices, blends, extracts, blah blah blah), and then by common-ness of use. Therefore, withing the baking spices group, cinnamon and anise are upfront, cardamom and nutmeg in the back. Ethnic grouping, cumin, curry and 5 spice are up front, those odd spices I bought for one recipe and haven’t found another use for yet are in the back. It’s not very intuitive, but then, I’m the only one who cooks in my kitchen, so it works for me.
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### Author:  [@Q.N.Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.N.Jones)
#### Post date: [December 29, 2014, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-organize-your-spice-racks/708296/44 "2014-12-29T04:41:40Z")
I have 8 spice rack shelves inside the door to my pantry. They are mostly alphabetically organized, except these have their own separate sections:
–Peppercorns
–Ground peppers and chili powders
–Blends and rubs
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### Author:  [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)
#### Post date: [December 29, 2014, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-organize-your-spice-racks/708296/45 "2014-12-29T04:43:41Z")
> [@Sattua](#):
>
> I group 'em by type, and by what I’m likely to be using together.
>
> Chili powders and cumin together, for doing Mexican stuff.
> Cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg etc. together, for doing gingerbread.
> Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme for chicken soup.
>
> etc.
Thank you, **Sattua**. After the insinuation that my non-alphabetness is unacceptable, I feel a lot better. If my spice pots are in the train to Hell, at least they have the company of yours!
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### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [December 29, 2014, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-organize-your-spice-racks/708296/46 "2014-12-29T18:57:13Z")
I keep them on a shelf like any other in my kitchen cupboards. The only organization is that the ones I use most often are in front.
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### Author:  [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)
#### Post date: [December 29, 2014, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-organize-your-spice-racks/708296/47 "2014-12-29T19:03:34Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#):
>
> My spices are haphazardly in a cupboard.
Same here.
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### Author:  [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)
#### Post date: [December 29, 2014, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-organize-your-spice-racks/708296/48 "2014-12-29T20:06:33Z")
> [@WhyNot](#):
>
> After years of having some things in a drawer and others on top of the microwave and at least one jar being batted around the floor by the cat…I now have 4 (FOUR!) [spice jar carousels](http://www.cooking.com/white-12-bottle-spice-carousel-by-kitchenart_181222_11/) (thanks, Santa!).
I have a small kitchen with no place for spice carousels. I guess I’ll have to stick with the cat toy system of spice bottle management for the time being.
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### Author:  [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)
#### Post date: [December 29, 2014, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-organize-your-spice-racks/708296/49 "2014-12-29T20:46:28Z")
> [@Finagle](#):
>
> I have a small kitchen with no place for spice carousels. I guess I’ll have to stick with the cat toy system of spice bottle management for the time being.
So they’re all under your refrigerator?
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