Not Cabinets, Not Drawers: This Dollar Tree DIY Organizes Spices In A Clever Way

One day, you're ordering takeout between nights on the town. The next, you're browsing that fancy new spice store on a Saturday afternoon, deciding which new flavorings you want to experiment with. You can't fight it, but you might be left to fight a new battle: keeping all those spices organized and easily accessible. A common option is dedicating a cabinet shelf to the spices, but that often leaves you digging through everything just to find the chili powder or cayenne pepper. And when all the bottles and their contents look similar, it can be difficult to find what you need. We've shared many clever ways to store and organize your spice collection, and here's one more. And it's super affordable because it uses wire bins from Dollar Tree.

It comes from the Instagram account of thecraftedstudioco. For each rack, you'll need one Essentials Gold Wire Tray for the framework and two of the Jot Metal Wire Trays (the long, narrow rectangular ones) as the shelves. While you're at Dollar Tree, grab a package of zip ties if you don't have any at home. That's how you'll connect the pieces. The cost for the shelf is under $6, which is much cheaper than most spice racks. 

The gold wire design makes this DIY spice rack an attractive countertop solution for the seasonings you use frequently. However, it's best to store spices in a cool, dark, dry spot, so position the rack away from your stove to avoid heat and humidity from cooking. Or, put it on a pantry shelf to keep the smaller bottles contained. Either way, it's an extra kitchen storage idea to free up space.

The larger rack will sit in an upright position on one of the long sides with the bottom of the rack against the wall. Position one of the long wire bins along the side that will sit on the countertop. The smaller bin should be upright to create a basket-like shelf. Once it's positioned where you want it, use zip ties to hold it in place. 

Then, place the second, smaller bin above the first, also in an upright position, leaving enough space to access the bottom shelf. You may need to slant it slightly so the top of the base tray doesn't get in the way of the bottles. To get the positioning right, put one of your spice jars in the bin, and hold it up to the rack. Use zip ties to hold this shelf in place, and fill it with your spice bottles. The bottom shelf works well for shorter spice bottles, fruit, and fresh herbs that don't need refrigeration. 

If you want to display more spice bottles, make a few of these racks. Using a set of uniform spice jars creates a cohesive look and helps you fit them in better. You can also dress up the rack by draping doilies in the bottoms or weaving ribbon or strips of fabric through the wire. Faux vine wrapped around the rack softens the look. For a coordinating solution, try this clever DIY storage using Dollar Tree wire baskets.