A spice rack organizes spices by size.
Spices enhance home cooked meals with vibrant flavors and the increase the nutritional value of a dish. Whether you cook with an exotic array of spices or rely on only a handful of staple herbs, it's important to keep them organized and within easy reach. Spice racks serve a basic purpose that lends itself to an array of design ideas. Consider the space available and layout of your kitchen when deciding which works best for you. Does this Spark an idea?
Wall-Mounted
Wall-mounted spice racks consist of vertical rows with side walls and a strip of wood across the front to prevent the spice containers from falling. This is a basic, flexible design that can be customized to fit a narrow wall by reducing the length of the selves and increasing the number of shelves. The depth of the shelves should be sized to fit the largest spice containers. If containers vary in size, decide if you want the large containers on the bottom or top of the rack and size the corresponding shelves accordingly. Likewise, the vertical distance between each shelf should be determined by the sizes of the spices containers. Depending on where you plan to install the shelf, you can mount it with screws or hangers secured at the top of the shelf.
Mesh
A mesh-style spice rack offers a casual, homemade look. You can make this type of spice rack with fabric mesh from a home improvement store. Fold a strip of mesh in half length-wise. The fold should be equal to 2/3 the height of your spice containers. Sew strips of elastic across the top. Sew the sides to create a small hammock-style holder. Hang the mesh hammock from screw hooks or nails, and place your spice containers into the mesh. Make multiple holders and hang them vertically so all of your spices are in one place.
Free-Standing
If you have the extra counter space, a free-standing spice rack puts your spices front and center. Free-standing racks have multiple levels, with space for the largest containers on the bottom. The shelves can be circular or round and placed on a Lazy Susan to make it easy for the cook to find different spices among a number of containers. Each step has a mesh or wood "fence" around the edge so containers don't fall. Place the "fence" so it crosses the bottom third of the shelf, so you can read the labels on the bottles.
Tiered for Cabinets
Tiered shelves make it easy to organize spices stored in a cabinet. The size of the cabinet should dictate the length of each tier. The height of the tiers lifts the rows of spices high enough so you can see the labels. Arrange containers on the shelves with the shortest containers in the front and the tallest in back.
Tags: spice containers, spice rack, containers bottom, make easy, your spice