Spice rack ideas?

[eyesroll]

In my last two places, I've had a pantry, and I've been able to install plain white wire spice racks (room for probably 50 bottles, plus pouches and wider jars...criminy) -- in my house, I installed them on the inside of the pantry door, and in my current apartment, I installed them right on the inner pantry wall.

I'm moving to a place that lacks a pantry, but has pretty good cabinet/counter/drawer space to make up for it. It looks like I won't be able to install wire racks on any inner cabinet doors (I'm renting and don't want to damage the cabinet doors). I'm wary of counter or wall-mounted racks (the kitchen is sunny, and I want to keep spices out of the light), but am open to suggestion.

Anyone have any space-saving ideas?

[Warpy]

1. I have a small oak cabinet with 4 shelves and oak doors

bolted to a spare bit of wall. I have no idea what the cabinet was supposed to have been used for, but it's made an ideal spice cabinet for many years, keeping the spices cool and dark.

My spice jars are a motley collection of baby food jars and (sterile) urine sample bottles (hey, I've been a nurse for 25 years) because I buy my herbs and spices in bulk and change them out frequently. I avoid those overpriced bottles in the supermarket---the contents are usually ancient.

My advice to anyone without a pantry is to go thrift shopping with an open mind. Actually, that's pretty good advice, period.

[eyesroll]

2. I do a lot of thrift shopping, so I'll definitely look there

Penzey's is based in WI so I go there -- they have high product turnover and everything's a lot better than the crap in the supermarket.

At least we won't have to consolidate lots of stuff into the kitchen...we're combining two households into one, but my SO doesn't have a lot of kitchen gear. It's pretty much mine to do with as I see fit.

[politicat]

3. Metal cans and either magnet tape or velcro.

Sorry, battery's dead on the camera; I'll get a pic for you in a little while.

I bought metal cans (here) http://www.sks-bottle.com/340c/SearchIndexMetal.html (or perhaps somewhere else) and magnet tape and velcro at the local hardware store, and china markers at the art supply store.

I buy my spices in bulk, put them in the containers or take the containers to the spice shop with me and fill them there.

Then I stick them on the inside of the kitchen cupboard doors.

I just tried to peel off a corner of both the magnet tape and the velcro; both came off without too much effort.

[eyesroll]

6. Hm...not a bad idea.

I'll also take a look at the nearby restaurant supply store. They're not very nice in there, but they have just about anything under the sun.

[jeanarrett]

4. Get one of these. . . cool!

http://www.cooking.com/products/SkuPopUp.asp?Sku=303575&x=66&y=2

[eyesroll]

5. They're cool, but I'd need at least 4 of them.

:o

(I really have too many spices.)

[Warpy]

7. Light will really affect the flavor of some spices

so I'd probably turn that particular arrangement down unless I had a huge closet to stick about five of them in

[eleny]

8. I finally found these

I got two of these and have them side by side and nested a bit. This tiered method holds a lot.
http://stacksandstacks.com/html/10361_spice-rack-expand-a-shelf-spice-bottle-organizer-expandable-multi-tiered-display-system.htm

Something like these tiered jobs might help if you have to use your cabinets. In fact, you could probably fashion something yourself by stacking and gluing some pieces of lightweight wood together. Custom size it to your space. These plastic ones fit my shelf exactly, so I just bought a pair.

Good luck in your new place with whatever finally works!

[Wordie]

9. I have two carousel-type spice holders...

I have a kitchen with not enough counter space, but a fair amount of cabinet space. So my carousel-type spice holders (they revolve like a lazy susan) work great for me. I have two: one has two tiers, the other has one, and I can get lots of spices stored by using them; access is pretty easy too. They are white plastic (not attractive, really, but that's not a concern since they are hidden away in the cabinet), about 11 inches in diameter each (just the right size to fit into the upper cabinets), and revolve on ball bearings (from what I can tell - the motion is very smooth). I got them at a garage sale, so I don't really know the brand and I couldn't locate any pictures on the net when I looked just now.

I tried to look for a brand name on one, but couldn't find it (and I was afraid I was going to inadvertently dump all the spice bottles down on the countertop!). Something like Rubbermaid would be a good guess. I don't even know if they are made anymore, but since they really are very handy, I bet someone is still producing them. There may be higher-end models, too, if you want something a little nicer than white plastic.

Did I make it clear how they work, since I don't have a picture?

[Lugnut]

13. That's what I use

Three lazy susan's fit in my oddly configured corner cabinet. They work perfectly for my spices.

[NMDemDist2]

10. OMG! not the spice storage.............

it all started innocently enough.....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=236&topic_id=2646

but inspired us

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=236&topic_id=3345

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=236&topic_id=3361

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=236&topic_id=12578

untill finally there we were, exhausted but ?happy?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=236&topic_id=3944

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=236&topic_id=10222

[yellowdogintexas]

11. the Bed/bath/linen stores and Container Store have these nice

little stairstep things you can put your spices or other small stuff on

[spindrifter]

12. I found some plastic

stair step-like things that hold lots of spice bottles in a three-tier arrangement. But then, I also have a bunch of plastic bags with spices I buy in bulk that are in a bowl.

[SoCalDem]

14. My husband built me one that "creeps" up the side of a shallow cabinet

Shelves are just deep enough for two spices and have a slightly raised front bottom edge..(earthquake country)

[troubleinwinter]

15. Since you have drawer space, which keeps light out....

perhaps these??

http://www.stacksandstacks.com/html/10124_drawer-spice-rack.htm


http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000ULC3E/qid=1140703300/sr=1-7/ref=sr_1_7/104-2722292-9592716?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=284507

[mandyky]

16. I recently inherited a "lazy Susan" type spice rack

It is a square/rectangle 16 or 20 hole swivel thingy that stands a little over a foot high.
4 to 5 spices up and down, and 4 sides of those...

Not sure where the people I inheritted it from got it from....