How to Organize Spices Using a Pull-Out Cabinet Drawer: A Step-by-Step Guide

If you've ever spent five minutes digging through a cluttered cabinet looking for cumin, you already know the problem. Spices stacked three deep. Bottles you forgot you bought. Duplicates of everything. Learning how to organize spices in a pull-out drawer fixes all of that, and it's simpler than you think.

Drawer-based spice storage gives you easy access and full visibility to every jar, and zero bottle avalanches. This guide walks you through the entire process, step by step.

Why Pull-Out Drawer Storage Beats Every Other Method

Before we get into the how, let's talk about the why. Most spice storage methods have the same flaw: they hide things.

• Lazy susans spin bottles to the back where you can't see them
• Tiered step shelves force you to reach over front rows, knocking things over
• Door-mounted racks put jars too high and fall off when the door closes
• Stacking on a shelf creates the classic Jenga tower that collapses when you grab one jar

Pull-out drawer storage solves this because you get a quick full-depth view of all jars instead of a game of hide and seek. Every label on every jar is visible. Nothing hides behind anything else.

For the full breakdown of every storage method, see our complete guide to organizing spices.

What You'll Need

Gather these before you start:

• A tape measure
• A Phillips screwdriver
• Your spice collection (all of it, pull everything out)
• A spice drawer organizer or drawer insert that fits your cabinet
• Labels (optional but recommended)
• A trash bag for expired spices

That's it. No power tools. No custom carpentry.

How to Organize Spices: Step by Step

Work through these seven steps in order. The whole project takes an afternoon, and most of that time is the purge in Step 1.

Step 1: Pull Everything Out and Purge

Take every spice out of wherever it currently lives. Lay them all on the counter.

Now be honest with yourself:

• Toss anything expired. Ground spices lose potency after 2 to 3 years. Whole spices last 3 to 4 years. If you can't remember when you bought it, it's probably time.
• Consolidate duplicates. Most people find at least 2 or 3 duplicate jars once they actually look. Pour them together or toss the older one.
• Remove what you never use. That saffron from 2019 you bought for one recipe? Let it go.

This step alone usually cuts your collection by 20 to 30%.

Step 2: Measure Your Cabinet Space

This is the step most people skip, and it's the one that matters most.

Think of measuring as finding the largest box that fits in your cabinet and slides in and out without hitting any hinge or frame. Measure:

• Width (between the frame and any hinge)
• Depth (back of cabinet to inside the closed door)
• Height (floor of cabinet or shelf to top of opening)

Pull-out drawers can be added to the bottom of the cabinet, shelves in the cabinet, the pantry, wire racking, and anywhere you need organization help. Our step-by-step measuring guide walks through exactly where to measure, including hinges and door clearance.

Step 3: Choose the Right Organizer

Not all spice organizers are created equal. Here's what to look for:

1. Adjustable fit. Your jars aren't all the same size. A rigid side narrows the range of jars that fit your space. Flexible systems (like Vertical Spice's patented Flex-Side design) hold a wider range of jar sizes and even allow over-sized jars to fit.
2. Full-extension slides. If your organizer pulls out of a cabinet, it needs ball-bearing full-extension slides so you can reach the back row without emptying the front.
3. Visibility. Clear sides or an open-top design let you see every jar at a glance.
4. Durability. Cheap plastic organizers crack and warp within a year. Look for solid construction (HDPE, solid wood, or steel slides) that lasts as long as your cabinets.
5. Pre-assembled. Unless you enjoy weekend projects, choose something that's ready to install out of the box.

Vertical Spice's pull-out drawer inserts check all five boxes. They're Made in USA, pre-assembled, and install in under 15 minutes with the included screws (or removable tape if you rent). The flexible sides even let you stack half-size jars two-high to double your capacity.

Step 4: Sort Your Spices

Now that you've purged and have your organizer, decide on a sorting system. There's no single right answer, but here are the three most practical approaches:

By frequency of use. Put your daily-use spices (salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika) in the most accessible spot, usually the front of the drawer. Less common spices go toward the back.

By cuisine. Group Italian spices together (oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary). Mexican spices together (cumin, chili powder, cayenne). Indian spices together (turmeric, garam masala, coriander). This works well if you cook specific cuisines regularly.

Alphabetical. Simple and foolproof. No thinking required when you're looking for something. This is the best system if multiple people use the kitchen.

Pick one system and stick with it. The worst organization method is one you don't follow consistently.

Step 5: Standardize Your Jars (Optional But Worth It)

Mismatched jars are the number one reason drawer organization looks messy and wastes space. A collection of different-sized bottles from the grocery store will always leave gaps.

If you're going all-in on drawer organization, transfer your spices into uniform jars. Look for:

• Clear glass so you can see contents and levels
• 4oz size that fits most organizers and holds enough without taking up excess space
• Wide-mouth openings for easy scooping and refilling
• Flat lids that let you read labels from above

Label the tops of every jar. When you look down into a drawer, top labels are what you see. Vertical Spice sells 4oz clear glass jars with sift-and-pour caps built for exactly this.

Step 6: Install and Load

If you're using a pull-out spice drawer insert in a cabinet:

1. Place the unit on the shelf where it will live
2. Make sure the slides extend fully and the drawer clears the cabinet door
3. Secure the unit to the shelf with the included self-tapping screws, or a 3M Dual Lock tape kit if you rent and would rather not make holes
4. Load your jars according to your sorting system

Take a photo when you're done. You'll want it, and you'll probably want to show it to someone.

Step 7: Maintain the System

Organization without maintenance is just a before photo waiting to happen. Keep it working:

• One in, one out. When you buy a new spice, it goes in the system immediately. If there's no room, something gets tossed.
• Quarterly purge. Every 3 months, scan for expired or unused spices. Takes 5 minutes.
• Same spot every time. After cooking, put jars back in their assigned position. This is what makes the system stick.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

A few things trip people up. Watch for these.

• Overstuffing the drawer. Leave a little breathing room. If you have to force jars in, you need a second drawer or it's time to purge.
• Ignoring depth. A 10-inch deep organizer won't work in a 14-inch deep cabinet, you'll have dead space in the back. Match your organizer depth to your actual cabinet depth.
• Skipping the measurement step. This is how people end up with organizers that don't fit. Measure twice, buy once.
• Forgetting door clearance. In a cabinet, your drawer insert needs to clear the door when it closes. Account for hinges, handles, and the door frame itself.

FAQ

What is the best way to organize spices in a drawer? Purge first, then choose one sorting system (by frequency, by cuisine, or alphabetical) and stick with it. Use uniform jars with labels on top so you can read every spice from above. A pull-out insert with full-extension slides keeps the back row as accessible as the front.

Should I store spices in a drawer or a cabinet? Get the best of both worlds: a pull-out drawer inside a cabinet. Quick and easy viewing and access of all jars. It stays clean, with no spills and drops filling the drawer, and stores the most spice jars in the smallest space.

How do I keep spices fresh? Store the jars away from heat sources like the oven and stovetop, use airtight jars, and keep them out of direct light. A closed in-cabinet drawer insert naturally protects spices better than an open counter rack.

Do I need to buy special jars to organize a spice drawer? No, but uniform jars make a big difference. Matching 4oz jars remove the gaps and wasted space that mismatched grocery-store bottles create, and flat lids let you label the tops for top-down reading.

A Drawer System That Does the Work for You

If you want to skip the DIY route and get a purpose-built solution, Vertical Spice makes pull-out spice rack drawer inserts in 80+ size configurations to fit virtually any cabinet. Patented Flex-Side design, ball-bearing slides, Made in USA, and they install in minutes with a screwdriver or removable tape.

Hundreds of thousands of units sold. 4.9/5 stars from thousands of customers.

No more digging. No more duplicates. No more spice avalanches. Just open the cabinet, pull the drawer, and grab what you need.