Spice Up Your Life

If you have ever been in my kitchen (or even have seen a picture of it), you’d know that counter space and cabinet space are both at a premium. With so little space, it irked me that my collection of spices took up one ENTIRE SHELF of the right overhead cabinet (and I only have two overhead cabinets!!). I spent years just dealing with this annoying situation because there didn’t seem to be another logical place to put them. I don’t have room on the counter tops for a spice rack, and it would have to be a HUGE spice rack anyway to accommodate all of my spices. We have pantry style storage in our adjoining laundry room, but I didn’t want to have to run into the laundry room every time I needed some salt or garlic powder or cumin. So I stewed about my tiny kitchen, until one day I had an epiphany. The entire side of my stainless steel refrigerator is exposed and it’s magnetic. Huzzah! I could attach a spice rack to the refrigerator.

This also solved another very annoying problem I have. The jars that spices come in are stupidly shaped for measuring spoons. If I need a tablespoon of garlic powder, there is NO WAY the tablespoon is going to fit into that tiny container. So you have to dump the garlic powder or cinnamon or whatever into the spoon. And spill some. Because, let’s be honest, you always spill some. Enter the 4oz regular mouth canning jar. They are wide enough to accommodate any measuring spoon and they are SO CUTE!

I just had to figure out how to stick them to the fridge. Enter these beauties. Those are neodymium magnets, which are surprisingly strong for their tiny size. They were just the thing for the job. Unfortunately I learned the hard way that those babies stick to my fridge better than super glue sticks them to the lids of canning jars. I also tried hot glue, which worked pretty well but apparently can demagnetize the neodymium magnets due to heat. A little trial and error is always at play when you’re busy being a genius. Fortunately, if you use white Gorilla Glue to stick the magnets to the lids they will stay put on the lids AND still stick to the fridge. The trick is to rough up the smooth metal surfaces with something sharp (I used a utility knife). Then clean every surface with rubbing alcohol. Then, per the package instructions, dampen the jar lid with water and add a small amount of glue to the dry magnet. Then just stick them together and let them cure the full 24 hours. I glued three on the top of each jar and have never had a jar fall. It’s been about a year and a half and those babies are still happily attached to the fridge.

Once you make your handy-dandy magnetic spice rack, don’t forget to label your jars as you fill them. Cinnamon, cumin, and curry powder all look awfully alike without a label to help you out. You can make labels however it tickles your fancy. I started out with regular label stickers but recently switched to some nifty paint pens (mine are craft smart brand from Michael’s) that can write on glass. And of course my spice rack is alphabetized because I am a crazy person.

Last, I always keep a few extra jars on hand in case I get adventurous and buy a new spice in conjunction with a new recipe. I also added a weekly calendar for chore and meal planning, a magnetic grocery list, and a magnetic pen cup (thank you locker accessories!) to get the most function out of the side of the fridge. With a kitchen this tiny, I need all of the help I can get!

What have you done at home to free up space in the kitchen or other areas where space is limited? Share with us in the comments section below!