Does your spice cabinet look anything like this? Yep, pretty messy. When I was out of town, my hubby noticed how bad it was and strongly suggested that I get the thing organized. So, I finally did.
Remember these retro spice racks? Think 1970’s, groovy apartment, cooking for yourself. Everyone has to have some nifty spices, right? I found this brand new spice rack with pretty glass bottles probably 2 years ago at a yardsale for 50 cents. And it’s been in my cabinet all this time, waiting for me to finally get to it.
Those computer skills I learned on the job have all come in handy and I knew just how to make some pretty labels in Word. I chose an oval shape, with a pretty border around it, added a pretty font and typed away. Twelve spices later, I hit print and was done. 
Cut them all out with scissors and Mod Podged them to the bottles. A little Goo Gone on a Q-tip took off any residue around the labels.
Aren’t they cute? Here’s how to make the labels in Word:
Open a Word document, click on Insert, then Shapes. Pick out the one you like, I used an oval. You can resize and drag the shapes. You can then click on Shape Outline to pick an line outline, size and weight. It might say Format Autoshape & I had to click on More lines to get this one. Play around with all of that. Then, to get the font inside the box, click on Text Box, add your text and drag it inside the box. I used Bradley Hand for my font. You will have to get rid of the box around the Text Box by clicking No Line. All this is under Textbox Tools. And you may have to click No Background if your text box is hiding part of the circle. Then when you have it like you want it, hold down Shift and click the Text Box & Circle to group them together. Then, rick click and click Copy and then Paste to paste 12 more identical circles on your page. Drag them apart and change the name in the middle and presto, you’re done. You may have to hunt down right drop-down menus for your shapes and fonts. Word seems to change things up with every upgrade and the one I have now is much more confusing than the old version used to be. It’s really easy to do though!
Ready to rock and roll in the kitchen now. 
I painted the rack black, of course, and they will be in reach under the cabinet for hubby or me (well, mostly me). 
I also took the opportunity to clean out my old spices and since I usually buy the bulk spices at Whole Foods, I’ll store them in the cabinet and refill as needed. 
Hope you got inspired to get your spices in order too. It feels good to be organized.
Not that I’m completely there. I still need to work on my closet. 🙂
What do your spices look like?
Come back on Monday for the master bathroom subway tile post! I’ve been working on it all week and it looks fantabulous! I LOVE IT!
Rhoda, I definitely need to organize mine. I love how you did those labels. I know I need to clean mine out, too. My husband would not even notice that mine are a mess though. My closet is bad, too….Kim
Those look great! What a clever idea for the labels! Good job.
Rhoda,
It was so great to meet you yesterday! Thanks again for the antique store advice. Do you garage sale a lot? I will look for you at church on Sunday!
Lucky for me we received a nice clean spice rack as a wedding gift. I love the labels you made, so Martha.
Hope you have a great weekend!
Meaghan @unexpectedgracemt.blogspot.com
I have an upper corner cabinet with a lazy susan in it that we keep our spices in/on. Even though it is dedicated to spices, it could use some organization. I do have some larger containers that seem to hide the smaller. I’ve bought more Vanilla because I thought I didn’t have it when it was behind something bigger the whole time! The trick is getting everyone who goes into this cabinet to put things back where I want them!
I must say I am one of those that when I organize it looks pretty good but I have another cook in the house and it gets m essed up frequently. I have one of those step bases so my spices look like a little choir,hehe. I also alphabetize them, I know a little OCD but I can find what I need more easily that way. I love your cute little bottles and it looks so convenient in your kitchen. You always are doing the most clever and inexpensive things. You are inspiring that is for sure, Have a great weekend,Kathysue
My spices look pretty much like your “before”. But I do have them on a lazy susan so even though they’re a mess, you can have fun spinning them around!
Great idea to get them organized. Looks wonderful.
Oh, I love it! I guess that means I’m a 70s girl at heart 😉
My mother has hers still hanging on the wall with the original spice/herbs. I suggested that we take it down & dump all the spices. A 89 yr old resounding NO came from her lips. Reasoning: “I like the way they look”. I will leave it hanging there until time to sell the house. Now you’ve given me reason to bring it home & make it over for my own use… but not the contents!
Beckie
http://sewconsult-ponderings.blogspot.com
I have those little jars, but not the rack :(. I love what you did with the labels and thanks for the tip on how to remove the residue! Looks very cute and vintage.
What a great find! The labels look fabulous, good job 🙂
I remember those, had one! Now I have one that is on a stand and turns. Love it. Nice job.
Wonderful job and so nice to reuse something so useful! Painting it black and adding the labels gave that spice rack just the touches it needed! Looks wonderful and oh so very organized! Great post!
My spices look like your first photo… not organized. You know what the bummer is? We are moving from England to Michigan and I can’t ship any of them with me! What a waste of money. I have been cooking and spicing up all the food we have left so that I can use as much as possible. I will see if any of our friends want to take them and that’ll make me feel better.
Rhoda, I HAVE one of those!! I can’t WAIT to pull it out and make these labels for it…thank you for the inspiration! 🙂
They look great! I bet your hubby is happy now 😉
My spices are a mess! I love your spice rack though!
Well I love it…I have been looking for a spice rack like that also…but I will find one sooner or later…
Please share how to make the labels in word cause I would love to make me some…
Hi Rhoda…..
Very cute…I have one of those up in the attic. haven’t thought about it in years….love the labels you made.
I have one of those step/shelves inside my cabinet…works well for me….so mine is pretty neat….although my lazy susan cabinet looks like that….lol
I love that your hubby mentioned the messy cabinet and you fixed it up…..my hubby would have only gotten the LOOK from me …. lol
Have a great week-end,
Kathy 🙂
The cabinet that holds my spices is a safety hazard. Last week I was cooking a Mexican dish, stood on my tippy toes, opened it, and a big bottle of garlic powder fell onto my head. Your spice organization idea is fantastic!
Very creative idea those labels! I love the organization you now have!