Stephanie is a writer, editor, and full-time dog petter. As Apartment Therapy’s Cleaning & Organizing Editor, she covers all the ways to make your home sparkle with decluttering tricks, cleaning tips, and organizational hacks. Stephanie holds degrees in English and journalism from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. She lives in Hawaiʻi with her husband and dog.
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I can chart my progress as a cook by the growth of my spice collection. I started out with just a couple of spices, like granulated garlic and ground cinnamon, but then slowly added others like cumin, coriander, chili powder, curry powder, two kinds of paprika, everything bagel spice, Aleppo chili pepper, garam masala, and turmeric (plus whole spices like cloves, nutmeg, and star anise).
Suffice it to say, my spice drawer has exploded. I know that showing my spices the proper appreciation means storing them away from heat and light, which can degrade them and make them lose potency. So I was delighted when my newest kitchen had a roll-out spice rack, and more thrilled when my spice containers — these chic, round stainless steel capsules — fit inside perfectly.
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But I grew less thrilled as time went on and I actually tried cooking with them. Although I had spent years searching for a spice storage solution that was just the right combination of functional and aesthetically pleasing, and genuinely thought I had found it, the powdery rainbow mess in the bottom of my spice cabinet told me otherwise. No matter how careful I was to line up the stainless steel lids to cover the holes on the side of the containers after I was done using them, I couldn’t seem to avoid inadvertently dumping spices everywhere. And wasting perfectly good spices was worse than the mess. (If you’re wondering why I don’t just use the jars the spices come in, I usually bulk-buy my spices, which means they come in bags and need to be re-homed!)
Begrudgingly, I started the search again. I admit I’m pretty particular. Screw caps and tins aren’t easy to open in the heat of the moment. Kilner glass jars are cute, but too narrow to fit my fingers in for a pinch of what was inside — plus, breakable, a likely possibility in my kitchen. I wanted something minimal, and needed something that fit my spice rack.
I finally found it almost unexpectedly, while looking at the organizational wares of a Japanese company called Yamazaki Home. The bottles are sleek and square, but with rounded edges. Outside of the metal rack they come in, they fit perfectly two-by-two in my spice drawer. Which means I can finally get my entire spice collection in the upper rack — no more kneeling to hunt for cayenne. If you don’t have built-in spice storage and want to display your collection in the included rack, it’s a striking countertop display. Even if you don’t have the same sort of drawer that I have, what is key to know here is that the jars line up perfectly, without wasting any space at all.
These containers are also see-through, which helps with spice identification until I get labels on, and made of resin, so they’re not breakable. But the key is really the lid. It toggles one way to reveal holes for sprinkling, and the other way for a slot you can use to measure larger amounts of spices. I can literally do this one handed using only my thumb.
The only downside of this spice rack that I can see is the price. Forty bucks is steep for six jars, and I need about four times that amount. But it’s a price I’m willing to pay for the convenience and finally having a spill-free spice rack. And these were clearly built to last, so I can make the investment now and enjoy the containers for years to come.
What do you use to store your spices?
Mary Cornetta has been in the professional organizing industry for over 5 years. She knew she had a passion for decluttering and organization upon graduating Marist College in 2007. Mary founded Sort and Sweet Inc., a professional organizing company, on Long Island in 2017, and has worked with hundreds of clients to clear their clutter and create functional systems in their homes. Recently relocated to Savannah, she continues to own and operate the business with the help of a talented team. Mary has been a weekly contributing writer for Better Homes & Gardens and House Digest and has been interviewed as an expert by Martha Stewart Living, Real Simple, and Health magazines. On her blog, Organized Overall, she details how she creates organization in her own home.
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
The bathroom requires regular upkeep and constant attention so that messes don’t pile up. “If you’re going to clean anything, the bathroom and the kitchen are the most important areas to clean,” shares Lori Williamson, a pro cleaner and creator behind the popularly known account NowItsClean on TikTok and Instagram, where she posts content that inspires others to try products and include her cleaning hacks into their routines.
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But once you have a schedule and checklist, it’s not so burdensome to get this done. As today’s guest cure-ator, Williamson shares her efficient and effective system for cleaning the bathroom.
Gather your cleaning supplies and let’s get to work! Plan to dedicate at least 30 minutes (or however much time you need) of cleaning per bathroom.
Let’s get everything out of the way — from the floors (trash can, bath mats, and plunger) to the surfaces (items on top of your vanity, shelves, or toilet) and in the shower or bathtub (shampoo and conditioner bottles, soap, and scrubbers). Then, remove any hair on the floor and around the toilet using a vacuum with a brush attachment.
Then, tackle the toilet. Use a toilet bowl cleaner, scrub it, and let it sit. If possible, remove the toilet seat and scrub it down in the tub or shower. Spray the toilet down with your favorite cleaner. Get the back, top, and all sides, and make sure to get the walls surrounding your toilet, too. You can flush the toilet at the very end of this cleaning session.
From there, Williamson likes to clean the shower or tub. If you have tile, clean that first; Williamson likes a powder or cream cleanser for this part. “One of the things I like that makes my life way easier [and] definitely changed the way I clean is using a tub and tile scrubber,” says Williamson. She recommends the OXO one, but you can also create an inexpensive version with a simple flat mop from a dollar store and add a microfiber pad to it. This makes it easier to clean hard-to-reach spaces, shares Williamson, plus, it makes you hit a lot of areas very quickly. Next, remove your shower head, if you can, and clean that. Now’s also a good time to address any grout issue, says Williamson. Use a detailed brush and scrub it. Before returning items that belong in the shower or tub, give them a clean and toss out anything that’s expired.
Then, clean the vanity from top to bottom, but leave the mirror for last (Williamson likes to do this in case of any cleaning product splashes onto the mirror when you’re a little too “scrub-happy”). Once you’re done cleaning the vanity inside and out, clean the mirror with long sweeping strokes to avoid streaks. Clean and return the things that belong at your vanity.
Wipe down anything remaining, like the door handles, cabinets, and knobs. Finish by cleaning the floors and all the floor-related items, like the trash can, plunger, toilet brush, and bathmats. Return them to their places. If you haven’t flushed, do it now because things are done!
WILLIAMSON’S PRO TIP: If you’re feeling brave, Williamson says you can get a UV light to really see all the spots that need cleaning. You’ll be surprised by what you find and certainly challenged to get things tidy. One often forgotten spot? The walls, especially by the vanity and toilet.
Tell us how your bathroom cleaning day went in the comments below.
The Cure Program is a tradition here at Apartment Therapy — it happens every January, April, and September. Click here to learn more about the year-round program and when to sign up.
Now, you may have them shoved in the back of a cabinet or maybe they’re sprawled out across your kitchen counters, but this all probably feels a little too cluttered for your liking. So what’s a spice lover to do? Luckily, there are a variety of organizational tools available for keeping everything from your paprika to your pumpkin spice in line. Below, we rounded up 15 of the best spice organizers you can get your hands on today. From classic jars and shelving to some more innovative finds, we promise you’ll find something you’ll love.
Have a spice organizer that you swear by? Tell us about your favorite organizing finds in the comments below!