Easily Give Your Kitchen Spice Rack A Vintage Upgrade With One Simple Swap

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Decorating the kitchen is about more than just what goes on the walls or what type of cabinets and counters you have. There are smaller touches that can make a big impact, including changing out storage containers. While a spice rack feels like something that might not be part of the decor, you can shake things up by making little changes. If you have a modern home, you can effortlessly add vintage decor to give warmth and character to the kitchen. One way to do that is by swapping out the containers your spices come in with apothecary jars.

Apothecary jars come in a wide variety of interesting shapes, sizes, and glass colors. Glass jars are the best option for storing dried herbs and spices. For one, the contents won't take on the smell of plastic packaging. Glass storage containers are immune to damage from humidity. Plus, the material is inert and unlikely to react with whatever's in the jar.

Not only can you find interesting glass jars at antique and thrift stores, but if you want brand new jars, there are also lots of stores, online and offline, that carry them. You can, for example, find a wide variety of interesting apothecary-style jars at Dollar Tree, including Glass Candy Jars with Tight Sealing Lids for $1.50 each. If you prefer to shop digitally, a set of three 25 ounce UrSpeedtekLive Glass Apothecary Canisters costs less than $30. For something smaller, consider this 12-pack of Bright Creations Spell Jars with Cork Lids for about $16.

When switching over to apothecary jars, it's important that you're choosing the right size spice jars. It matters more than you think. While you might want jars that are the same size for aesthetics, you should also be considering things like how easily the contents will go into or come out of the jars and how much of each spice or herb you have. For example, dried herbs or flowers may require a bigger opening than ground spices. Examine the openings of the original packaging for clues. If you use certain herbs and spices more often than others, such as pepper or salt, you may need larger jars for them or jars that are easy to pick up when cooking.

When decanting herbs and spices into their new apothecary-style jars, wear a mask that covers your nose and mouth. Goggles might be useful, too. This is especially necessary for irritating spices like black pepper, cumin, coriander, and chili powder. Some spices can cause nasal or throat irritation if you breathe them in — or even allergic reactions and asthma attacks in sensitive individuals. Use a funnel to transfer spices from one container to another — you'll make far less of a mess. When decorating with apothecary jars in the kitchen, label each jar so that you know what is inside. Even if the glass is transparent, you might forget what a certain spice or herb looks or smells like. Use a fancy Brother P-Touch PT-N25BT Personal Connected Label Maker, handwrite on the jar with a white paint marker, or go super whimsical and buy some witchy labels from Etsy.