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When I moved into my first apartment after college, I had the TINIEST little galley kitchen ever. And for someone who loves to cook, this cramped space wasn't an easy adjustment (it also didn't have a dishwasher... BUT they did allow me to have a doggo, so helloooooo priorities.)
This kitchen space was so small I had to add a cabinet with a counter top AND a pantry in order for it to be functional. I quickly realized even with the added space, I had no room for my ever-growing spice collection; what I did have was a refrigerator, some tiny magnets from another craft I'd done, and a small budget to work with. I'd seen the awesome under-cabinet mounted magnetic strips for spices before, so I figured why couldn't I do something like that for my fridge? It would be functional decor!
My DIY spice tins are over 7 years old and still holding up well! There are a few things I'd do differently, so I'll cover that in the below instructions.
MATERIALS
- Printer that can handle printing on card stock
- Color ink for printer
- Cardstock
- Scissors
- Super Glue
- Metal Tins from Specialty Bottle (here is something I would change: I used one ounce tins for some of mine, and they worked but were pretty tiny - below is what I recommend, and this is the exact company I ordered from before! They have great products).
2 ounce tins (2" diameter - approximately a 1.75" label needed) - I recommend this size for spices you use sparingly (for me, these are saffron, cardamom, marjoram, etc)
4 ounce tins (2.6" diameter - approximately a 2.3" label needed) - I recommend this size for your staple spices you use frequently, but don't use every day (for me, these are curry, nutmeg, ground mustard, dill, etc)
8 ounce tins (3.2" diameter - approximately a 3" label needed) - I recommend this size for your every day spice or for blends (for me, these are cinnamon, Pork Rub Blend, Italian Blend, Oregano, Basil, etc)
When ordering your containers, I recommend making a list of what spices you want in each size tin so you can get to work as soon as all of your supplies arrive!
- Prints for the Background of the Tin Labels I've always loved botanical prints and drawings, so that's the style I used for mine; if you prefer something more modern or a different style, just search for high res images or visit WikiMedia Commons Images to find images you can use without penalization).
I used Canva to make these labels, so all you'll need to do is click the below links for the template and you can customize however you like!
GET THE BOTANICAL PRINTS WITH SPICE NAMES (you'll notice I made duplicate spices in different sizes, which is in case you want a big, medium, or small container for a certain spice. I did these in Canva, which is an amazing little design platform, so feel free to DIY your own!)
Now it's time to get crafty!
INSTRUCTIONS
Once your containers arrive, start out by washing your tins thoroughly and then drying with a towel.
Keep the lids off of the containers after washing them.
Flip all tins over with the bottoms up and grab your magnets + glue. For the small 2 ounce containers, one magnet should be fine; for the 4 ounce and 8 ounce tins, consider using 2 magnets, especially if your spice is dense. . If you're OCD like I am and don't want your spice tins to spin, definitely use 2 for the 4 ounce and 3 for the larger 8 ounce tin! Make sure you space your magnets a bit apart when gluing them on the back of the tins to ensure your containers won't spin as easily as well.
While your magnets are drying, begin printing off the labels you want to use.
Cut out the labels - I started with a bigger circle than I probably needed and then cut down from there to ensure it fit on the top of the tin with about a .25" rim around the edge.
If you are creating your own labels by hand, I recommend doing it before you glue them on - it will be much easier!
Use little dots of glue (not a lot because you don't want it to seep through the paper) to glue your labels onto the tin tops.
Collect all of your spices and start filling your tins!
If you give this craft a whirl, we'd love to see your concept -- Share on Instagram or Facebook and tag us or use #mountainlaurelcatering.
I hope you enjoyed this practical little craft for your kitchen! Stay tuned for recipes you can make right at home -- sign up for our mailing list to stay in the loop on everything we're doing over here at Mountain Laurel Catering!
-- Lauren