Whenever I watch cooking shows on television it makes me smile when I see those cute little prep bowls the chefs have lined up and filled with various seasonings.

Would that I could have a production assistant preparing fresh ingredients for me before I return home from work I would sweep into my kitchen and just sprinkle away without measuring, chopping, dicing or pulling out the mortar and pestle. But, no, after a day of redecorating rooms it’s ready-made spices in jars that season my cooking.

If your production assistant hasn’t shown up lately and you have your spices piled up in a cupboard where you can’t see them very well, a modern rack can make your kitchen a lot more functional and better looking, too.

In small kitchens or those with limited counter areas, wall-mounted or magnetic spice racks are great space savers. In larger kitchens a revolving stand placed on the counter, or a pull-out shelf next to the stove, can be handy for holding your favorite herbs.

And even without mini prep bowls you’ll look and feel like a pro.

(Prep bowls from Amazon.com, 1-Line Spice Rack from design2share.com
Magnetic spice rack from bestkitchencanisters.com, Magnetic spice holders from gizomodivas.com)