These medicine storage ideas will help you organize your medicines so you’ll be able to find what you need when you need it!
12 Medicine Storage Ideas
How many times have you gone hunting for a medicine to find it expired two years ago? Yup I’ve been there. Or worse – you find some pills detached from the package and have no idea which medicine it is! Each one of us has medicine in our home, and when we need them, we need them to be easy to find. And perhaps most importantly, not expired!
Reasons to have good medicine storage
Find medicines fast when you need them
Reason number one you shouldn’t have all of your medicines stuffed in a drawer is because when you are sick or have an emergency you need to feel better FAST! When you know exactly which medicine is where, you’ll easily be able to get what you need and be on the road to feeling better.
Keep a close eye on expirations
Another reason to have systems around medicine storage is because you want to be using a FIFO (first in, first out) system with expirations. Don’t waste money on a new package of cold medicine if you still have one hidden in the back of the cabinet. Keep older medicines toward the front, and open bottles in order of expiration (if you have more than one). Toss expired medicines as soon as you notice them so you don’t accidentally ingest.
Keep them out of reach of children
Lastly, you don’t want the “delicious tasting” cough syrup where your kids could possibly take some. While a bathroom drawer is convenient, choose a spot that is out of reach for younger kids.
Here is our medicine storage area – a nook in the kids bathroom
Medicines are up and out of reach, easy to access for those middle-of-the-night wake-ups, and organized. While in a perfect world there would be a door on this nook, I’m workin’ with what I’ve got for now! Pretty baskets
12 Medicine Storage Ideas
Here are some organization tips we use in our house and a few storage ideas I brainstormed for you!
1. Lazy Susans Rule The World
I used to have our medicines in a basket that’s I’d pull down so from above I could only see the tops. I recently bought these two lazy susans in black to match our fixtures and now I can easily find kids’ medicines in a twirl. The larger one has the bottles with a jar of thermometers in the center, and the smaller one holds all the cups and syringes for dispensing.
2. Use jars or mugs to store accessories or creams
Thermometers, toothbrushes, and tubes of cream can be stored vertically in a mason jar or pretty mug.
3. Write expirations big on the side or bottom of bottle
One idea for expiration dates is to write them in a Sharpie on the lid or side in BIG letters where you’ll easily be able to see them. Then you won’t have to hunt for the fine print just to check.
4. Store medicines in a dark, dry place
Medicine and pills should be kept away from sunlight and moisture, so when you’re thinking about storage solutions, keep this in mind. While our kids’ medicines are stored in a bathroom, it is not a “hot and steamy” bathroom since we mostly use it for kids’ baths. If you have a small bathroom with little cabinet space, think about other spots like a kitchen cabinet, a high shelf on the linen closet, the back of doors, a dresser drawer in your bedroom, or in your master bedroom closet.
5. Use plastic storage bins with labels for closets
Small clear storage bins like these or these are great to group medicines together and label on the outside. They are easy to pull out when you need them, especially if you group like medicines together. This post has great example photos!
6. Use small containers to divide drawers
If you’re using drawers, small, flat containers or a drawer organizer will help keep medicines from shifting around. We keep our adult medicines in a deep drawer upstairs, and I have several plastic sections from the dollar store to keep types divided. Contact paper would make a drawer bottom so pretty!
7. Consider a spice rack!
Hanging storage solutions are always a good idea! Consider putting a spice rack on the inside of your bathroom or linen closet door. This is perhaps THE most effective way to see everything at once if you have a good spot for it. This one could sit on a closet shelf and this one could be mounted. Be sure to think about the size and height of your bottles before you go all in on one!
8. A carrying tub is handy
Another idea is to prepare a “caboodle” style tub that you can carry with you. A portable medication organizer works well for a sick child in the middle of the night or an bandaid needed in the backyard. This one is cute!
9. Use pretty baskets for everyday items
Keep everyday items within reach. I have some baskets to organize all of my kids personal care items, and I use baskets in baskets to keep categories organized. From toothbrushes in mugs to flossers and nail clippers in little bowls, use whatever dividers you can find around the house. If you have a medicine cabinet, store only the everyday essentials and move other less-used items to any of the other storage ideas so you don’t have things tumbling out.
10. Over The Door Storage
A shoe storage organizer or a wire rack that fits over a door would work well too, especially if you have the perfect door that is tucked away (like an extra linen closet or extra bathroom closet). A hanging jewelry organizer could store smaller packages, pills, and first aid medical supplies. This post features a well-organized wire rack.
11. Use a multi drawer organizer
I bought our aqua blue organizer for this bathroom years ago from Lowes. It’s tucked into the nook and fits perfectly in the space. Each drawer has a different category, and I have one for each of my children. Inside are extra personal care items like toothpaste or boogie wipes! If you don’t have space for a larger piece, the small plastic organizers to store your medicines work too. Just A Girl Blog has a good example of these!
12. Group Like With Like and Label
I love simple chalkboard labels, although you can see wet hands can post a problem. I haven’t re-done mine in a few years! A label maker is always a fun way to add some pretty to your mundane too.
Laura says
Maybe you give your kids medicine more often than me bc I never put this much thought into storage!!
Also there are plenty of sources that strongly suggest expired meds can be okay. Something to consider if you’re trying to eliminate waste (and save time). A quick search will lead to some info on this.
Kath Younger says
I’m not worried about one month expired but I’ve seen years past in my grownup drawer!
Anne says
Love your idea for expiration dates! I always find myself hunting for the tiny numbers right when I’m trying to use the medicine. As a mom of curious boys who are also good climbers, I’ve always felt more comfortable with our meds being locked. You can buy fancy locking boxes for this purpose, but we’ve found that a basic plastic toolbox from lowes with a master lock works great.
Kath Younger says
My boys hate medicine, so I don’t have this worry, but that is a great tip!
Molly says
Yep many expired drugs are still efficacious even TEN YEARS after the expiration date! -a primary care doctor
Christine Whittington says
I can’t look at a lazy susan like this without thinking of the “Tiny Little Super Guy” on Sesame Street!
Kath Younger says
Googling that…