How to Organize Medicine and Vitamins

One of the great debates between me and my husband is where to store the vitamins. Cold and flu medicine we agree makes sense to keep tucked away, but vitamins that we intend to take daily are easily forgotten when they’re hidden inside a cupboard.

The problem is, he wants easy access and convenience, I want clutter-free countertops. Finding a solution is all the more complicated by the fact that some vitamins and supplements need to be taken on a full stomach (kitchen storage), while others are best taken right before bed (bathroom/bedroom storage). 

So what is the solution? I did a deep dive into the best solutions for how to organize medicine and vitamins. Luckily there are some GREAT organizational solutions that will solve problems of both convenience and aesthetics. I’m sharing my organizing process and best discoveries below.

Declutter and Dispose of Expired Medications

Before you think about re-organizing anything, it’s essential to take inventory of what you already have. Pull out every vitamin and medicine bottle from your cupboards. Don’t ignore bathroom medicine cabinets, the back corners of kitchen medicine cabinets, and even the inside of your purse and diaper bag. 

Once you have collected all of the medicine, vitamins, and supplements start checking expiration dates. Note any medications that need to be replaced or medications that went unused and likely don’t need to be purchased again. Don’t waste money or resources on medicine your family doesn’t need!

Expired bottles need to be thrown out – but make sure you dispose of medications responsibly!

Responsible Medication Disposal Tips

@acleanbee

Safely dispose of your expired medicines using these FDA recommended guidelines #cleaningtips #organizationhacks #cleaninghacks

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The best place to start is by reading the comprehensive FDA guide to the disposal of unused medicines. To summarize, the FDA recommends removing any personal information from prescription drug bottles, then disposing of medications at a drug take-back location. 

If you aren’t close to a drug take-back location, then your next step is to determine if your medicine is on the FDAs flush list. “Medicines on the flush list are those (1) sought-after for their misuse and/or abuse potential and (2) that can result in death from one dose if inappropriately taken” (source: FDA). 

If your medicine is not on the flush list, then the FDA recommends mixing pills or liquid medicine with an unappealing substance (dirt, cat litter, etc.) in a sealed plastic bag. Throw the plastic bag away in the trash (source: FDA).

Sort into Categories

Once you have collected and decluttered your vitamins and medicine it’s time to categorize.

If your family has a large number of prescription medications, or if you like to take a wide variety of supplements then you will have more categories. Below are some common categories for medicine and supplements.

Medicine and Vitamin Categories

• Pain relief
• Cold and flu
• Prescriptions
• Vitamins and supplement pills
• Powders (protein and otherwise)

Another way to categorize would be by the time of day. Some medicines and vitamins are best taken right before bed. Others need to be taken with a meal. 

In these cases, it may make sense to store meal-time vitamins in the kitchen to take with breakfast. Bedtime vitamins might be best stored near your bathroom or bedside to take before falling asleep.

Store Medicine and Vitamins Properly

Now that you have categorized your supply of medicines and vitamins, let’s discuss good storage options. 

Best Storage Conditions for Medicine and Vitamins

• Far from heat
• Away from light
• Minimal humidity

With these conditions in mind, consider storing your medicine and vitamins in a dry, dark cabinet or drawer. A lidded box is another good option. 

But what if you are like my husband and want to see the vitamins you need to take every day? How do you keep vitamins and medicine out as a visual reminder to take your daily dose without compromising their quality?

I have a long list of ideas below for how to display your medicines, vitamins, and supplements on a countertop in a visually appealing way. 

Contain and Display

Now it’s time for the fun part – containment! Once you have determined which cabinets, drawers, or countertops will be dedicated to organized medicine and vitamins, it’s time to choose attractive containment options.

Exposed Storage for Vitamins, Supplements, and Medicine

If you can relate to the phrase “out of sight, out of mind” then perhaps you’d prefer an exposed storage solution for daily vitamins and prescriptions. Here are attractive containment options worth considering.

Pillboxes 

Maybe you’re someone who likes to pre-distribute your daily supplements into a pill box. You can use a common plastic design or invest in an elevated plastic-free version like this or this smaller size These wooden pill boxes are so beautiful, you can feel good about leaving them on display.

Decanted Daily Vitamins in Jars 

Like spices, vitamins can be decanted into matching glass jars for an aesthetically pleasing display. If you choose to decant your vitamins, choose opaque or dark amber glass jars with a tight seal. These will minimize light exposure. Don’t forget to also keep the desiccants (moisture removal packets) in the jars to minimize humidity exposure as well.

Of course, make sure to keep your vitamin and medicine jars (especially those without child safety lids) FAR out of reach of children. Label them clearly (this is the affordable non-digital label maker I use and recommend). 

I would even take labeling one step further and transfer important information like dosage and usage instructions to a sticker label on the back of each jar. I’d write expiration dates on masking or painter’s tape stuck underneath each jar to easily remove and replace every time I refill the jar. 

RELATED: How to Remove Stickers from Glass

Contained on a Tray

If you know your vitamin habit won’t stick unless you store them on a countertop, consider containing them on a pretty tray.

Lazy Susans

The lazy susan is one of my favorite inventions for an organized kitchen. I use them all the time – medicine is no exception! Use a 2 tier lazy susan inside of a cabinet for separating kids’ and adult medications. 

Use a lazy susan on your counter near your blender to contain your favorite powders and supplements. 

Magnetic Shelf

Magnetic shelves like this one are a great space-saving organizing hack for people living in smaller homes. Attach one or two to the side of your fridge for an easy containment solution for medicine and vitamins.

Wall Mounted Cubes

This is such a clever storage solution for bulk pantry items in a kitchen – supplements and otherwise. Each drawer is clear so you can visually see what you have and what needs to be replenished. 

I think this solution is best for powders because pills and capsules require minimal humidity exposure and these drawers aren’t air-tight. Regardless I could imagine dedicating drawers to protein powder, collagen powder, greens powder, magnesium powder, mushroom powder, and any other powdered supplements you’re into.

Hidden Storage for Vitamins, Supplements, and Medicine

In our home, we like to keep medicine that is used sparingly tucked away in a kitchen cabinet. But we also want the ability to see and access all of our medicines so we don’t accidentally purchase yet another bottle of kids’ Tylenol again before we need to! 

Here are a few organization ideas for hidden vitamin and medicine storage.

Repurposed Plastic Food Containers

Practical, affordable, and sustainable. If you’re transitioning away from plastic food storage containers but don’t want to throw them away – consider repurposing them for medication storage! 

You can utilize various sizes for different first-aid purposes. One container to hold bandages and Neosporin. Another container for cold and flu medicine. A third for pain relief, and so on. 

Here are more ideas for ways to repurpose plastic food storage containers.

Hikidashi boxes

Another affordable and sustainable organization solution – hikidashi boxes! You can make them yourself by upcycling small cardboard boxes or shoe boxes. Wrap them in attractive wrapping paper or contact paper and use them to contain your medicine and vitamins.

You will be minimizing waste and creating an attractive storage solution for organized medicine and vitamins.

Wood Boxes

Store wooden boxes inside of a cabinet to hold supplements and vitamins. I think this larger solution works well for people with a collection of protein, collagen, or other powders that they use in daily smoothies. It’s easy to pull out the box from a cabinet each time you plan to make a shake!

Hanging Storage Inside Pantry Door

Most of us open our pantry door multiple times per day, which makes it a great place to store daily vitamins and supplements. If you aren’t ready to drill into your cabinet or pantry door then consider a hanging shelf solution. There are great options for full-size pantry doors as well as smaller cabinets. 

Mounted Storage Inside Pantry Door

Not afraid to drill a few holes? These mounted shelf storage solutions would be perfect inside of a pantry door or on a wall near your kitchen. 

Pull-Out Shelf Rack

If you aren’t shy about drilling inside your cabinets, consider installing one or two of these pull-out shelf racks. 

Countertop Bread Box

For those with plenty of countertop space, keep vitamins and supplements inside a bread box! When closed, it becomes a dark, dry, and visually appealing storage solution for your most important vitamins.

Maintain Your Organized System

You have decluttered, sorted, and contained your vitamins and medicine. Now all you have to do is maintain your new system! I suggest scheduling time to check expirations twice a year. That is also a good time to dust and clean whatever storage containment system you invested in.

Final Thoughts

Now that you know how to organize medicine and vitamins you are better equipped to maintain daily vitamin habits and keep important medications stocked at all times. Here’s to staying healthy!