Medicine Storage that Makes Sense
I’m a comfy, low-key kinda gal. My favorite compliment I ever receive about my home is that it’s really cozy. I love trendy home design. I love the whites and light colors that are big right now. But only if they allow my home to feel cozy.
My organizing style is much the same. If it doesn’t allow me and my people to live comfortably then it’s not working. So at our house, every time I organize I’m thinking through:
Question 1: How does our family use this space?
Question 2: What is the most functional way to transform the space now to help us to keep it organized daily?
We just went through this process recently with our medicine storage. And it was long overdue, folks. Let me just say, as a mom there is nothing more frustrating than sifting through a messy medicine container in the middle of the night to see if I have what I need for my sick kiddo. And then I magically do find exactly what I need and realize…where the heck is one of those little dosage cups?!
Life is already crazy enough, friends! There is an easier way. I had a collection of sad-looking medicine boxes stuffed into a very full container – and while at one time it was definitely in a specific order, now it was just thrown in there however it fit. It was impossible to inventory what I had and what I needed to purchase.
I started to lay out what else I had.
I had a random assortment - this same space also houses first aid items, thermometers, and soap refills. All sort of related but needing their own unique spot. At the current time, it was impossible to find anything quickly.
Before I started shopping, I considered the best process for us.
Let’s start with the meds. I like to be able to see what medicine I have without having to pull a bin down and take inventory. So for me, it was a no-brainer to use this riser which is the perfect width for the items we typically keep on hand, with enough space to put a clear bin beside it to hold all of our cough drops.
Let me digress for a moment. I am Lauren and I have a cough drop problem. When a cough shows up in our house, I tend to over-buy cough drops as if the cough has become chronic and the supply is ending soon. COVID-19 is not going to help this little problem. I keep cough drops in the bags they come in because often times I put a whole bag in my purse when a cough hits our home. But you could also take them out of bags and organize in smaller bins by type.
I laid out everything I had and decided on 4 clear bins {they come in sets of 2}, 5 clear mini cups to hold smaller items in the bin {I got these in a 12-pack and use them everywhere!}, and 1 riser. The riser would hold the medicine + dosing cups {after all boxes were tossed}. There was enough room to fit one bin beside the meds so that is for the cough drop stash and thermometers. Then the shelf above will fit 3 bins – first aid, misc health and soap refills.
Don’t forget to label.
The last step, and majorly important for keeping our space organized: the labels. I used clear bins, so labels aren’t always essential if you can see what’s inside. But I like them because it helps the rest of my family keep our systems going. And because I’m sure you are wondering…what label maker do you use? This fancy guy is what I used for the wider, black labels you see in these pics. But, quite honestly, I have this one too and it does the job just fine.
Now for the reveal.
We have some nice custom shelves up high in our master closet behind the door. This space has worked great for this kind of storage. This whole change only cost me $75 and only a couple hours of my time {plus a lifetime of happier nights I assure you} and everything I purchased was free PRIME shipping from Amazon.
What spaces in your house are driving you crazy? I would love to help you get a handle on them and find better ways to make your spaces functional. Check out more about Everyday Organize and our Organizing Services – I’m offering both virtual and in-person organizing consultations and would love to meet you!
