Medicine Storage Ideas: Even without a medicine cabinet

Medicine storage can be tricky. Whether you have a full sized, modern medicine cabinet, or sometimes just some wall/linen closet storage you can use — you can easily DIY this common trouble area into an easy way to get the storage solutions you need, even if you don’t have a medicine cabinet or much space!

Medicine Storage Ideas

I rotate through my house in areas that I need to clean/organize. Some of them I really enjoy cleaning and organizing (who doesn’t love a good organization project?) — while some of them I avoid like the plague. I must admit that my medicine cabinet is one of those places.

While I hate throwing out good products in other areas, I’m always worried I’m going to be throwing away something I need from my medicine cabinet. So, I ignore it and let it build up with who knows what until I finally give in and get in there.

Medications are great. I tend to keep a good number of things on hand since I hate going to the doctor (as do most nurses). I also have found a good storage system that keeps me from having to clean it out TOO often.

FYI, I am a nurse — I’ve been a nurse since 1997, so it’s likely I take medication (both safety and what I keep on hand) more seriously.

In fact, I shared the top medications I keep on hand in Episode 007 of the Pulling Curls Podcast which you can listen to right here:

Medicine Storage Safety

Obviously, since this is medicine, you want to make sure that you’re being safe as you store it.

Child-Safe Medicine Storage

Making sure that children who don’t know better don’t access your medicine. Ways to do this:

• Store it up high (may not work if you have a climber)
• Lock the cabinet door
• Lock up the box that holds the medicine

No matter how you choose to safely store your medicine, be sure to talk to your children about how medicine can MAKE them sick, and is not candy or a toy at ALL. Playing with medicine would be a time that I might use spanking.

Best Place for Medicine

It is best for medication to be in a dry, dark place. This often means that the bathroom cabinet “medicine cabinet” isn’t the ideal spot for it.

By putting your medicine in a cool, dark, dry place will allow it to remain as potent for when you need it. Here are some medicine cabinet organization ideas to help you have enough space for the different needs you may have.

Best system for storing medication:

For me, my system needs to do this:

• Separate medicine into different categories, so it’s easy to find
• Allow different shaped bottles to be easily stored, including small items and large bottles — like liquid medicine
• Able to grab and then toss back in when I’m done — AS, usually, when I’m using medicine I am not at my best to spend a lot of time looking for something and then putting it away.

I used to stow mine in clear plastic bins (like these) that were easy to pull out and then toss medicine in when it’s done. Storage bins, a spice rack, a lazy susan and clear bins are a great way for storing prescription medications, medical supplies, and first aid supplies.

This system worked well EXCEPT that the large medicine had to be stored on its side and it sometimes leaked.  Now that we have less liquid medicine (as our kids all can take pills or chewable) this might be more doable.

I liked the system because they were easily corraled and held quite a lot  Also, I could put newer unopened medicine at the back so we could rotate through it easier.

BTW, if you’re looking for great systems to use to organize. Check out this course — TONS of ideas that work for families in there!

Categorizing Medicine:

1.  Respiratory — that’s anything to do with airway (coughs) colds, allergies — all that type of jazz.
2.  Stomach/Vitamins — our least full bin, but when you need pepto — you NEED pepto.  Am I right?
3.  Kids — kids tylenol, and anything that’s prescribed just for them.
4.  Pain — Advil, Tylenol, Alieve, Oxycontin, etc. {giggle}  Also a place for muscle pain — ben gay, etc. Basically anything for pain relief.

Storage for Medicine Bottles

Now (as you can see below) I use bins to store mine.  I keep liquid medicine in the top bins (so the bottles can be stored vertically).

I buy GIANT bottles of Costco Vitamins, so those are behind the bins, and it’s easy enough to pull out a bin section and then reach the vitamins behind (I then fill a container like this so I have what  I need in the kitchen when I eat breakfast — I just use masking tape to make a new label(I then fill a container like this so I have what I need in the kitchen when I eat breakfast — I just use masking tape to make a new label, but if you have a label maker that would work also).

Behind them I also have some “extras”  these bins aren’t large enough to hold excess meds (and it just keeps it more organized this way)

How to store medicine without a medicine cabinet:

Many of us had parents who stored medications in the medicine cabinet (obviously — makes sense, right?) in the bathroom.

But that is the WORST place to store them.  The bathroom medicine cabinet is a dark, damp place where that moisture can make your medications expire even quicker. The bathroom is NOT the place for your medication storage.

Other places to consider storing your items:

• The Linen Closet — this is a convenient place because it’s often close to bedrooms (as long as it’s not IN the bathroom) and you can grab things quickly if you’re not feeling well. This is where I have mine.
• The Kitchen – You’ve already got kitchen cabinet space — it’s a great place to store your medications so they are within easy reach!
• Bedroom — maybe take a portion of a dresser drawer to put your medications in. It’s a great idea to use a drawer organizer or small baskets as easy ways to store medicines. Check out your local dollar store for these types of small containers.

**As I said before — If you have small children you want to make sure that the medications are out of reach and in child-safe containers.  Also, be sure to teach your children that they are NOT something to mess around with (easy to do as you take Tylenol or whatnot).

Things to remove from your medicine cabinet:

Expired medications:  They expire because after that point they won’t work as well. And I’ll tell you — when I need a Tylenol, I don’t want half a “maybe” Tylenol. Get it out! I will, however, keep expired medicines for a few years past the expiration dates. That’s up to you. 🙂

Things you don’t use:  No reason to have old medication (although, you should take your full prescription!) or other prescription drugs that were for an illness a long time ago hanging around.

Make sure, that when you dispose of medications you do so in an environmentally-friendly way.  A lot of pharmacies have places you can put medications.  Ask next time you’re in!

Of course, it can feel like you’re pouring good money down the drain (or in the garbage can).

Medications are expensive and painful to buy — but they don’t have to be that way.

And organizing things like this can make your whole life seem more simple — get started right here.

This is in a series of medicine I keep on hand.  Other posts you might find of interest are {some may be posting soon– if you don’t see it now — check back!}:

• Children’s Medicine
• Tummy Medicine
• Pain Medicine
• Cold/Allergy/Cough {Respiratory} Over the Counter Medicine

Last thing, I have a whole other post about what to keep in your first aid kit (that’s below my medicine, and also super important):