How to Organize Vitamins, Supplements & Medicines in Four Steps

Organize Vitamins and Medicines

Figuring out how to store and organize vitamins, supplements and medicine bottles is more important than ever!

Thankfully, it can be done in four easy steps: 1) clearing out the space, 2) properly disposing of expired vitamins and meds, 3) cleaning/sanitizing the space, and 4) organizing and re-stocking efficiently. I outline exactly how this is done below.

We are all focused on keeping our families healthy right now. And many of us have stocked up on immune boosting vitamins and remedies.

Whether you keep these items in a bathroom medicine cabinet, a kitchen cabinet or the pantry, organizing them will simplify your daily routine and prevent you and your family from accidentally taking expired meds.

And when you can see all of your vitamins in one place, you won’t waste money by buying duplicate items. (This has been a big problem in my household in the past!)

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In this article:

How to Organize Vitamins, Supplements and Medications

Step 1: Clear the Medicine Cabinet

First, remove everything from the shelves. It’s always best to start with an empty cabinet. Second, group each item by category: kids’ vitamins, adult vitamins, homeopathic remedies, over-the-counter meds, etc.

Keep all prescription medications in their own group, as they require extra care.

Next, other health-related items like toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, or skin care items should go in another group.

Finally, anything else should be removed from the space and stored in an appropriate place.

Step 2: Dispose of Expired Medicines and Vitamins

Now, it’s time to purge.

According to this article on Fullscript, vitamins and supplements have expiration dates just like medications, after which they are less potent or potentially harmful. They should be thrown away once past their expiration date.

Proper Disposal of Medications

For expired prescription medications, look for disposal instructions on the drug label or patient information insert.

If you can’t find any, contact your local pharmacy or your city’s trash and recycling service to find out if there’s a drug take-back program available in your community. Finally, as a last resort, dispose them in the trash (see below for proper steps).

The FDA recommends the following steps for disposing of expired prescription and over-the-counter medicines (including vitamins and supplements):

  1. Empty the container. To keep children and animals from eating the vitamins, mix them with something “yucky” like kitty litter or used coffee grounds.
  2. Place the mixture in a sealable container. It can be a closable plastic bag, a jar, can, etc. Anything that will prevent the contents from spilling out.
  3. Scratch, ink over or peel off the labels on prescription medication containers to protect your privacy.
  4. Toss in the trash. Recycle the empty plastic containers if possible.

Step 3: Sanitize Your Space

Photo Credit: Depositphotos.com

Wipe down all surfaces, including shelves and cabinet doors (inside and out). Next, clean any containers that feel sticky. Don’t forget the back of the cabinet and bottoms of shelves. And use a disinfecting wipe for lightly soiled surfaces; warm soap and water for dirtier areas.

Step 4: Organize and Stock the Cabinet

Organize Vitamins and Medicines
SOURCE: Organizenvy

Watch how I organized my vitamins and medicines in my web story.

To begin, it’s helpful to group daily vitamins, supplements and medicines in one area, occasional medicines like aspirin and anti-nausea in another, and cold/flu/seasonal remedies in a third.

This way, you’ll know exactly where to look when you need to take something. Any liquids should be stored together in a container to keep leaks to a minimum and make cleanup easier.

On the bottom shelf of my vitamin cabinet, I keep my daily vitamins and supplements on a Lazy Susan. I love how quickly and easily I can find anything I’m looking for.

Organize Vitamins on a Lazy Susan
SOURCE: Organizenvy

I chose a Lazy Susan with a high side so that nothing gets knocked over as I’m removing and replacing bottles:

iDesign Recycled Plastic Lazy Susan Turntable Organizer Pantry, Bathroom, General Storage and More, The Linus Collection, 9' Inch, Clear

PRO TIP: If you have a lot of vitamins, consider storing them in alphabetical order for easy retrieval.

My family uses homeopathic remedies in addition to dietary supplements. I used small plastic food containers to corral these small tubes in alphabetical order.

how to organize vitamins
SOURCE: Organizenvy

Next: organize over-the-counter medications that come in boxes and blister packs. It’s easier to store them in flat, stackable meal prep containers. Bottles can be grouped in clear bins.

I made labels to easily identify each container based on the type of medication inside (allergy meds, pain meds, antacid/nausea, etc.)

Organize Vitamins and Medicines
SOURCE: Organizenvy

On the top shelf, I store bottles of liquid cough and cold/flu/seasonal medicine on a Lazy Susan.

Organize Medicine on a Lazy Susan
SOURCE: Organizenvy

Once everything’s in place, take a step back and assess the space. Everything should be easy to see and access.

If it is, congratulations! The final step is making sure it stays this way.

The hard part is done! The vitamins, supplements and medications are organized. And with mindfulness and a few simple consistent actions, they’ll stay this way.

Best Way to Store Vitamins and Medicines

First and foremost, consider safety for your family, especially if you have children or pet.

You definitely want to aim high when it comes to storing vitamins and medications and keep them out of spaces that small children or curious puppies can access.

Next, consider the environment.

According to Consumerlab.com, vitamins and medications can degrade faster and may lose their effectiveness when exposed to excessive heat, light, oxygen in the air, or humidity.

After they are degraded, they may still be safe for you to take, but they might not have the desired effect.

Anyone who buys vitamins and supplements knows they are not cheap. They are an investment in one’s health. And even with insurance, medicine can cost a pretty penny.

PRO TIP: To protect your investment and keep your pills potent, store your bottles in a cool, dry environment.

This may mean moving them out of the bathroom cabinet (if it gets steamy from showers) and into another place. The refrigerator is another no-no due to humidity, unless you are specifically directed to refrigerate.

My family’s vitamins and medicines are kept in a small upper kitchen cabinet that’s far away from the stove. You might also consider a bin in the pantry or linen closet.

Keep the Medicine Cabinet Organized

This can be the tricky part, but it’s possible! First, always replace items in their original position as soon as they’re used.

Second, keep a bottle of disinfectant wipes in a nearby cabinet or under the sink for quick cleanups.

PRO TIP: once or twice a year, take inventory and purge anything that has expired.

Organizing Vitamins and Medicines for Daily Use & Travel

If you take vitamins and medicines daily (or multiple times a day), keeping on top of it all can be a challenge! Add to that the complexities of having multiple household members to keep track of, and travel…and things get overwhelming.

There are some great solutions out there that can REALLY help in this area. I researched and found this organizer with smart alarms that work with an app on your phone:

Monthly Pill Organizer by Ellie | Organize Pills in Seconds | Alarm & Phone Notification | Caregiver Notifications | Lights Indicate Which Pills to Take and How Many

What I love about this option is that 1) it stores up to a month’s worth of pills and 2) it will send you reminders through your phone when it’s time to take your medication. So great for people (like me) who sometimes forget to take pills on time!

Another less technical (but still effective) solution is a 7-day AM/PM organizer that will help you stay on track all week long:

AM PM Weekly 7 Day Pill Organizer, Sukuos Large Daily Pill Cases with Easy Push Button Design for Pills/Vitamin/Fish Oil/Supplements (Rainbow)

Looking for something a little less conspicuous and great for travel? How about this cute option:

XINHOME Pill Organizer Box Weekly Case– Cute Travel Medication Reminder Daily AM PM, Day Night 7 Compartments-Includes Black Leather PU Carrying Case

Organize Vitamins, Medicines and Supplements: Final Thoughts

I hope you found some helpful tips, ideas and inspiration for organizing your medicine cabinet. Any system that works for you and your family is the one you should use! Stay organized, stay balanced, and stay healthy, everyone.

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Excellent Tips to Organize and Store Essential Oils

Last update on 2024-03-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

11 thoughts on “How to Organize Vitamins, Supplements & Medicines in Four Steps”

  1. Using storage containers and boxes for pills is so helpful, really helps reduce the clutter and makes it easy to find medicines quickly at the time of emergency. Thanks for these tips!

  2. Thanks for the tips. I have 2 small plastic CD bins that I was about to donate. Now, I have a use for them- a space and money saver.

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