Containing the Chaos: Essential oil storage & organization

*****First things first... I'm sorry. I know I've owed you a blog post for quite a few days now. I was just not able to bring myself to write it. Even though I really like this blog, sometimes my fear (read paralyzing terror) of writing gets the best of me. However, if you are ever searching for information you may always just message me on FB. That's easy! Now, on with it...

Storage...Where to start....

For starters, my location and system has morphed and changed as my EO usage and needs have changed and grown. I wish there was a good answer of "this is how you organize your EOs, and it will always work great"! But *sigh* it is not that easy. You need to do what works for you at this moment. Then give yourself grace to change it when your need changes. For this reason I am going to show you several stages of my storage journey.

In the beginning I had a few bottles on my kitchen counter. That’s it. They just sat there out in the open. I then gathered them and the few more I bought into a small plastic box that sat on my counter.

Bonus! The box made my oils easily portable so that I could move them around. Then the box was moved into my kitchen cabinet once I learned that sunlight (and curious hands) are not really good for oils. So, whenever I needed one I would reach into the cabinet and pull out the whole box, get what I needed, and return the box to the cabinet. This worked pretty well for my small box. 

But as I've stated in previous posts, once I start something....I had to move into a bigger shoebox because I had grown my oil collection, as well as the accessories I used with them. Now pulling the shoebox out every time became inconvenient, as it was heavy and less sturdy. I feared for the safety of my oils! This became an issue and started the search for a better answer.

Setting up your system

The first thing you need to decide is location.

For me, this was the kitchen. This is where our “medicine cabinet” had been located; Where my family was used to going for Tylenol, allergy meds, first aid, etc. My start with EOs was to replace those OTC meds. The kitchen is in the center of our home so it is convenient, and a gathering place. I will mention, though, I DO NOT have the added challenge of little hands exploring in my kitchen. If I did, my plan may have been different. My youngest is 13.

When I started to think about this post I figured I would show you my oil drawer, where I keep “all my oils”. Honestly, as I really thought about it, I’m more spread out than that. Below is a picture with labels of my essential oil drawer.

Some closer pictures so you can see better...

This is the main location where I keep the majority of my oils. I work out of this drawer (located in my kitchen island) several times a day. It started with a regular silverware tray organizer in it, then I finally acquired this adjustable bamboo tray – works soooo much better! 

I do have to tilt my oils to get my drawer to close, but hey – I don't get everything I want… My girlfriend has a custom drawer in her kitchen that is deeper. Her oils can stand up in there. I remind myself regularly “thou shalt not covet my girlfriend's kitchen drawer”.

I keep several things in my kitchen cabinet still as well.

My bee's wax, empty bottles, capsules, summer bug and sunburn sprays. Extra salve I've made for gift giving, empty jars, peppermint spray for spiders/bugs, the list goes on. Basically stuff too big for the drawer.

Didn't clean it up for you - I'm real

This shelf has my FCO, alcohol free witch hazel, rose water, empty lip balm tubes, empty 4 pack containers (I know they are good for something, someday).

I keep a few things on my bathroom counter (welcome to the real me… no OCD organizing gene here), 

and two by my bed. (yes, those are the bobby pins I forget to take out every night before I'm already in bed, oh and my hearing aides. I'm sorry, what did you say? :)

I've already shown pictures before of what I keep in my purse, but here it is again for good measure.

Holds 30 bottles

If you are a on the go person - SN offers these great travel bags for your oils too. The possibilities of how you store your oils is endless.

I have found that the key for me is to keep things where I can easily grab them and use them. If I have to go to the kitchen to get my dream blend before bed – I don’t. That simple. This means that I do keep some doubles also. There is healing salve and pain salve in both the bathroom and the kitchen. I keep a Relief roller and LLP roller in both my purse and the kitchen. You get the idea.

I hope this has helped you get ideas on how to create your own, usable system for your oils. Once they are easy to get to, and convenient, you will find yourself incorporating them into your life more often. If you have ideas on how to store your oils, please share them in the comments! We'd love to learn from you as well.

Happy organizing.

Wendy