Clutter Busting: Organizing the Medicine Cabinet
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Organizing Ideas for Your Medicine Cabinet
Today I organized the medicine cabinet. It was a complete disaster! My medicine cabinet was so crammed full that when I opened the door, pill bottles would fall out. It was so messy that I could not even store the medicines my daughter and I take everyday inside of it. I had to leave them out on the counter. There was no room for the things we use, because I was storing so much extra stuff!
Time to do some clutter busting in the medicine cabinet! Take a look at the before and after photos!
Contents at a Glance
Clutter Busting: Organizing the Medicine Cabinet
Before and After Photos
Here is the medicine cabinet during the decluttering process. I forgot to take a shot before I started clutter busting, but I did remember after I emptied the first shelf into the white basket.
Yes, all of the clutter in the white basket, as well as a few of the items you can see out on the counter, were crammed into that itty bitty bottom shelf you see there in the picture of my medicine cabinet. Pretty unbelievable, huh?
The middle and top shelves are bad enough, but the bottom shelf was so full that pill bottles would fall out when I opened the door. It was impossible to find anything. I had tried to organize with little baskets in the past, but since I was trying to keep every kind of medicine we owned in the cabinet at the same time, it just was not working.
I decided to keep only the medicines we need everyday in this cabinet, and this is the outcome.
How do you like this tidy and organized medicine cabinet? I am so pleased with it!
I cannot believe how easy it was once I made the decision only to keep the things we use everyday in this spot. This is going to make our life much easier.
Clutter Busting Poll Number 1
How I Clutter Busted and Organized My Medicine Cabinet
- 1Working on one shelf at a time kept my organizing job manageable.
- 2I emptied the first shelf into the white plastic basket you see in the before photo.
- 3I wiped out the inside of the cabinet with a sanitizing wipe and washed the small plastic basket you see in the after photo.
- 4I returned to the basket the medicines and vitamins that I take on a daily basis. The medicines I only take as needed will go on the top shelf.
- 5I repeated these steps with the middle shelf and the top shelf. On the middle shelf I put a basket with my daughter's medicines and vitamins. I combined her daily medications with her as-needed medicines. There was space to do this without overcrowding.
- 6Turning my attention to the heaping basket on the counter, I threw out empty pill bottles and expired medications. I was left with a bunch of over the counter medicines mostly used for colds and allergies, as well as some extra ibuprofen. I put all of these bottles and boxes into a shoe box, along with a brand new thermometer I found. I secured it with a rubber band, labeled it "cold medicine" and stashed it in my tidy living room closet. Here is it accessible, but not in the way.
Clutter Busting Rule #1: Keep Only What You Use Weekly
Get Organized by Storing Seldom-Used Items Out of the Way
All of our extra medicines were decluttered and then organized into this shoe box.
I secured the medicine box with a rubber band, labeled it with an index card and then stored it in the living room closet. It is easily accessible if we need it, but it is out of the way of our daily living activities.
Organizing Medications
Clutter Busting the Medicine Cabinet
Here she tells us about how she organizes her family's medications. Great ideas! Watch!
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Organizers for Clutter Busting the Medicine Cabinet
Get Your Medications Organized!
Revolving Medicine Organize Storage Center Holder
Amazon Price: $19.98 (as of 05/30/2012)
This would not fit into my narrow cabinet or I would have bought one of these. My mother-in-law had an organizer like this for her pill bottles. She was on many medications, but this lazy susan organizer helped her keep track of them all.
More Organizers for Your Pill Bottles
Clutter Bust Your Medicine Cabinet!
Clutter Busting the Medicine Cabinet in 20 Minutes
I am following a set routine, which is helping structure the jobs. Slowly, but surely, my house is becoming cleaner, tidier and more organized.
If you would like to see what I am doing, click the link below!
Clutter Busting Poll Number 2
Locking Medicine Box
Keeps Your Prescriptions Organized and Safe
This medicine box will keep your medication safe while traveling, and it will prevent children from getting into medications in the home.
Lockable Medicine Storage Box - Keep Medicine Away From Kids
Amazon Price: $37.99 (as of 05/30/2012)
Secured by a combination lock. Holds up to 15 pill bottles of various shapes and sizes.
Share your tips for clutter busting and organizing the medicine cabinet!
What is your system for organizing medications? Is it similar to mine or different? How is it working? Do you have any tips or advice? I love to hear your ideas!
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agoofyidea
Mar 12, 2012 @ 10:05 am | delete
- This is a good project because it doesn't take long yet you get to see how well it works everyday. Blessed.
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ReviewNook
Mar 4, 2012 @ 9:14 am | delete
- This is a great lens and comes just in time for spring cleaning and re-organization. Great find! Thanks.
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poutine
Feb 19, 2012 @ 6:17 am | delete
- I have little baskets like you have.
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vallain Feb 18, 2012 @ 11:14 pm | delete
- We finally moved all our supplements and prescriptions to a shelf in the kitchen. Once a week we fill those morning/noon/night pill cases with what we will take daily. Those are kept handy and the rest of the bottles are stashed on the shelf out of sight.
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nancycarol
Feb 18, 2012 @ 10:20 pm | delete
- Actually, I can use some of these tips for other areas, even if there are no medications. Sometimes my clothes press gets so disorganized that I can't find what I need. I think reworking it to put away heavier clothes in summer and lighter clothes in winter would help tremendously, so in my spare (?) time, I'm going to work on that. Thanks for sharing your experience with decluttering your medicine cabinet.
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by Frischy
Frischy is a writer and mom in Louisville, Kentucky.
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Pocket Medicine Pack
Apex Pocket Med Pack with 7 Day Tray
Amazon Price: $4.15 (as of 05/30/2012)
This handy pill organizer lets you set up your medicines for the week, then take them with you each day. Very convenient for those who need to take a dose while at work or on the go.
