We get it, you aren’t exactly addicted to your essential oils…you just have several (hundred) bottles laying around. But no one likes a disorganized ugly cardboard box full of essential oils, so today we’re talking everything essential oil organization.
Want to add to your essential oil collection before you organize?
Here’s our top 10 essential oil organization hacks!
1. Alphabetically
This one is obvious, but putting your oils in order from A-Z just makes sense. It’s easy to find what you need, as long as you know the first letter of the name.
2. By essential oil type
Citrus, florals, synergies…organizing your oils by type makes it easy to find what you need when you want a citrus note for that DIY you’re making.
3. By essential oil use
If you’re an essential oil expert, this is one of the most efficient ways to organize your collection. You’ll know exactly where to reach when you have a headache and are looking for a little relief, or which oils you can safely use on your kiddos.
The best tools to use for organizing your oils:
4. An essential oil organizer or journal.
Plant Therapy makes the cutest organizer and journal for keeping track of your EO’s, and gives you the perfect place to make notes on your oils, your personal blends, and which oils you use for different situations.
You can buy your own essential organizer/journal on Plant Therapy, starting today!
9. A clear makeup bag (for travel)
Yours doesn’t have to be a fanny pack, but if you’re traveling and want to take your favorite oils (and see what you have with you), a clear makeup bag is an easy, cheap hack. Bonus: If there’s any spillage, a clear plastic makeup bag is easy to wipe clean!
Bonus tip: A great oil we love for our essential oil travel kits is Lavender. Not only can it help you ease into sleep at the end of the day, but it can also calm you on a plane ride, or long car trip. Plus, it’s KidSafe!
6. An essential oils organizer box.
If your collection is smaller, think about investing in a pretty wooden box. You can practically use it as home decor, and just open the top to see all your oils in one place.
Plus, there are tons of different sizes, from boxes that hold just 3 oils to boxes that hold 55!
7. An essential oils binder.
This is my friend’s favorite: She has her (extensive) essential oils organized in a binder. Easy to grab and take with you on road trips, or keep in the car.
8. A clear dollar store makeup organizer
Another dollar store hack: Use those clear makeup organizers (already designed for holding small bottles) for storing your oils! This makes it super easy to see all your oils, and is perfect for storage in the bathroom.
5. A kitchen drawer + drawer organizer (like for utensils)
Have your oils always on hand by storing them in a drawer, using cheap dollar store drawer organizers. This way, you can easily store them by oil type, or use, but if you’re lazy like me this method still doesn’t require you to like, actually put oils away in neat little rows. Because ain’t nobody got time for that!
sorry im new to this but I thought the oils had to be kept away from daylight.
Hi Lorraine, A cool dry place is best for them. It is okay if they are occasionally in the sun, but they would shorten the shelf life of the oil. We hope this helps!
I organize my essential oils alphabetically. There are so many ways they can be organized. Recently, I re-organized my oils. They’re still alphabetical in a sense but I separated the kidsafe from non-kidsafe. This way when I open my case I don’t have to look up the oil to see if it is kidsafe. I’m also working on putting together a binder and an excel file with all the important information about each oil I own. My goal is to eventually pick up any bottle of essential oil and know all about that oil. But that’s going to take a bit of time. 🙂
I love the dollar store lipstick hack. I’m running out of room. That seems like a great place to relocate a few of the oils.
As a Witch, I write my recipes and blends down in my Book of Shadows; however, the journal might still be very useful, as I come up with my own uses for different oils.
I never even thought to put your oil blends in your Book of Shadows. That is the perfect place to keep a master list and the maybe a quick reference journal might be good too! Awesome idea! That gives me motivation to organize my Book Of Shadows a bit better.
I organize my oils alphabetically, but I also have an excel spreadsheet on my computer where I can sort by Latin name and usage as well as common name, I store my recipes in an index card box, sorted by type of recipe.
I own two boxes: one for singles and one for blends. Within those boxes, I group oils based on type (citrus, florals, pain aids, etc.). It helps me locate things quickly. I also just purchased one of the binder cases, but I’m not sure yet how I’ll use it. Maybe for my most used oils?
Thanks for sharing, Janae! Everybody has their own favorite way to organize 🙂
I bought 2 plastic spice rakes at Walmart. Each level is wide enough for 2 bottles deep. So I cut strips of styrofoam and made another level a little higher on each level. So instead of 3 levels i have 6 levels. They work great. On my bedside table and kitchen counter I am using the makeup organizers.
This sounds like an awesome idea!
Too cute! And a great way to get organized!
Great ideas. I was going to buy another soft case but I’m going to check out the dollar store first. Thx!
I also like to use a check and cross system to grade my experience of an oil. Three checks for ‘love it,dont ever be without’ all the way down to three crosses for ‘terrible, never buy again’ along with a section to comment on why my grade, and notes on strength of aroma etc.
Love the look of this organizer (something I will hopefully be able to afford to purchase next time!)
Would so love for you guys to develop and app! – pretty please with a cherry on top!
Thanks for all the tips! Love the journal!
Love these! I recently built a shelf to store some of my oils and other oily products on. Definitely will be purchasing the organizer book!
I love the idea of having an essential oil journal, I never thought of it but it is a great way to keep track of my oils and the different blends. I also really like the dollar store makeup organizer hack. My husband just bought me the perfect wooden storage for all my extra oils since I always keep more then one bottle of my favorite oils on hand. The essential oil binder also looks like a great idea.
Glad this was helpful! Do you plan on trying any of the hacks? Which one?
The binder looks awesome!
It definitely is awesome!
When I get more to my collection, I’m going to organize a to z, makes the best sense in my head. I want to get a binder too! Great idea.
That’s how I organize mine, too, Lauren. Everyone likes to do it in the way that makes sense to them!
I love these ideas. I have tried different ways of organizing my oils and I have found that for me the alphabetical works best. I keep track of my oils the easiest with this method. I keep blends and synergies separate from single oils however. I also put a sticker on my bottle when I open it and another sticker with the expiration date based on the PT charts for shelf life. That helps me have an idea of how long the bottle will be therapeutically effective. Thank you PT!
Glad this was helpful!!
Thank you for always helping us on every aspect of the oily world
That’s what we’re here for!
Great post. I organize my oil alphabetically. Single in one case, synergies in another. It’s what works for me.
Finding something that works for you is what’s most important!
I am fairly new to oils but keep mine in the wooden boxes, alphabetically. I have a box for singles and one for synergies.
Great idea!
These are all great ideas!!! Maybe plant therapy will sell more variety of organization in the future!!!
You never know what we have up our sleeves!
Great ideas here! Thanks for sharing.
So many great ideas. Looking forward to organizing my stuff
I really like these ideas, especially the clear tiered case. Any suggestions on organizing with different sized bottles? Most of mine are 10ML but I have a few 30ML that don’t fit in my plant therapy box.
I usually just keep my bigger bottles in a tray together by themselves.
I have recently just gotten into oils and I have a small collection. I don’t have anywhere to put them or organize them so they have just been sitting on my kitchen counter next to the diffuser! These ideas are great! I love that there are cheap dollar store tricks & more expensive ones if you want more storage.
Glad you enjoyed this post! Let us know which hacks you find to be most helpful!
Love these hacks! What great ideas all of these are but especially the clear make-up bag…you can see what’s in it at a glance, easy to clean and would contain any spillage that might happen.
Glad you enjoyed this post! Which hack are you going to use?!
Great post! I hope you guys come out with refills for the organizer soon… And maybe release the organizer in a beautiful plum purple?!
I love the make up organizer idea! I’ll be on the hunt for one (or 5!) of those now!
It’s a genius idea, and it definitely makes a huge difference!
I use an essential oil binder that holds 100 bottles, and they are in alphabetical order. BUT, I didn’t have enough room in my binder for all my oils, so I also have a large essential oil wooden box, and they continue in alphabetical order where I left off in my binder. I am probably going to have to order another binder, lol. I am currently working on a notebook filled with all kinds of information and recipes (personal use only) and making my own organizer/journal, but not as cute as the one above.
I just ordered my organizer! I can’t wait to get it! How many single oil pages are there?
There are 20 pages, front and back. So 40. :]
These are great ideas. I definitely need to get a journal, not only for organizing but for recipes! I love making roller bottles.
Glad you enjoyed this post!
These are all great ideas! I store most of my oils wooden essential oil boxes in my basement, except the citrus oils and others high in Monoterpenes in my fridge, and the ones I use up quickly on my bathroom counter in a dollar store divider box. I keep my oils in alphabetical order, but I recently started an Aromatherapy Certification program, and I’m now thinking I may want to organize by effect.
Glad this was helpful for you! 🙂
I have 2 cases, one for synergies and one for singles. Each case is then divided into kid safe or not kid safe and the bottles are in alphabetical order. I love the clear makeup holder and drawer organizer but I live in south florida and it is so hot(!!!) so both of my cases are refrigerated.
Sounds like you have a great system that works for you. 🙂
I keep some oils in the wooden box I ordered from PT! Great for large bottles and the oils I don’t use frequently! I keep the oils I use for my skin regimen in the bathroom, i.e., Anti Age, Elena, Neroli, Skin Restore. I do love the makeup holder idea and fully intend to pick one up for better organization!
Sounds like a great system!
As always great ideas
Glad you enjoyed it!
I love these tips and can’t wait to get my eo journal. I hope you all carry refill page eventually but in the meantime I love knowng tthat I can buy filler paper to add to it as I need.
We will definitely be adding refills! 🙂
Love this! I alphabetize all my Plant Therapy oils too!!
Glad it was helpful!
The clear makeup holder!! Oh my gosh! That is genius. And off to the dollar store I go….
I love the little binder you have! I’d been looking for something like that, since I formulate essential oil blends for my YouTube channel! (Just purchased it and can’t wait to receive it!) I have an extensive EO collection that is organized alphabetically, though I separate my single oils from my synergies. They’re all stored in a few partitioned wooden boxes. I have some at my workplace (massage therapy), but most are kept at home. I should totally get a small clear make-up stand for those oils I keep on a tiny shelf at my bedside! Organization is never a bad thing!
The binder is amazing! 🙂
The journal looks so beautiful. I really needed this organizational post, thank you!!
Enjoy it!!!
I love the wooden 3 tier storage boxes that purchased from PT. I organize my single oils alphabetically in the boxes and store my blends in bamboo box.
They are super nifty, aren’t they?!
Love it! Can’t wait to get one. I’m a natural organizer.
Enjoy it!
I have binders filled with PT info and am so excited about the journal! Adding to the wish list for the next order!
Hopefully you enjoy it!
Wow love the idea with the clear make up stand totally wanna do that
I ordered the essential organizer! I can’t wait to get it! I have something similar but this one is much nicer.
Enjoy it!
what great ideas! I use an acrylic nail polish organizer and arrange by use, but I think I need to get some sort of travel organizer too.
Glad this was helpful!
My favorite way to store mine is in silicone icecube trays. The squares hold the 10ml bottles and keep them upright when the drawer is open and closed.
Good idea!
Can’t wait to get my planner! When my computer died, I thought I had lost all my formulas. Fortunately I had a copy of the file. Now I can jot things down, and my children will have a treasure to fight over some day….hee hee
Hopefully you enjoy it!
I have a smaller box that fits 25 for all the KidSafe blends (all alphabetized) and a larger box for all singles and non-KidSafe blends (also alphabetized). I use the clear makeup stand for all my inhalers. I love that the tiers make it easier to see the labels I’ve put on the outside. Quick and easy to grab!
As an organization nerd, I love love love this post! Thanks so much for all of the ideas on the different ways to organize and keep track of oils. Also, I’m so glad there is now an official Plant Therapy journal for essential oils. It looks super cute, and I can’t wait to get it!
I love the journal and on my wish list I will order the extra pages if I need them
TY soo much for the sale
It makes it easy to budget items I really need Hildy
We’re so excited to be able to offer it!
I agree that having the labels on the top is great! My mom and I got into oils last year, so I keep trying to find good ways for organization. She had hers in alphabetical order and I never even thought to do that! haha This post is great to help get more organized! Thanks!
Glad you love it!
I definitely need this!
We think so, too! ☺️
Love these ideas and really loving the organizer journal!
Im off to the dollar store for the makeup tray…why didnt i think of that.
Do you offer a “recipe book” for using essential oils.?
There are recipe pages in our new planner, or we have recipe books on our download page, http://www.planttherapy.com/downloads
No 8. I have a larger size that I use on a hanging wall shelf. I put roll ons and small decanted bottles of frequently used singles and synergies on. That way they are in easy reach and I dont have to go in my mini fridge to get ones I use frequently.
I organise my oils by grouping them (kidsafe/non kidsafe, then into singles/synergies) then alphabetising them. Oh how much I WANT the journal!!! It is already in my wish list, I need to be careful what I spend on at the moment, but otherwise it would already be in the mail!
My organisational dream would be to have a case where I could store all the different sized bottles and rollers in one place. Unfortunately the shipping to Australia on the wooden one that PT stocks is well outside my budget and I’ve not seen anything like it locally. …One day…
your eo journal is so pretty!
I love how Plant Therapy keeps coming up with new ways to take my money haha
The new journal looks awesome, I can’t wait to get it!
Thanks for all these great tips for organising oils. Love the nail polish stand idea.
I have an acrylic nail polish stand that use, also use wooden boxes that I keep in my top nightstand table. On the go I use a make up bag for bottles and for rollers a clear plastic pencil bag, they fit perfectly in it. I’m Looking forward to getting my journal!!
I have mine organized by type and I cannot wait to be able to order the new journal to help me stay organized! Please oh please be part of the week 4 CAM!
We’re sure you’ll love it!
I have mine separated individual oils vs blends (synergies) and then alphabetically in those groups. 🙂 Right now I keep all of my blends on a shelf in a silverware holder in my “oil fridge,” and all of my individuals inside a carrying case on a different shelf in my fridge. I love being able to grab the individual ones quickly for when I’m creating my own blends or taking them with me to my office. Seriously considering getting the journal/organizer. Thanks!
I keep my individual oils and blends separate also. Makes sense to me
I love all of these tips and cant wait to start using some of them. I would like to group my oils by type I’m just a bit overwhelmed by how to get started. But I did just order the binder and I’m excited about getting it and getting started.
Once you dive into it, it becomes easier, and you’ll have a better understanding of your oils. 🙂
Love the idea of organizing by use. And the organizer looks amazing!
I organize by type. I would love the binder. I keep forgetting my blends and this would be great to have!!
You should get it! It makes organizing essential oils super easy!
These are some really great ideas. I already use a few of them myself but I’ll be trying a few more and that journal will absolutely be in my next order. I’ve been looking for the right one to use for a while now and this is perfect!
I love the tips (I’m an alphabetical girl) and think the binder is so beautiful. I would buy in a heartbeat if 1) there were refills available for when you fills the enclosed sheets and 2) if there was a way to print out the amazing information sheets you guys make for your oils that would fit inside this planner. May buy it anyway and hope those things are available in the future!
Yes, I totally agree. The information sheets are wonderful. I am always giving essential oils as gifts and I like to enclose the information sheets for safety purposes. Some of the products do not have an information sheet so I have made my own. I would absolutely love to have information sheets that fit into the organizational book. I just ordered one yesterday and excited for it to come in.
I love that new journal!! I will definitely be adding it to my wish list!!!
I was so excited to see the new essential oil planner in my email! It will definitely be added to my next order just received an order today!! I also love how you send the bottles with the labels already on the caps very cool! I’m so glad I did my research and found PT❤️
We hope you love it!
I am so excited about this planner. Great way for me to track dates of all my oils. ❤❤❤
I’m so excited to order the Essential Oil Organizer Journal. I’m am a planner NERD and I can’t wait to add this to my shelf!
Will there be additional refill pages we can order?
There will be refill pages for sale, though there is not a set date yet.
Love this! I organize my eo’s by type, works great for me. I love organizing (I know, I’m weird lol). Can’t wait to get the binder! Thanks for listening to your customers, it’s truly appreciated!
I love that these oils come with a label on the top that you don’t have to pay extra for! I keep mine in the kitchen drawer and it makes it so easy for me to find the one I need!
Glad you love them!