You’ve saved and dried your seeds from this year’s garden. Now what? If you’ve read our guide on storing seeds, you know that seeds are best stored in a place that’s:
- Cool
- Dark
- Dry
You may have an excellent location for storage, but what about your seed storage box? What you store your seeds in is just as important as the environment itself.
We’re going to share some seed storage box and seed organization and ideas to make your seed-saving adventure a success.
7 Seed Storage Box Ideas
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1. Bead Storage Boxes
A bead storage box can easily become a seed storage box. The compartments are just the right size to store your seeds. Just make sure that you’re either:
- Buying a dark-colored box
- Storing a clear box in a dark place (closet, basement, etc.)
Something like this organizer from Amazon would work well. Each little compartment is removable and comes in a dark color to protect your seeds.
One last thing – if you want to store your seeds in the freezer, you’ll need to check to ensure the box can withstand such cold temperatures.
2. Binders and Sheet Protectors
If you have three-ring binders, you can use them to store your seeds. Then, all you need are page protectors to keep your packets organized and safe.
Regular page protectors will work, but you can also find protectors that are designed to store seed packets, like this one from Amazon.
Essentially, these are just photo album pages. In fact, you can probably use an old photo album to hold your seed packets.
No matter whether you upcycle an old album or buy a new one, make sure that you’re careful not to crush your seeds when they’re stored away.
3. Metal Seed Storage Box
Metal boxes are also great for storing seed packets because they’re durable and easy to carry around. You can repurpose an old metal box you have at home, or you can buy one designed for seed storage.
Look for boxes that have compartments for easy organization.
If you’re saving your own seeds, you may want a box that also comes with seed envelopes, like this cute box from Amazon:
But really, any metal box will work for this purpose. Just make sure it’s big enough for your seed collections.
If you have seeds from different varieties of plants, you can use file tabs to keep your packets organized. And when planting season comes, you’ll be able to find what you need quickly.
4. Mason Jars
For many people, mason jars are their go-to seed storage box. Why?
- Many gardeners already have them on-hand
- They’re made of glass, so there’s less concern about pests
- They’re easy to stack and store
The biggest concern with mason jars is that most are clear, so you’ll still need to tuck them away in a dark place. However, you can now find amber-colored mason jars that come in a smaller size for easy seed storage.
5. Photo Storage Boxes
Photo storage boxes can also be repurposed as seed storage boxes. They’re a great way to not only keep your seeds safe, but keep them organized, too.
Photo storage boxes can usually hold 50-100 photos, so you should be able to fit at 5-10 seed packets inside. So, if you have different varieties of tomato seeds, for example, you can keep all of your packets in one photo storage box. It’s a great way to keep your seeds separated and easily accessible.
You can buy packs of individual photo boxes, or you can buy an all-in-one storage solution like this one:
6. Apothecary Vials
If you’re looking for a creative way to store your seeds, apothecary vials are a great idea. They’re just the right size for storing seeds, and the cork creates an airtight environment.
Just make sure that you have a box or dark place to store your vials and keep them organized.
7. Card Catalog
Have you ever seen a seed library? We love them just because they’re great for the local community, but they can also give you a great idea for storing your seeds. Most are kept in card catalogs that make it easy to find what you need and keep seeds organized.
You can recreate this seed storage idea at home, and it’s a great option if you have a big seed collection.
If you have an old dresser, you may be able to transform it into a card catalog.
Apothecary Cabinet- Trash To Treasure
Or, you can buy a smaller card catalog online, like this one from Amazon:
More Seed Organization Ideas
We’ve shared some great storage box ideas, but what about seed organization? Keeping your seeds organized inside of your box will make it easy to find what you need when it’s time to plant or start your seeds.
Here are some great ideas for keeping your seeds organized inside of your seed storage box.
- File Tabs: File tabs are a great way to categorize your seeds and keep different varieties in one easily accessible place.
- Cardboard Dividers: You can upcycle old cardboard to divide your seeds into categories. Label each divider to make it easy to find the seeds you need.
- Rubber Bands: If you’re looking for a simple way to keep similar seeds together, rubber bands are a great solution. If you already have rubber bands lying around, this is an idea that won’t cost you a dime.
These seed storage box and seed organization ideas will help you keep your seeds safe and protected until you’re ready to plant them. Just make sure that you’re keeping them in a cool, dark and dry place regardless of what container you’re using for storage.
Rene is a creative, little gnome. When she’s not diving deep into research on health and wellness, she’s spending here time out in nature, growing her homestead, photographing wildlife, doing yoga or enjoying a zen (depending on the day) moment with her fur babies. And on top of all of that, she’s a professional writer by day, helping businesses around the world grow.