The sky is really the limit with those basic parameters.  I have kept my seeds in a plastic storage container with handles that snap it shut.  This kept them safe but was not a great way to stay organized for myself personally.  A possible route could be utilizing a photo album with sleeves to tuck saved seeds into.  Some gardeners have a collection of shoe boxes that are labeled by type of seeds.

A favorite YouTubers uses a lovely skinny dresser to keep saved seeds organized, almost like a mini filing system.  There really isn’t a wrong method for storing saved seeds as long as they stay dry, cool, and aren’t left sitting in direct sunlight. Pick whatever works best for your organization style. 

My own seeds are stored in picture storage boxes that were bought on sale for Black Friday at Joann’s.  Each box has 16 small boxes inside that fit seed packets very nicely.  I utilize 5 photo boxes for saved seeds (it seems like a lot, but I could really use a few more for my seed habit). 

Two boxes have produce arranged by alphabet and another two have flowers arranged in the same manner.  The 5th box is for planning the next season.  There are too many seeds to plant, so only the ones that make the cut go in that box to be started inside or direct sown in spring.

Organization Matters for Saved Seeds

Having seed organization helps you know what you have in inventory and make sure your seeds stay safe.  

Knowing what you have in inventory means knowing what you need to buy (or don’t need but can’t help yourself).  I can easily look through my photo boxes to see what I still need to purchase before it is time to start seeds again. Having them sorted by category (I.e. beans, carrots, cucumbers) makes it easy to coordinate my seed shopping cart without a huge fuss. 

This organization also allows me to be able to find which seeds I want to trade with ease.  Trading seeds in Facebook groups is a great way to get some of your wish list items that might be harder to come by. 

Keeping your seeds safe is also key.  There is nothing worse than a drink spilled over your seed packets to ruin your day.  My photo boxes keep my seeds both dry and out of direct sunlight.  They also have the added benefit of being easy to transport around the house.  This is an important feature to me because I live in a small space, so where I store my seeds, may not be the actual room I use to look through them.   

My “ready to go” box that I mentioned above is a bonus feature to think about for yourself.  For me, it saves on stress.  It allows you to take a month or two during winter, carefully curating your box while there is not a big rush to get things started.  Then you don’t have to deal with analysis paralysis at the same time as trying to decide when your seeds should be started.  

Saved Seeds From The Garden 

For any seeds that I saved myself, I sort them in 2 different ways.  I have utilized paper seed savers with a sticky fold-over to close them shut.  These are great because you can write directly on the packet.  You do have to be careful because these can easily get wet and ruin your seeds.  I think the benefit of ease and creating less waste outweighs the con of being mindful with them.  

The second option is tiny plastic zip bags.  These are much more manageable than folded over sandwich bags and also less wasteful in that particular regard.  If you are going to use plastic bags of any kind, be sure to include a paper inside the bag with the plant information, as even permanent marker will wear off eventually. Mystery seeds can be fun, but you don’t want your entire stock of seeds to be a guessing game.  

Have Fun 

Remember, seed storage is about making your life easier.  Not every gardener is going to have the same solution and that is ok.  Make sure to also have fun with it.  My photo boxes have garden stickers on them.  Your seed binders can be decorated and dresser drawers can be painted.  Personal your seed storage so it doesn’t seem like just another chore.