Cabinets

Cabinets and Containers: How to Organize

When you're starting out, you'll want to decide how to organize and store your seeds. There are many options available, from simple boxes on a shelf to rolling carts, repurposed card catalogs, or even outdoor book library units. You can turn your storage solution into a piece of art or creatively repurpose containers to match your needs.

Questions to Consider 🤔

How big is the space you have?
Will the seeds be at in relatively stable condition?
How much money are you budgeting?
How accessible is your seed library to the general public?
Does the cabinet hold only envelopes or can it hold jars?
How will you organize the cabinet?
Does information need to be in multiple languages or provide visual information to increase access

Size of the Space
Take measurements of the space that is allotted for your seed library. It is a good idea to have an area for signage. Many seed libraries also showcase other resources, such as related seed saving and gardening books and brochures. As you go about getting a container to store your seeds, visualize how to maximize the entire space for ease of use.

Budget
The cost of the container is often a factor. Many librarians have repurposed old card catalog units found in their storage. Another common idea is to use shelves that you already have on site and find wooden boxes or even shoe boxes to house the seeds. While other folks obtain cabinets on free sites or from individuals selling personal items online. If you are in a public library, you may also ask if the Friends of the Library group can support you in obtaining a container.

Seed Storage Conditions
Seeds will have a longer shelf life if they are stored in cool, dry conditions. For many seed libraries, the turn over in seeds is quick so long-term storage isn’t an issue.

Outside
If you have an outside library, you may decide to pull seeds inside if the temperature gets too hot or you may choose to store seeds in jars with desiccant packages if it rains a lot or the area has high humidity.

Instagram post from Napa County Seed Library, Napa, California, USA.

Matching Sizes

Envelopes or Jars? Before getting a container you’ll want to decide will your seeds be in jars, envelopes, or a mix of the two. (Visit our Envelopes and Labeling page to learn about pros and cons of each packing system as well as best practices.) For example, if you use envelopes of a certain size, make sure they will fit into the drawers. Putting seed packets sideways can work, but only if the seeds are individually pre-packed. In other words, people are not taking seeds out of a larger envelope as it would likely not seal well and seed would spill.
Size of Collection: Determine how big of a container you need for your seed collection and if there is space to grow your collection. While deciding on this, you also want to determine how you will be organizing your seeds. There are many ways you can organize it and based on how you do this, it will impact the number of drawers or dividers you need.

Organizing Your Seeds

Organizational System	Pros	Cons
Alphabetical: All seeds together organized alphabetically by common name	Easy to find things.	Not as accessible to other language speakers unless you have a bilingual chart. Might be harder to assess what is in the collection since everything is together.
Alphabetical: Split flowers, vegetables, and herbs into separate cabinets or drawers and then organize alphabetically.	Easy to find things.	Not as accessible to other language speakers unless you have a bilingual chart.
Plant families: Vegetables are organized by plant families.	Provides an opportunity to educate people about seed saving. Ex. “Super easy” crops. People may be able to find a similar plant if what they want isn’t available. Ex. They want collards, but you have kale.	Requires good signage for people to find seeds. (Can have an A-Z plant chart saying which drawer seeds are located in.)
Season: Vegetables are organized by if they are planted in warm or cool seasons.	Helps people plant seeds that are more likely to grow at that time of year.	Requires signage so people can find seeds. (Can have an A-Z plant chart)
Season and Plant families: Vegetables are organized by cool or warm season crops and then divided into families.	Helps people plant seeds that are more likely to grow at that time of year. Provides an opportunity to educate people about seed saving. Ex. “Super easy” crops.	More appropriate for larger collections.
Type of Plant: Annual, perennial, shrubs, vine	Provides valuable information about the type of plant to help people select appropriate species NOTE: This may be a helpful system for native collections.	Not a useful system for a vegetable and flower collection.

Repurposed

Shelving & Racks

Cabinets & Dressers

Boxes, Bins, & Binders

Outside Seed Libraries

Offering seeds outside can have it's challenges as ideal storage conditions are cool and dry, and preferably at a consistent temperature. If you have an outside library, you may decide to pull seeds inside if the temperature gets too hot or you may choose to store seeds in jars with desiccant packages if it rains a lot or the area has high humidity.