Simple Seed Storage Binder

 

Since learning about winter sowing (I’m a bit hooked on it), my seed stash has increased significantly. I needed to find a way to store them that was organized so that I could easily find what I needed later. 

In the past, I saved my seeds in a jar in the fridge in order to make them last longer. The more I plant each year, the less likely I’ll need those seeds to last more than 2 years. 

On the Winter Sowers group on Facebook (which I highly recommend joining if you’re at all interested in winter sowing), one gal showed how she stored her seeds: a binder! I immediately gathered the materials and got to work setting up my own. 

Simple Seed Storage Binder www.proverbialhomemaler.com  LEarn how to set up your own seed storage binder with a few simple supplies!

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Materials:

 
The 3-pocket photo pages hold a baggie with my plant labels, the pill bags, and the index cards. They also hold the seed packets I have pulled out to plant next or that have not been opened yet. 
 
The front pocket of the binder holds index cards I have cut in half and some notes about what I want to do in the garden next. 
 
The sports card pages hold the seeds. I separated them into herbs, cool-weather seeds, fruit and warm-weather seeds, and flowers.  Each pocket includes the packet, if it is available, the seeds in a pill bag and some planting notes. The planting notes are on an index card that has been divided in half. 
 
Simple Seed Storage Binder www.proverbialhomemaker.com Learn how to create your own seed storage binder!
 
 
Front of binder with Territorial Seed Co graphic on it. Pretty.:) 

Simple Seed Storage Binder www.proverbialhomemaler.com Learn to create your own seed storage binder!

 
plant labels, seed pouches (pill bags) and index cards

Simple Seed Storage Binder  www.proverbialhomemaker.com Learn to create your own seed storage binder!

 
Unopened seed packets or ones I want to get to next

Simple Seed Storage Binder www.proverbialhomemaker.com Learn to create your own seed storage binder.

 
A sheet of cool weather seeds.
Each pocket has the info sheet (half an index card with my notes),
seeds, and the seed packet if available.
 Simple Seed Storage Binder www.proverbialhomemaker.com Learn how to create your own seed storage binder.

 

 
Back of the seed pocket sheet. The notes are facing out so I can
 flip through them (blanks are because I had enough seeds to need two pockets)

Simple Seed Storage Binder  www.proverbialhomemaker.com Learn how to make your own seed storage binder!

 
The contents of one seed pocket

Simple Seed Storage Binder www.proverbialhomemaker.com Learn how to make your very own seed storage binder!

 
All organized and on my bookshelf. Yay!
 
 
That’s it! I can easily store the binder and flip through my seeds. I put a cut out from my seed catalog on the front because it’s pretty 🙂 and a label on the spine so I can easily spot it on our main book shelf. 
 
I am working on a gardening journal as well to plan and document our various gardens. I considered combining it with the seed binder, but I think I’ll like to have them both open while I’m working and dreaming. 
 
How do you store your seeds? Do you have any garden journal recommendations? 
 

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This Post Has 21 Comments

    1. Proverbial Homemaker

      I did link up! Thanks. I just rediscovered your blog a few days ago and have been having a ball browsing through all the awesome gardening posts. Bloggy gold mine! Thanks!

  1. Julia Forshee

    Ingenious! So simple and easy to use!! Itching to get out to the garden. I recently started a Thursday link-up party (yes, today:), and I would really love to see this post and/or any others you would like to include. I am at allthingswithpurpose.com. Hope to see you there and for many more Thursday’s to come!!

  2. Lindsey

    This is a GREAT idea! I am just learning how to garden, so I will have to remember this to help me out and keep me organized. Thank you for linking up at Tending The Home Tuesdays!

    1. Proverbial Homemaker

      It really does help! Otherwise my seeds end up all over the place. 🙂 Thanks for the comment!

  3. Very neat idea – and nicely done. Serious gardening! We’ve not gardened due to drought and my husband having been ill. But oh how I think he’d like a seed catalog like that. I’ll have to keep this in mind. AND one for me. I have seeds stored here and there in the fridge and freezer …
    Thanks!
    Visiting by way of Sarah’s Homemaking Link Up.
    Jenn

    1. Proverbial Homemaker

      Thanks for visiting! Seed catalogs are SO fun even when gardening is not on the horizon, IMO!

  4. Mrs. Sarah Coller

    What a great way to organize everything—and it’s so pretty! Featuring you this week when I get the link up tonight…thanks for sharing! 😉

    Sarah

  5. Mrs. Sarah Coller

    Alrighty, linkup is live and you have been featured! 🙂 Feel free to take a “featured” button, if you’d like.

    Blessings!

    Sarah

  6. Jenny

    Mine are an absolute mess inside my freezer. 🙁 I tried storing them in a box but it just really didn’t work but I love this idea and I think this might and I will have to give it a try. Good to know about the FB group too, I may have to look into that. Thank you so much for visiting the HomeAcre Hop!

  7. Lisa Lynn

    I featured this post on The HomeAcre Hop 🙂
    Just wanted to let you know that I shared it on Facebook, Twitter, Stumbleupon, Pinterest, and Digg!

  8. tash

    This is a great idea! How many pages/seeds can you get in a 3 inch binder? I was thinking of doing smaller binders, maybe 1″ or 1.5″, and having one for just tomatoes, maybe even separating them into different types of tomatoes.

    1. Tauna

      I think that would work well! I haven’t maxed out my binder (because I use up and replace seeds) so I’m not sure how many one would hold.

  9. Melissa S

    Great idea, I am going to do this, so much better then the box I threw my seeds into last year.

    1. Tauna

      It really is handy! Glad you found it helpful. 🙂

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