Organization 101 for Herbalists

Feeling overwhelmed with how to organize your herbal accoutrements and notes? I began collecting herbs and extracts in earnest about six years ago, so I have been there. My organization needs fell under two categories: materials and record keeping. Organization is a very personal thing, and some of the best systems evolve over time, but here are some hints and tips I have developed along the way to get you started.

Organization for Herbal Materials

One of the best things about being an herbalist is having lots of materials around to play with. It's much easier, for me at least, to remember what herbs go into a formula if I have made that formula at least once. It is also handy to have different forms of the same herb for comparison. But herbal materials can take up a lot of space and be overwhelming to organize.

A Designated Location

Designating a specific location for my herbs was one of the best things I did to get organized. I bought a freestanding cabinet for my herbs and herb related tools, and set it up convenient to my bookshelves.  Designating a kitchen cabinet can also work well if you have the space for it. In fact, my mason jars of extracts-in-process have a shelf in the kitchen, because I am more likely to remember to shake them up daily if they are there. I wouldn't use a bathroom cabinet. The high humidity in a bathroom isn't ideal for keeping your herbs in good condition.

Organizing the Cabinet

I prefer to keep extracts on the top two shelves, along with my mortar and pestle, my cutting board and knives, and a big chunk of beeswax. Enameled pots (dedicated for herbal concoctions) go on the top of the cabinet, and I also keep bar cloths, mesh strainers, a  coffee grinder and an apron handy in and around the cabinet. Dried herbs are organized along the remaining shelves, and are stored in wide mouth, screw top, bulk containers (easier to handle than lots of bags).

Labeling

Labeling options for bulk herbs include computer printed (my favorite, they look fabulous), taped on labels from the bags the herbs came in (second favorite) and hand labeled. I like to keep track of date purchased, company, and lot number (or location and date of harvest). Labeling with both the common name and the botanical name is a good way to help gradually learn the botanical name by association. Extracts I make myself are usually hand labeled with a press date, common name and whether the extract was made from dried or fresh plant material.

Organization for Herbal Record Keeping

I use spiral bound notebooks for most of my notes and records, and have found that inventory, recipes, and study notes are the categories I use the most. I also keep a herb diary that functions like a personal herbal, but there will be another post about that later on. I prefer using notebooks and index cards over a computer set up, because I like having access to all of my information even if the power goes out. I also prefer spiral notebooks over a really beautiful, expensive journal. With cheap notebooks I am more likely to be thorough and spontaneous, and less likely to be concerned about 'messing up'. Don't be afraid to let your record keeping books get a little messy! They are your personal tools, after all. No need to worry about impressing an audience.

Inventory Index

My inventory index is made up of three sections. One section for bulk herbs, another for store bought products, and the third for home made extracts. Each section takes up about four pages and is listed with five or six letters evenly spaced down the left hand margin. I organize alphabetically by first letter but don't bother to alphabetize past that. When I acquire a new herb for the inventory I simply add it to the correct letter section. It can be really useful to see at a glance whether I have a given herb and in what form.

Recipes

Recipes includes herb-related food and beverage recipes, as well as what most herbalist like to refer to as formulas. When I find a recipe I really like, it gets transferred to a more permanent recipe file, along with the many traditional formulas on index cards that I organized as a study aid. The recipe section in my notebook functions more as a history of times I have used the recipe and what my results were, as well as ways I have altered the recipe at different times to accommodate herbs that I did or did not have on hand. Think of it as an experiments and results scratch pad. A page in the recipe section also helps me keep track of when I started an extract, and when I want to strain and bottle it.

Study notes

I like to take notes while I read, and this is generally where those notes end up. It also holds a wish list of books and magazines I would like to add to my personal library or check out through the public library's inter-library loan system. A back up list of interesting websites also goes here, and I keep a list for interesting herbal gatherings and symposiums as I hear about them. Most of these lists started as mental notes, but transitioned into the study notes sections as they got longer. If there is a particular herb I am interested in, I will create a study page for that, or concepts related to herbal theory. Sketches, drawings or photos could be added to the study notes section, although mine is predominately word based right now.


These are just a handful of ideas on staying organized as an herbalist, and you may find that some of them work really well for you. If they don't, experiment and find a way to organize that makes more sense to you. If you would like to share an idea about how you stay organized as an herbalist, please feel free to leave a note! Good luck!