Do you drink tea? It’s delightful on a cold winter night. Anything mint with some honey is my go-to, but I also like black, lemongrass, fruits… When I wander down the tea aisle, I have a hard time resisting trying a new flavor. Recently I moved all my tea from a caddy to a tea drawer and it’s mighty pretty. Want to hear all about my tea drawer organization? You know you do.
Types of Teas
While tea comes in an endless variety and combination of flavors, tea usually only comes as looseleaf and in tea bags. I have a combination of both, but prefer tea bags. Most tea bags are compostable, and while some bags contain toxins that may seep into your tea, there are more natural options and I’m switching over as I get through a package.
Since I have both types of tea, I included both in my drawer, but the tea bags are more prominent as they are the ones I reach for more often.
The Tea Caddy
Prior to deciding to create a tea drawer, I kept my tea in a caddy up in a cabinet. This solution was okay, but my caddy only held 8 varieties of tea, which was a little restrictive (remember those tea shopping habits I mentioned?). Not to mention, the caddy had a handle on top, which prevented me from stacking anything else on it. I was going to purchase stacking bins, but then I had another idea.
In late 2020, I got creative with my drawers, rearranged a few things, designed my own spice inserts, and ended up with a spice drawer that puts a smile on my face every day. The other half of the drawer held [poorly organized] food prep utensils. It was fine for a little while until I got tired of the chaos and decided to be more intentional with my drawer. And that’s where tea drawer organization comes in!
Photo Credit: McCoy Artwork
I had seen tea drawers before and I decided this was the perfect spot to put one.
Creating a Tea Drawer
I measured the amount of space I had to work with (10.5 inches) and headed to Target to purchase materials. Because I didn’t know if I was going LOVE the tea drawer, I purchased the most inexpensive drawer bins I could find.
Tea Drawer Materials
I was pretty sure this 4-pack of 3.72″ by 3.72″ Small Storage Trays for just $2 were going to work, but I headed to the tea aisle just to be safe. I grabbed a pack of Tazo Tea I was interested in trying, slipped one tea bag out, and tried it in the little bin. It fit. The bin was slightly tapered, which wasn’t ideal for tea bags, but for fifty cents, it would do.
And don’t worry, I bought the tea (Juniper Mint Honey — it’s good!).
Since the storage trays came in a few different sizes, I grabbed some extras. Besides tea bags, I have a few bags of loose leaf tea. I was hoping to use a few of the larger bins for that.
I grabbed a few Medium Storage Trays (3 for $2), Large Storage Trays (2 for $2), and Long Storage Trays (3 for $2).
Tea Drawer Assembly
Of course, I tackled my project as soon as I got home.
Much to my excitement, three Small Storage Trays fit perfectly across in my allotted tea drawer space.
I laid them out in a three-by-three configuration. That would give me 9 little bins to display tea varieties. While a few extra bins would have been nice, nine really is plenty.
Next I added a Long Storage Tray behind the 9 Small Storage Trays, intending to use it for the last tea bag or two of any given flavor.
Finally, I added a Large Storage Tray in the very back of the drawer. This tray will hold any open loose leaf teas and the accessories used to make them. I put it in the back of the drawer on purpose — it’s the item I reach for the least.
All in all, this is about $9 worth of materials, with a few left over for other projects.
Now that all the bins were in place, it was time for some tea drawer organization!
Tea Drawer Organization
This is the fun part! I had to decide how to order the tea. Do I lay it out by brand? In rainbow order? By caffeine level? Do I group the mints together?
First, I loaded up all the little bins. I tried a few options until everything looked right together. I have a variety of tea brands and flavors, so the drawer isn’t as uniform as it might be with more consistency, but it works — although I’m still wondering if I should group it by herbal vs caffeine…
Next, I placed the random teas in the long bin.
Side note: certain teas (ahem, Celestial Seasonings) come in loose bags instead of wrapped bags. While I appreciate how environmentally responsible this is, it’s not cool when it spreads tea powder all over the place. The set I purchased has 4 tea bags in a foil packet, which fits nicely in the long bin.
Finally, I added the loose leaf tea to in the back bin. We also have some steepers and a measuring spoon for easy access.
My Tea Drawer
Is my tea drawer a wise use of valuable real estate in my kitchen? I’m not sure.
Does my tea drawer make me happy? It does.
Will my tea drawer stay forever? The verdict is still out, but I’m enjoying it while it lasts!
Are you considering creating a tea drawer in your kitchen, or have you done so already? Tell me all about it below or tag me in a post on Instagram @life.with.less.mess!
