How to Keep Your Medicine Cabinet Stocked

Often we are well intentioned about covering every contingency where our family’s health is concerned but our medicine cabinets are a hodgepodge of outdated and rarely needed prescriptions. We may have a bandage or two somewhere or a burn salve somewhere else but nothing is really where we could put our hands on it when we need it most. Our medicine cabinets and first aid kits need to be kept up to date in order to be of real use.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Start by clearing out your cabinet. Throw out all drugs that over due. Dispose of drugs by emptying them out of the pill bottle and putting them into a garbage disposal. Pills can also be flushed down the toilet. Pills left in containers can be retrieved from the dump and sold or taken.
2. Move your meds. Medications should really be put into a cabinet outside of the bathroom. Heat and humidity cause medications to lose efficacy. A dark cool location is best. Remember to lock up any medications that could be dangerous to children, which include many over the counter drugs, such as aspirin, vitamins and supplements.
3. Keep antiseptics such as alcohol and hydrogen peroxide for cleansing cuts or scrapes. Adhesive bandages for small and large cuts and some for knuckles and fingertips, and an ace bandage for sprains or twists should be sufficient. Have an antibiotic cream for wounds, a salve for minor burns and an anesthetic spray for sunburns.
4. Be prepared for emergencies. Have an over the counter antihistamine for allergic reactions and bug and snake bites, a cortisone based topical for rashes caused by poison oak and ivy.
5. Keep over the counter pain medications such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen for muscle aches, fever or minor pain. A cough suppressant and an expectorant, a cold preparation, sore throat spray or drops and nose spray for congestion should keep the family safe during cold and flu season.
6. Have a sunscreen and a bug spray on hand in season. Lip balm for cold sores and drops for earaches are also a good staple. You should always have an eye wash for flushing out foreign objects.
7. Use syrup of ipecac on hand to induce vomiting in case of accidental ingestion or poisoning. Always call the poison control center first, as purging is not the best choice for all things ingested.
8. Watch your family health care needs and adjust your emergency supplies to meet their needs. Knowing that everything you have on hand is up to date and right where you can find it will help you to feel that you’re family is protected from accidents and mishaps. Make it a point to recheck your medicines expirations dates every year to keep things up to date.