How to Organize Your First Aid Kit – Medicine Cabinet Checklist

Accidents happen to the best of us. Though we cannot always prevent them, we can prepare for them. And there is no better way to be prepared than to have a well-stocked first-aid kit in your home. This is especially relevant for those who live with kids or senior citizens. Kids tend to get injured often and having an organized medicine cabinet will help you tend to their wounds in a timely manner. Moreover, you will feel a confident sense of security knowing that you have all the necessary medical tools in place in case an emergency arises.

1. Store at the right place

A disorganized medicine kit is an inconvenience that you don’t want to deal with at a crucial moment. Always store your medication collectively, in a safe but easily accessible place. Don’t forget to put anything you use back in the right place when you’re done. Ensure that the location of the medicine kit is known to everybody in the household. If you live with toddlers or young children, be careful to keep the medicine kit out of their reach, in a cool, dry place.

2. Check for expiration dates and age specifications

Run a check on all the items in your medicine kit every 6 months. Carefully check the expiration date on every package. Discard anything that has crossed its expiry date. This applies not only to your medicine but also to wound plasters or bandages. Most people aren’t aware of the fact that items such as wound plasters and crepe bandages have expiry dates too. Instead of throwing these in the garbage, check if your local pharmacy has a safe disposal system set in place for unused medical items.

Additionally, always check for age specifications on medication bought for your children. As these medicines change as they grow older, you will need to upgrade and stock up as necessary.

3. Make sure you have the right bandages and products for first aid

Statistics show that most accidents happen in the household itself. This makes having a dedicated medicine cabinet at home all the more important. Make sure to have all the basic products to help you treat common injuries such as cuts, twists or sprains. For example, essentials like crepe bandages, wound plasters and cotton gauze should always be at hand.

4. Assemble a ‘to-go-set’

Having a separate first-aid kit for when you’re on the go makes travelling safer. Try to compile a compact selection of products that can easily be carried in your sports bag in case something goes wrong during a workout, hiking or other outdoor or sports activities. You can switch up your selection of items based on where you are going and potential scenarios to prepare for.

5. List down emergency numbers

This is a crucial step that doesn’t occur to most people. Always note down important emergency phone numbers and hotlines to keep along with your first aid kit. Keep a note of doctors, hospitals or pharmacies around you as well. This way, the necessary information will be easily accessible to anybody in your family if the need arises.