As we head back into more of a lockdown with online school and gyms closed etc, and with Omicron running rampant in my area, it seemed only fitting to write a bit about how I store our medical supplies and medication.

I keep our medications and supplies in a high cupboard in our master bathroom. It’s all tucked away, but easy for us parents to access. I keep it separated from other bathroom type stuff, 1. because we are lucky enough to have the space, and 2. because it keeps it nicely organized.

There is a certain amount of basic medications that I like to have on hand. I, of course, have them separated into different categories!

Symptom Relief

The main symptoms I like to be ready for are pain, fever, cold and flu symptoms (especially with COVID hanging around), allergies, nausea/vomiting, and diarrhea.

Other

There’s always more than just symptom relief. I also keep other vitamins and equipment on hand like, medicinal tea like Neocitran, cream for minor aches and pains, antacids, medicinal throat lozenges, some petroleum jelly, and some equipment like thermometers and measuring cups.

If you need prescription medications, you could store them here too. If you do take any prescription medications, I highly recommend having an easy access list of them somewhere in your home. It can help in an emergency situation.

Trauma

I also like to keep some trauma supplies on hand. Things like gauze, some medical tape, tweezers and, it wouldn’t be complete without….band aids! In my trauma bin, I also have antibacterial cream and some bug bite relief. I like to ensure that I have some hand sanitizer and some gloves in there too. It helps to keep the wounds stay as clean as possible when fixing them up.

Children

Depending on the ages of your kids, you may have different medication requirements. When the kids were really young we only really had medication for fever and pain management.

No matter what age your kids are, I highly recommend storing the children’s and adult’s medications in different places. As a mom, I can relate to long exhausting nights when you finally decide to reach for the medicine cabinet – knowing you are only grabbing children’s medicine can save a sleepy mom brain from possible disaster!

For kids, it’s mostly about symptom relief. I like to be ready for similar symptoms as in adults. Symptoms like pain, fever, allergies, and possibly something for vomiting and diarrhea (if the kids are old enough). I also tend to have cough and cold medication and something like Vicks vapo-rub or other chest decongestant rub.

I have a reminder in my chore calendar to sort through the medications every November. We often only need medications in the winter, other than seasonal allergy relief. So, I find that November usually means that we have everything we need on hand if or when sickness strikes!

Why not spend some time sorting your medications and supplies – be ready, and stay safe.

Thanks for coming home!