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| An organised medicine cabinet will make things easier in emergencies |
When a sudden fever hits in the middle of the night or a weekend brings a teary scraped knee, finding exactly what you need, fast, is all that matters. But let's be honest, the family medicine cabinet is often a mess: a chaotic jumble of outdated remedies and half used prescriptions. Taking just an hour to properly organise this crucial spot isn't just about being tidy; it's about safety, efficiency and giving yourself peace of mind when you're already feeling the pressure.
This guide will walk you through a simple, stress free system for sorting, storing and keeping on top of your essential supplies.
Step One: The Critical Safety Check
The first, and most important, job is making sure the location and contents are safe, especially if you have little ones at home. Your medicine store must be kept well out of reach and sight of small hands. A high up cupboard is ideal, but even if out of reach it’s sensible to add an inexpensive child lock or latch on the door for extra security. While this will help prevent toddlers getting access, it's important to help children understand from an early age that medication should only be taken when needed and only at the right dose.
Next, you need to be ruthless about expiry dates. Pull everything out. Check every single bottle, box and tube. Anything that’s past its "use by" date, or any liquid medication that looks cloudy or separated, needs to go. Please don't just tip medicine down the sink or flush it away. The safest way to get rid of old or unused medication is to ask your local chemist if they can take it back for safe disposal.
Step Two: Divide and Conquer Your Supplies
The real secret to a cupboard that actually works is splitting everything up. You should be able to grab a clear, labelled box without having to rummage through the entire contents. Grab some small, clear plastic containers or sturdy baskets and use them to separate your supplies into logical groups.
Here’s a great system based on three main categories:
1. Children's Medication: Pain relief like Calpol and Ibuprofen, cold helpers like menthol plug ins or saline sprays, teething gels, chicken pox medicine (if they haven't already had it) and any specific current prescriptions (make sure these are clearly labelled with the date they were prescribed). It's also worth keeping a thermometer and spare batteries with the children's medication.
2. Adult Medication: Separate out pain relief, personal prescriptions and general cold/ flu supplies.
3. First Aid: Bandages, plasters, an eye bath and antiseptic wipes and cream.
For the bits you use often (like plasters and antiseptic cream) it helps to create a small, secondary "quick grab" pouch. That way, it can be easily pulled out and carried right to the injury without taking the entire cupboard with you.
Step Three: Checking Your First Aid Kit
Every family needs a dedicated, fully stocked first aid kit, and organising your supplies is the perfect moment to check yours. If it’s been gathering dust, now’s the time to sort it out.
Your kit should contain essentials like: a variety of sizes of sterile dressings, disposable gloves, medical tape, safety pins. You can buy a kit with everything you might need here, or choose to buy items individually to meet your family needs. The St Johns Ambulance has a list of what they recommend you need in your home first aid kit here.
Step Four: Setting Up a Maintenance Routine
Organisation isn't a one-and-done event; it's about building a simple routine. To stop your cupboard from falling back into chaos, set up a simple, recurring maintenance plan.
The easiest way? Add a small calendar note to the inside of the cupboard door or set a reminder on your phone. Twice a year, maybe when the clocks change in Spring and Autumn, do a five-minute mini-audit. When your family have just recovered from a bug is a good time too.
When you do the check you need to:
- Top Up: Are you running low on essential plasters, pain relief or antiseptic wipes?
- Rotate Stock: Put new purchases at the back and older (but still in date) items at the front.
- Check Dates: Give a quick scan to the expiration dates on all liquid medication, as these usually expire the fastest.
Staying organised means that when a minor emergency strikes, you can focus completely on your child, safe in the knowledge that your supplies are ready and safe.
