What’s On Your First Aid Shelf?
- Jonda Beattie
- Jan 9
- 3 min read
Like many homes I have a first aid spot in my home.
Mine lives on a shelf in my linen closet.
I use containers to make it easy to find what I need in a hurry. One container holds hydrogen peroxide, rubbing alcohol, and a large jar of Vaseline. Behind that container sits a bag of Epson salts. Another container holds creams for itches, antibiotic creams, other skin repair creams, aspirin, Tylenol, Ibuprofen, a couple of thermometers, and an oximeter. Then I have a basket with all sizes of bandages, gauzes, tapes, and scissors. Next to this container is one that holds resistance bands, knee supports, wrist supports, a finger splint, and elastic bandages. And the last container holds cold remedies.
What has been in these containers has evolved over the years to meet my needs. If someone needs a soothing cream for a mosquito bite. I’ve got you covered. If you get a cut or a scrape, I’ve got what you need. Feel a headache coming on? What relief tablet do you want? I can also easily grab what I need when I cut myself.
Every year I review what is in these containers and get rid of what I no longer think I will need or any medicines that have expired.
I am blessed in that I am rarely sick. In my past I would have an annual cold that would occur around the winter holidays but it was never bad. My Scottish husband used to say that I was fit as a butcher’s dog.
Since Covid first hit, I have not even had that cold once a year. And so, any cold medicines I once had in that container eventually aged out and were trashed.
A few days after Christmas I woke up with a sore throat. This turned into a cold and I went to my first aid shelf to see what I had. When I looked into that container, I only had one open box of Mucinex that had been prescribed for my husband. I took that for a few days and it was helping me feel better but I knew I would need more. Tried Amazon but they could not deliver until 3 days. Tried Kroger and they had it but would not deliver it. So, I called my son and he delivered it along with some milk that I needed.
Obviously, items on your first aid shelf need to be there for you to grab immediately when you need them. Even if I had not had a cold in many, many years it did not mean that I would never get one again. Henceforth, I will keep on hand supplies for a cold because once that cold hits, you are not in a position to run to the store and get what you need.
My challenge for you is to take a look and see what you have in your first aid area. Do you have all that you need for emergencies? Do you have items that have expired and need to be tossed? Take time this week to update your first aid shelf.
If you need some help jumpstarting a project or some guidance with time management, reach out and we can schedule a consultation.
Phone: 404-299-5111 – call and leave a message or text
Jonda S. Beattie, Professional Organizer owner of Time Space Organization, and co-owner of Release, Repurpose, Reorganize. She is based in the Metro-Atlanta area. As presenter, award-winning author, as well as a retired special education teacher she uses her listening skills, problem solving skills, knowledge of different learning techniques, ADHD specialty, and paper management skills to help clients.
I fully review my first aid kit and meds twice a year: pre-winter and pre-vacation. Unlike you, I used to be sick all the time, so I've always had need for ALL THE MEDS. I used to get colds that turned into sinus infections every winter until I grew up and lived on my own, but got fewer when I stopped working in an office environment. (It's much easier to avoid other people's germs when you aren't touching the same light switches and copy machine buttons.) Thanks to wearing a KN-95 mask whenever I'm indoors in public, especially during the winter months, I hardly get sick with contagious illnesses (knock wood) but that doesn't mean I don't get booboos or…
First, I'm sorry you are battling a cold. They are miserable. I got the flu over Christmas, and am still trying to regain my full energy and stop blowing my nose!
Unlike you, my family gets sick all the time. Which is a BIG DRAG. I don't know what is wrong with our immunity, but if something is going around, we will be able to tell you because we will have had it.
The only upside of this situation is that I'm usually quite familiar with my cold/cough/first aid stash. I always have ibuprofen and acetaminophen on hand, as well as Mucinex, and a host of therapeutics (salt water nose spray, a mesh nebulizer for the throat, etc.).
This is…
I hate buying meds to have on hand just in case; they usually end up expiring. Yet who wants to get caught without when they get sick? I'm sorry that happened to you but glad your son was able to come to the rescue.
I love that your husband used to say you were "fit as s butcher's dog!" It's great how infrequently you get sick. I know you've been feeling icky for a few weeks now, and I hope you feel better with each day.
I don't remember why, but recently, I did a 'review' of our OTC meds and supplies. Many of them had expired, so I tossed and replaced them. Because, as you said, it's no fun to be unprepared when you need something. And it always seems to be in the middle of the night when a 'something' appears.