How many times have you needed to grab a bottle of medicine and couldn’t find it? You might be looking for your CBD for PTSD, or your nasal spray. You might end up spilling something because you couldn’t see the bottles on the top shelf. One of our most important jobs as parents is keeping our children safe. That’s why we need to make sure that their lives are free from accidents, too. Read this article for great ideas for your home medicine cabinet.
1) Use clear containers to store your medicines
Not only will this help you see what’s inside, but it will also keep everything organized. Label each container with the name of the medication and the dosage.
Place the containers on shelves that are easily accessible. Make sure to put them up in a cabinet higher than children can reach. You don’t want small hands grabbing things that they shouldn’t.
2) Choose child-resistant containers
If you have small children in your home, it’s important to use containers that are difficult for them to open. This will help keep them safe from accidentally ingesting any medicines inside.
There are various types of child-resistant closures available on the market today. Choose the one that fits your needs and budget. Children can be curious. We must do what we can to keep them safe by storing our medicines in child-resistant containers.
3) Keep your medications in a secure place
The best way to keep children from getting into medicines is to store them in a locked cabinet or another hidden area that’s out of sight. This can be a bathroom medicine cabinet, the back of an upper kitchen cupboard, or even inside your garage if it has storage cabinets.
It would be best if you never stored medicines in your bedroom, living room, or other areas where children can easily access them.
4) Consider keeping a first aid kit in your medicine cabinet
This way, if anyone gets hurt and needs to be treated right away, you’ll have all of the equipment that you need available for them in a handy cabinet. Keeping this kit stocked with different items can also save time when an emergency occurs because it will eliminate the possibility of running around looking for specific supplies.
Some of the items you should consider including in your first aid kit are adhesive bandages, antibiotic ointment, burn cream, gauze pads, hydrocortisone cream (though it’s important to be cautious as prolonged use can lead to hydrocortisone side effects such as skin thinning), latex gloves, a thermometer, and tweezers.
When putting together your first aid kit, it’s essential to tailor it to the people using it. For example, if you have small children in your home, you may want to include a few doses of Tylenol or Benadryl. Keep this kit handy and easy to find so that it’s always available when someone needs help right away.
5) Make sure to keep a list of all the medicines in your home
This way, you’ll always know what you have and can easily refer to it when refilling prescriptions. It’s also a good idea to keep this list in a safe place, like inside your wallet or somewhere else that’s easy to access.
If an emergency does occur and you’re unable to communicate with anyone, this list can help others know what medicines your family members need.
Even if something doesn’t seem like it’s a big deal when it happens, having an organized medicine cabinet at home is one of the best things that we can do for our families. Keep these tips in mind so that you can ensure that your home is as safe as possible.
6) Label all of your children’s medicines
Many parents don’t think to do this, but it can be a lifesaver in an emergency if you have several different medications for each child and only one child is hurt or becomes ill at the time. This will help others know exactly what they need when treating that particular illness or injury.
This will also ensure that you have the right medicine. It’s effortless to grab the wrong bottle of liquid ibuprofen if they’ve all been left out on your bathroom countertop. Label each child’s medication with their name, and be sure to put them in a place where everyone can find them easily, such as inside your first aid kit.
7) Rotate your medicines
This is another excellent way to keep your family safe. If you have any medications past their expiration date, it’s time to get rid of them and replace them with fresh ones.
Not only is this important for the safety of your loved ones, but it’s also crucial for the safety of the environment. Old medicines can often leak and contaminate soil and water supplies. When rotating your medications, be sure to keep track of the dates on each bottle or package. This will help you remember when it’s time to replace them.
