Taming the Medicine Cabinet: Organizing Your Medical Supplies
Have any of these scenarios happened to you?
It’s 4:09 am, and you can’t stop coughing. Glancing at your bedside clock, you realize you’ve got less than two hours to sleep. You think you might have some cough medicine, so you search in desperation, only to discover that it expired three years ago.
It’s dinner prep time, and you’re in a hurry. While slicing vegetables, you also manage to slice your finger. Yikes! You make a dash for the medical supplies to get a bandage. No bandages. Or antibiotic ointment. Great.
You’re leaving for vacation tomorrow, and while packing, you realize you’re out of one of your prescription medications. No problem, you think, you’ll just pick up a refill. But the bottle says no refills available, and the doctor's office is closed.
Those are not the best times to realize that your medical supplies are in dire need of organizing! When it comes to medical supplies, the potential consequences of disorganization can be problematic at best and critical at worst. By following my recommendations for organizing your medical supplies, hopefully you can avoid situations like these in the future.
Gather and Group
Start by emptying out the areas where medical supplies are stored, grouping into categories as you go. If there are multiple areas, you can choose to work on one at a time or to do all at the same time, depending on how much time and space you have.
The categories you establish will depend on the individual health conditions of members of the home. A few basic categories that every household will need include medications, first aid supplies, bandages and wound care, and medical equipment. Consult your healthcare provider for a recommended list of supplies to keep on hand.
This is the perfect time to consider what’s working and what’s not working about your current system of storing medical supplies. Are the categories, the containers in which they are stored, and the location in which they are stored working for you? Is everything labeled well? If your current system is working well, then all you need to do is remove everything, declutter anything that isn’t being used, freshen up the area(s), and then replace everything. If your current system hasn’t been working, figure out why and make changes to create a more functional system now.
Perhaps the containers you used weren’t ideal. Now’s the time to make that change. Perhaps the way items were grouped wasn’t working. In that case, figure out different categories, and group into the new categories as you empty the areas. It could be that the categories worked well, but the location(s) wasn’t ideal. In that case, empty out the supplies, grouping into categories as you go. But before replacing anything, take some time to consider the best location for the supplies.
Two factors to keep in mind when choosing the best location include storing items near where they will be used if possible and safety. You want to be sure you’re keeping anything potentially harmful out of the reach of anyone who doesn’t have the ability to use them safely, whether it’s children or individuals with cognitive deficits of some kind.
Remember, it’s totally okay to try a new system for a while to see if it works, and then go to Plan B or C if it doesn’t. That’s the beauty of trial and error! Sometimes it takes a while to find the best solution.
Declutter
You probably knew this step was coming! Now it’s time to get rid of anything that you’re not using. Just like with any decluttering, if appropriate, make every effort to pass along any discarded item that can be safely used to someone who can use it. Throwing items away should be a last resort.
When discarding items you no longer need, consider donating to a place like Friends in Need in Kingsport at 1916 Brookside Drive. They provide on-site primary care and dental care for the uninsured and under-insured in East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. They can accept sealed in-date medication and most medical supplies, but they request that you call before bringing items, especially large items, to ensure that they are able to use them (423-246-0010). If you live elsewhere, look for a similar place.
Proper Disposal of Expired Medication
The best way to dispose of your expired, unwanted, or unused medicines is through a drug take back program. Do not throw the medication in the trash, the toilet, or the sink unless you have no other choice. The good news is that drug take back programs are abundant and easy to use.
In Kingsport, there is a drug collection box in the lobby of the Kingsport Justice Center at 200 Shelby Street. The box is accessible 24 hours-a-day, 7 days-a-week, 365 days-a-year. The Johnson City Police Department at 601 E Main St also has a prescription drop box. For other locations, the Food and Drug Administration website has a tool to locate a drug take back program near you. Many pharmacies will also accept medication for proper disposal.
Create a System for Medication Refills
Running out of needed medication and not being able to get a refill quickly can be dangerous and stressful. Creating and consistently following a system for refills can prevent this situation. Most pharmacies can schedule automatic refills and a reminder text to let you know they are ready. I love taking advantage of this wonderful service.
It’s essential to check your medications to make sure refills are available, which usually depends on your health care provider’s policies and the frequency of your appointments. Don’t let this slip up on you and create a crisis! Take advantage of calendars, planners, reminders, apps, or any tool to keep track.
If you’re preparing to travel, look ahead to make sure you have enough medication for the trip. If not, you may need to either request extra or temporarily transfer your prescription to a pharmacy in the area you’ll be visiting. Large pharmacies with multiple locations make this a relatively easy process.
Maintain Order
Once you’ve got your medical supplies in order, figure out how you’ll maintain the order. Set a reminder to regularly review and declutter supplies, update labels and information, and keep the storage area clean and sanitary.
Keeping your medicine and medical supplies well supplied and organized is crucial for emergency preparedness. Having the necessary supplies readily available not only makes a difference in the outcome, but also gives you peace of mind.