Medicine Cabinet Makeover
by Katy Beth McGahey
As we all know lately, our health is at the forefront of everyone’s mind. How do you know for sure that you’re prepared if someone in your house has a health emergency? When was the last time you cleaned out your medicine cabinet? Can you confidently say that all your medicines are up-to-date and well stocked?
Keeping your medicine cabinet organized doesn’t have to be a challenge. In fact, this space is easy to maintain. Follow along for some tips on getting your medicine cabinet under control—and keeping it that way.
Start by taking everything out of your cabinet and wiping down the shelves. Check each bottle for an expiration date. There is nothing worse than reaching into your medicine cabinet when someone in your family is sick or hurt to find that the one medicine you need is actually expired. If you do find expired medicine, make sure to dispose of the medicine properly. The FDA has guidelines online on how to throw out old medicines at home or through a pharmacy.
Sort through your medications and pair like items together. I recommend separating children’s medications from adults’. Some other categories you might have would be topical, first aid, cold/flu, pain relief or prescription.
Once you have sorted through everything, start putting your categories in their own bins so that everything has a place. You probably already have bins at home that would work. However, if you need to buy some containers, make sure you measure your space first. Use plastic containers in case one of your liquid medicines spills—this makes it much easier to clean up. If you need more storage space, consider using organizers that adhere to the inside of the cabinet door.
Keep dangerous or lesser used items up high and more commonly used medications down low. If you have family members with daily prescriptions you might consider making each family member their own bin.
The most important step is labeling each bin so that everyone can easily find what they’re looking for and help keep the space organized. Make a point to clean out your medicine cabinet every year so that expired medications don’t continue to pile up.
Your medicine cabinet is also a good space to store doctor information, dosage information or notes in case of an emergency. Prioritizing this space in your home can put your mind at ease and save you unnecessary stress in the future.
If you’d like more detail on any of these tips follow me on Instagram @Sorted_in_Style.
About the Author: Katy Beth McGahey is a professional organizer who has been working with families for over eight years. She loves getting to know her clients and combines the design knowledge she gained as an art major at the University of North Texas with her love for organization. Though she is based out of DFW, she loves to come back to her hometown, Texarkana, and organize while she visits her friends and family. If you would like more information, visit sortedinstyle.net.
