Today I want to share with you a seasonal organizing project which is especially important for this time of year…cold & flu organizing. Let’s face it…there is nothing worse than needing fever medicine for a sick child at 3 am and discovering that the bottle is almost empty. It’s happened to me before and I’ve been left driving around town in my pajamas and bad hair looking for the 24 hour drug store. Surely not a fun chore to do at 3 am, so I got my act together and I have been organized and ready for the cold & flu season for the past few years.
Now is the perfect time to go through the medicine cabinet or cupboard to take stock of the cold & flu supplies to make a list of things needing replacing/replenishing for winter. I would suggest gathering everything together and checking ‘best before’ dates and discarding those medicines which have expired. Now you are ready to make a list of items you need to pick on the next trip to the store.
One thing that I like to use to organize our cold & flu supplies is a handy dandy carry-all. I found this one at the dollar store and I love it because it holds everything that might be needed for a sick patient and is easy to carry to whichever room its needed. Or, when you have more than one family member sick, it’s great for running from room to room without losing your mind! I call our handy carry-all “The Nurse”.
“The Nurse” is stocked with:
- Fever medicine. Liquid medicine for my youngest child and tablets for everyone else.
- Gravol. Both liquid and tablets.
- Vicks Vapor Rub
- Sinus/Decongestents
- Thermometer
- Tea
- Honey Sticks
- Throat Lozenges
- Tissues
- small pad of paper and pen for recording doses of medicine and times given {because when you are sleep-deprived, it can be hard to remember,}
The only thing not in “The Nurse” is ginger ale, Gatorade, saltine crackers, chicken noodle soup and popsicles. I used to buy a case of ginger ale for the winter, but this past summer we got a Soda Stream and I love it because we can make ginger ale anytime that it is needed. I have stocked up with a couple of boxes of saltine crackers and a case of chicken noodle soup. If you have little children in the house, a supply of Pedialyte would be a good thing to have as well.
This organizing project should take no more than 15 minutes {not include shopping time}, but you will be so happy with yourself for being prepared for whatever comes your way this fall & winter.There will be no driving around town in pajamas and bad hair at 3 am…which is always a good thing!
1
This is a really great idea! It's so smart of you to gather everything you need together BEFORE the sickness comes! I have to say that sprite, crackers and chicken noodle soup have always been those comforting things to me when I'm sick. I also think of popsicles for little sore throats.:)
Blessings,
Leslie
Brilliant! It always pays to be prepared (it would save hubby the journey out in the middle of the night. I don't go because I'd have to put a bra on!)
This is a good plan – nip the symptoms in the bud sooner and feel better sooner! I need to go organize something like this for us!
This is such a great idea! Your kit almost makes being sick not seem so bad. We don't have any children yet, but when my husband and I got sick at the same time earlier this season and neither of us could fathom getting out of bed, this would have been really nice to have on hand. Unfortunately, we had NOTHING in the house and had to struggle to the closest drugstore. I've learned my lesson!
Thanks!
Dianna @ Virginia is for Lovers
what about some oregano?
So so smart. I need to do this. Hate running out when I am sick to get stuff!
Something else you can do to prepare – a thorough bathroom cleaning! A little stool by the commode, kleenex and cups ready, something soft to kneel on – I know it isn't a pretty picture, but we can make the best of a bad situation with a little forethought . . . just like your 'Nurse"!
Great idea! I pinned and am now following you via FB, Twitter, & Pin!