How to Clean Your First Aid Kit in Spring
Don’t try to invite me to a dinner party because I don’t have to look into your bathroom to tell you this: you have a mess in your medicine cabinet … or wherever you keep anything. Hundreds of plasters, but none where needed? Expired drugs? Yes, I was there too.
At Lifehacker, we take spring cleaning very seriously. We are far from missing out on an opportunity to refresh, reorganize and streamline our home life. We’re also very excited to hit the reset button with our technology, take a close look at our finances, and get the better of our day-to-day habits that have gotten a little musty. Welcome to Spring Cleaning Week as we clear away the winter cobwebs and set the stage for the sunny days ahead. Let’s clean up, okay?
Bathrooms and closets are actually fun to clean (I say this as someone who hates cleaning) because they tend to be small and everything already has a specific function, so it’s easy to determine what to leave and what to clean. Pull everything out and do this:
Drop or move your medications
I know this is a medical office, right? But you really shouldn’t keep your medicines in the bathroom . Hot and humid – just keep your medications in the kitchen – another place where you have easy access to glasses of water.
While you are doing this, review and figure out what you don’t need. Expired medications are often still safe , but that’s speculation, not a bet on your health. Throw away your old Tylenol – or, if you’re just like me, throw away everything except the newest container and set a reminder to buy again the next time you shop.
And when we say “ throw it away,” we really mean proper disposal . Especially if you have an old prescription for Vicodin or something like that, it is best to bring them to the drug return program or ask the pharmacy if they will take them back.
Change your toothbrush
Toothbrushes wear out and wear out after about 3 months of regular use. Check if it’s time for new ones.
It’s helpful to have an old toothbrush with you for cleaning small items or awkward places, but that doesn’t mean you can hoard old toothbrushes. Pick one toothbrush you want to clean and mark it in some obvious way, such as wrapping the handle with black duct tape.
Evict everything that’s expired
The expiration date is about to expire, especially makeup and lotions. It’s a shame if you only need to reapply this stunning glitter lipstick a few times, but now is not the time for sentimentality. If something has already passed, say goodbye.
However, you may be pleasantly surprised when you check the labels. Find the small picture of an open jar with a number and the letter “M”. If, for example, “12M” is written, it means that the product is good for 12 months after opening . Mascara runs out quickly, but dry powders last for a while, and sunscreen lasts for three years .
Get rid of duplicates
Be honest with yourself: Do you really need all five travel toothpastes that you forgot about yourself? That half full bottle of shampoo you didn’t really like but feel guilty about throwing it away? Throw out the statistics and be free.
Collect a real first aid kit
Take a shoebox (or some other container that was emptied during cleaning) and fill it up with medical supplies in an organized manner. Collect your numerous boxes of adhesives. Check out the other items on the Red Cross list from what is included in the first aid kit and collect what you have; make a shopping list of everything you don’t have. Consider adding some handy special items such as a tick remover (wow. Sorry).
You will use some items more than others. Large gauze pads are used every few years, but tweezers and antibiotic ointment will usually come in handy every few weeks or more often. Consider creating a smaller, easy-to-access area for this (I use a small set of plastic boxes for frequently used items).
Put your cleaning products in a special home
Place your supplies in a location where they can be easily accessed. If you can easily grab a mop when your child is peeing on the floor, you will be in a much better position than having to dig out a mop bucket from under a million other things.
If you have children or pets, find a spot for cleaning supplies upstairs or in a secure cabinet. Remember, after everything is cleaned up and reorganized, these products will be easier to see and find – that’s the point, right? – so they will pique the curiosity of your little munchkins.
Rearrange things by category
When I rearranged my toilet in the bathroom, I was in awe of KonMari . ( Actually, I’m not KonMari my whole life, but I read the book and cleaned out a few toilets, okay?) One of her abstinences is keeping similar items together, which seems pretty good . But as you unpack your wardrobes, ask yourself: Am I really doing this?
It turned out not. I had hairpins in a basket full of loose items, a hairbrush on the far shelf, dry shampoo in third place, and hair ties literally everywhere except where I always looked. I ended up assigning a basket for hair accessories only and you know what? Now I always know where my hair ties are, and even put them back when finished. ( By the way, I clip them to the carabiner .)
Rearrange your own items accordingly and you will be surprised how easy it is to find everything. And now that you don’t have all of those expired drugs and lotions, your closet will be presentable to even the pickiest supporters of the dinner party.