A significant chunk of the population relies on prescription medications to treat various ailments. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 48.6% of adults in the US take at least one prescription drug on a regular basis, 24% use three or more, while 12.8% of people take more than five medicines.
The vitality of these drugs in the relevant treatment processes cannot be understated, but one of the main issues that arise for people taking more than one medicine a day is their respective organization. This also applies to ailments that require a lot of medical equipment to be present in homes. For example, substantial physical injuries, diabetes, and high blood pressure or cholesterol require certain appliances as well as apparatus to be kept handy at home.
So, how does a person effectively organize all their supplies to ensure they are readily accessible when needed? Well, there are certain steps to follow which can simplify the entire process. Here are a few of them:
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Designate a specific storage area
As you do with all of your supplies, utensils, food, and other equipment, it is important to start organizing medications and other equipment using a specific storage area. You can use any existing closet, cabinet, drawer or shelf, but if you have a meticulous nature, you can invest in a Quick Rack medical racking system that makes arranging everything from documents to drugs extremely simple.
Whichever option you choose to go with, it is always a helpful solution to designate a specific location for all your medical supplies. Not only does this make everything easier to locate, but it also allows you to keep tabs on the items that may need to be restocked. However, you’ll also need to be careful that you return every drug, supply, and equipment to this dedicated space after use.
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Use plastic bins or transparent containers
Since they are affordable, easy to clean, and make it simple to see what’s inside, transparent plastic containers and drawers are excellent for keeping medical supplies. These boxes are also available in a variety of shapes and sizes, which makes them easy to stack and organize within a drawer or cupboard. It is easy, therefore, to store various medical supplies in them.
You don’t need to go out and get a set of new clear boxes for the purpose, either. Repurposing goods like disposable baby wipe boxes for supply storage is another smart move. You can also turn other plastic containers that may be lying vacant around the house to store several different kinds of medical supplies.
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Pick a preferred method for sorting the products
Each prescription drug and other supplies come with a specific dosage instruction and usage requirement. For instance, you may have to consume a particular medicine twice a day for seven days throughout the week. You can sort them in custom containers with compartments labeled for each day of the week and keep them handy at your bedside table.
Similarly, when it comes to sorting the cabinet, shelf or closet that you have dedicated for all medical supplies, it is best to organize items by how often and when you want to use them. What sorting mechanism you want to use is a matter of personal preference and convenience. For instance, some people would store all their eyewear supplies together while some would rather keep them mixed with all other skin care products.
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Label every item properly
In case you are not using plastic containers, it can be hard to figure out which box contains what. Also, even with transparent boxes, it can be difficult to decipher where you placed a certain item. Therefore, it is best to label each box.
If you are the forgetful type, you can also list all the supplies in a box and then stick that as a label. Labeling helps you get considerably organized. It is not just about storing related supplies in one box but also about arranging the boxes as per your convenience. You may need to spend some time getting everything in order, but once it is done, you’ll thank yourself for spending the time to organize everything in a proper, sequential manner.
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Allocate space according to your needs
In certain cases, it may not be possible for you to designate a specific space for your medical supplies. Maybe your place is already too crowded, or you just can’t figure out which area you are able to empty out. Either way, an effective solution can be to use whatever space you can. Some drawers, closets, cabinets, or shelves will have a bit of empty space where you can stash at least one container in.
Bedside drawers, room closets, kitchen cabinets, and the small cubbies in the bathroom can serve as places where you can put various supplies depending on when and at what time you are going to use them. Take, for example, your contact lenses; you probably change and clean them in the bathroom, so it would be ideal to place the eyewear kit there.
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Lose the packaging that comes with medicines
Packaging for drugs and other supplies can take up a lot of extra space. The box itself doesn’t serve any function other than occupying space you may not have. Also, over time, the box can tear, rip or degrade, leaving a mess for you to clean up. Therefore, it is best to get rid of the box completely and store the items in plastic containers instead.
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Store supplies where they are easily accessible
There are various ways in which you can do this. If you feel more comfortable storing different supplies in places where you need them, like the eyewear kit in the bathroom or the dressing table, your before-bed medications on the bedside table, and the lunchtime prescription in the kitchen.
On the other hand, you might find it more convenient to store all the supplies in one designated cabinet in the store room or the pantry. Whatever you choose, it is all about storing supplies in the most convenient place. Also, it is ideal to have an emergency first aid kit placed somewhere around the house where it can be located easily.
Conclusion
Medical supplies are essential items that facilitate health and recovery for patients. Therefore, storing and organizing them properly is a task that needs to take precedence, particularly if you have a lot of them lying around the house.
