Organizing First Aid Kits

    

This weekend I decided it was time to sort out the medicines and the first aid kits.

 

The medicine box was filled to the rim and after closer inspection I realized a lot had expired. Here in Sweden we can return our unused medicines to the pharmacy which I did during my lunch hour today.

 

A photo of my kits has been posted on Flickr a long time now but as I needed to redo the green cross which had become soiled I though I'd show you how I put them together. As my boxes (vintage gingerbread tins) are metal I use magnetic sheets to make the crosses. You could do a sticker or just a paper cross glued on too.

 

I drew a cross onto green paper, glued it onto a magnetic sheet and cut through both along the lines.

 

After weeding out the expired items it was a nice feeling to put the lid back on.

 

For the first aid kit I made new dividers out of card stock. It's so simple. Two same size rectangles (the diameter of the box) with cuts halfway down the center.

 

Put the divider together by slotting one cut into the other.

 

Place inside box and Tadaaa!!

 

One section if for eye care, one for surgical tape and bandages, one for band aids and cleaning of minor wounds and one for insect bites etc.

I love these little clean outs. Always feel really good about myself afterward :)

Comments

[Franziska]

your tins look wonderful. And the dividers are really usefull as I thought last week and this weekend when I sorted so much stuff in boxes. Now it's neatly arranged and looks wonderful. And it gives a feeling of relief: one thing done and it's so neat (and of course: you're able to find what you're searching for...).
Thanks for sharing.

[Susie]

Great idea.
Congratulations for the article in the Swedish newspaper.

Susie

[Petra from the Netherlands]

Wow, such a simple idea, the cardboard, and yet so useful. Plus, it can be used for other containers as well....
Thanks again for a useful tip!

[Jacqueline]

I love the industrious-ness of those containers!and your cleanout looks lovely!
I was wondering if you find round storage less efficient than squares or rectangles? I saw some great Frigovere containers over the weekend and I was thinking they would take up more space on the shelf and hold less. Do you find that?

[Cindy]

What a great little idea. Sadly, this is one area where I am not as prepared as I should be. While I insist on having one in the car, I don't have a properly stocked kit at home. Thanks for this!! I'll be working on one for our house this week!

[carol k]

This is one of my favorite things in your house. I have looked all over for magnets like these! I'm so glad you described how you made them. I love how you write about your editing and cleaning process. I can't wait for a book! I am always referring to your blog for how-tos' inspiration and creative solutions. I am so glad about the newspaper article! Congratulations. Carol

[Monica Duarte]

Hello Benita,
It's funny but yesterday I bought this boxes in Ikea

http://www.ikea.com/pt/pt/catalog/products/46686200

I going to use them for my first aid kit.

Now I see it's a very good idea, looks great.

Monica from Portugal

[sunny]

As always, Benita, you have impeccable timing. I am soon tackling my linen closet in the bathroom - the closet which houses all my medicine items. I was not sure how to store the medicine and other medical items, but now I do.

You say "it's so simple" but it's because you have a knack for creating just the right solution to an organizing dilemma. What a gift you have!

[Not Your Goddess]

So simple and pleasing :)

[Betsey]

I love your blog. However, I'm sorry if I missed it, but what is the difference between the green cross box and the red cross box?

[Purple Area]

I can't believe that you made all those ugly things actually look nice in that box.

[Skye]

Thank you Benita! You give me the motivation to organise things I usually wouldn't think about.
And MONICA, great idea to use the IKEA tin boxes. :)

[Caitlin]

My first aid kits don't look anything like that.

Unfortunately.

[Carlos]

Betsey, red is for first aid and green is for medicins ( pills, cold remedies etc).

Monica, I love the EMU boxes. I use them for all sorts of things!

Jacqueline, round is tricker than square and I would have gotten square ones for the medicins and first aid kits had I not had lots of the round ones around already.

[Maaret]

Great idea, so simple, so practical. Thank you!

[Lilla huset på prärien]

Snyggt och praktiskt!! Super :)

[Katherine]

I never thought I'd fall in love with a medicine/first-aid kit. I have.

[Katherine]

I never thought I'd fall in love with a medicine/first-aid kit. I have.

[Ali Edwards]

This is totally on my list.

[[email protected]]

This is such a good idea...I had to do one of these in college for a first aid class I was taking. It came in handy, but now all the supplies have been depleted and it's time to make a new one.

[Tiffanie]

You are my organizing hero. Seriously. I LOVE looking at your blog to get organizing ideas!

[Kerry]

They look great. Sometimes what I do when I need to compact my drugs/supplies for a small first aid kit, I take a few pills, place them in a small plastic baggie (like the really small ones that you use for craft beads), write the name of the drug and the expiry on it. When I'm done with all of them, I place them in a little plastic container (I use a cough drop container) and in the first aid kit they go. Then all the med containers go in the medicine cabinet. A great way to decrease bulk in your kit.

[Minna Mercke Schmidt]

Love this! Precis vad jag behövde, har grubblat över mina uberhemska röriga överfulla korgar! Tack fru B! Kram, minna :)

[Indra]

I just love everything you do. Thank you for getting ME orginized. You are my inspiration and I read your blog every day.
I already have a white with a green cross, but I think I have to change.....

[Account Deleted]

Benita you are so smart. That came straight out of my mouth as soon as I saw this!

[Patia]

You know what I really love? Your instructions on making a divider. Why has it never before occurred to me I could make my own dividers? Sock drawer, here I come!

[madilla]

What a clever idea! Never thought about it! Im looking for weeks now for something to organize my different colored sewing thread and until now i just put them in clear little plastic bags in a tin box. But this is SO much better!! Thanks!

[jae]

I commented on these tins from one of your photos a long time ago. I loved them then and still love them now. Magnet...very clever.

[Tracey]

You are so clever making a divider...I would have never thought of that and just crammed everything in there! I love your blog, you have so many great ideas!

[quelle]

wow, this is a really nice idea!

i also like that you have a lot of chinese ointments and medicines! it's like my mother's medicine cabinet! :D

[Katie K]

Perhaps this has been previously addressed, but it came to mind, seeing the first aid supplies for Chez Larsson... is there a similar kit for Auto Larsson? If so, I'd love to see what you container you use.

[Carlos]

There is no such thing as Auto Larsson :) Bus Larsson and Bike Larsson and even Subway Larsson yes, but Auto no...

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