How to Organize a First Aid Box

Organizing a First Aid Box can be a quick project that will save you time when you need it – in an emergency. Check out these common problems we encounter in First Aid Boxes and the 5 minute fix to get yours into tip top shape!

Problem #1: A cluttered, messy First Aid Box makes it difficult to find the sterile supplies needed quickly.
Problem #2: An unlabeled First Aid Box means that some first aid supplies will end up there, but they will also be put into other containers, drawers and cabinets. If a label doesn’t tell your family that box is for first aid supplies, how will they know?
Problem #3: Having multiples of the same item in a First Aid Box means that items will not get used up before expiring. One tube of anti-itch cream is much better than 4 different brands, strengths and sizes of the same product. This is a recipe for waste, and a lot of useful products will end up in the trash.

Solution: Sterilize, simplify, and separate!

Step 1: Sterilize. Remove everything and disinfect the container. Any once-sterile items which have been compromised (band-aids with open wrappers, open gauze packages, etc.) need to be discarded.
Step 2: Simplify. With everything out of the First Aid Box, group like items together. Discard all expired items. Put all duplicate items into your pantry/supply area. Leave only one of each of the following in the first aid box:
1- Anti-itch cream
1- First aid antibiotic ointment (Bacitracin, Neosporin)
1- Pain relieving spray (for sunburns and bug bites)
1 – First aid liquid (Bactine)
1 – Antihistamine for allergic reactions (such as Benadryl)
1 – Band aids: 1 box of non-latex
1 – Pack of gauze pads and roll of paper tape
1 – Box of butterfly closure bandages
1 – Calamine lotion
1 – Insect bite medicine
1 each – Thermometers: Oral, Digital (ear, forehead)
Step 3: Separate. Use plastic Ziploc bags to separate and keep like items together.
1 bag – Gauze pads and roll of paper tape
1 bag – Non-latex band aids
1 bag – Butterfly closure bandages
Step 4: Label and Share. It doesn’t matter if the label is printed or hand-written, as long as it is there. The power of a label is amazing for keeping items in their proper homes! Share the First Aid Box with your family so they know what it is and where it is. This will save you valuable time in a true emergency.
Take 5 minutes to organize your First Aid Box today!