Organize + Energize: A Quick Organizing Project - Organizing Your Meds
Kristin MacRae, GoLocalProv Organizing Expert
Organize + Energize: A Quick Organizing Project - Organizing Your Meds
Here are some valuable tips about storing and organizing your medications.
Take it one room at a time. If you have meds all over the home, break the process down and just focus on one room at a time. Start in the kitchen, and then move to the bathroom, closets, etc. Use a flat surface to spread out with all of the meds. Use this as a workstation when you are going through all of the rooms.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTCheck for expiration dates. Be prepared, if you haven’t gone through your meds in a while, there are going to be many that have expired. I always let my clients decide whether to toss or keep expired meds. If you are unsure of how to dispose of these meds, call your local pharmacy.
Keep your meds itemized and categorized. As you begin decluttering, use the table to categorize all of the meds. You’ll have categories of first-aid, cold/flu, allergy, stomach, eyes, etc.
Think about where you want to store your meds. Once you have all of your categorizes, you’ll have a clear vision of what is there and how you want to store them. Do you want to have one closet dedicated to these meds? Are there prescription ones that you want to keep in a separate place? Think about how you want to grab these and where the best place will be to store them.
Storing your meds. Believe it or not, your medications should not be stored in a medicine cabinet in the bathroom. The bathroom is the worst place to store your medicine. It’s prone to high temperatures and humidity. Medications should be stored away from heat and moisture and closed tight. Keep in a hallway closet, or anywhere in the home where the room temp is between 68 and 77 degrees. Some meds need to be stored in cooler places. Always read the labels.
Label, if you must. Labeling is a great way to find things and find them quickly. Once you create the categories, measure your space, purchase your containers to fit what you have and then label them.
Pill organizers. They aren’t just for prescribed meds. I don’t take prescription meds, but I take many supplements and use a pill organizer. Every Saturday night, I refill the pill organizer with my supplements. It allows me to never forget to take a pill and I don’t have pill bottles all over the counter. I keep the bottles organized in a bin and stored in the closet.
Check on your elders. Please check on your elders and make sure that they are organized with their meds. Also, check to make sure they have a list of all the medication they are taking and be sure they carry the list with them at all times, most importantly, to doctor's appointments. Set them up with a pill organizer so they are taking their pills on schedule every day.
Not only our elders, but everybody should carry a list of meds they are taking. List the name of the medication, dosage, and how often you take the medication. Keep a copy at home and carry one with you.
Depending on how many meds you have, this project should take you no longer than half an hour. It’s one small organizing project that you can scratch off of your to-do list.
5 Organizing Blunders
Not planning ahead
Getting organized is a process and you have to have a plan on how to conquer your project. You can’t tear apart an entire room all at once. You need to break the project down into small pieces. Plan to tackle your project in 3-hour increments. If you work longer than 3 hours at a time, you are setting yourself up for burnout. Plan ahead to try to avoid distractions and stay focused.
Click here for more tips on how to avoid distractions.
Purchasing the incorrect supplies
I know you are excited to get organized, but don’t rush out to the store and purchase products just because you like the way they look. Get organized first. Figure out what you need to contain, and then purchase your container to match the items you need it to hold.
Click here for more on choosing the right container.
Not letting others know about your system
Once you set up the organized system, you have to get everybody in your home on board. Show them the systems and how you are going to function with this system going forward. Label everything if you must, so everybody gets in the habit of putting items away. Remember, the simpler the system, the easier it’s going to be to maintain.
Need help creating those systems? Go here.
Not maximizing your space
Use every inch of space and use it well. Take everything out of the area you are organizing. You can’t get a clear visual of the space if it is filled with clutter. Shifting items around is not going to work.
Here are more tips on maximizing your space.
Repeatedly clearing spaces
You are creating more work for yourself if you continue to clear spaces once a month. Create a system and allow everything in your home to have its own place, and you will never have to clear a space again.
Kristin Carcieri-MacRae
Kristin Carcieri-MacRae, the founder and owner of Organizing in RI, has always enjoyed finding creative ways to streamline the environment around her. She has appeared on air on Patricia Raskin's Positive Business Radio and her articles have been published in the Rhode Island Small Business Journal and New England Home Life. Kristin's CD, Organizing Basics, is a 1-hour guide for the person who wants to get organized but doesn't know where to start. She is also available for organizing workshops. Tune into her weekly radio show, Organize, Energize! on Mondays at 8:30am on www.talkstreamradio.com.
