Medicine Cabinet Checklist

When it comes to medications, keeping the family healthy and safe includes keeping the medicine cabinet up to date.

Here’s a quick checklist to help you stock your medicine cabinet with basic health care tools and store medicines safely.

  • Antacid
  • Antibiotic ointment
  • Antidiarrheal medication
  • Bandages – assorted types (for small wounds)
  • Bandages – elastic wrap (for strains and sprains)
  • Calamine lotion (to relieve itching and burns)
  • Compresses – hot/cold
  • Cough syrup
  • Gauze – bandages and wrap (for larger wounds)
  • Hydrocortisone cream (to relieve itching)
  • Hydrogen peroxide (as disinfectant)
  • Pain medication – non-prescription, such as acetaminophen, ASA, ibuprofen
  • Rubbing alcohol (as antiseptic)
  • Scissors
  • Sunscreen
  • Surgical tape (for use with gauze bandages and wrap)
  • Thermometer (age-appropriate)
  • Tweezers

Safe Storage

Medications are stored as instructed on the label. For example, storing medicines in a warm, moist area such as a bathroom can change the medicine’s strength and/or ability to do its job.

  • All package instructions can be read clearly. If they’re missing or cannot be read clearly, the package has been taken to the pharmacist for proper disposal.
  • Medicines have not expired. If a medication has expired, the container has been taken to the pharmacist for proper disposal.
  • Any medicine for which a prescription is complete, or which the doctor has said should no longer be taken, has been removed from the cabinet and taken to the pharmacist for proper disposal.
  • Medicines are stored out of sight of children.
  • Medicines are stored out of reach of crawling and climbing children.
  • All medicines have child-resistant caps. If they do not (for example, if the patient has arthritis), they are removed from the medicine cabinet and safely stored in another location out of sight and reach of children.

For more information on medicine health and safety for your family, speak with your pharmacist.