Organize + Energize: Be Ready For Emergencies

Wednesday, April 03, 2013

Kristin MacRae, GoLocalProv Organizing Expert

Part of a smart spring cleaning schedule should include getting a first aid kit up to date and ready for emergencies.

Last week’s article was about organizing your medicine. Now that your medicine is organized, you can move forward with creating a first-aid kit. Every home and/or office should have one.

We are starting to spend more time outdoors, whether we are doing yard work, exercising, or your children playing sports. Are you prepared if there is an accident, a bee sting, a scrape or fall? Do you have a first aid kit, and does everybody in your household know where it is located? Do you panic because you can find a band aid, but you can’t find the antiseptic spray, or bee sting relief pad?

Get prepared now and be ready for when that accident happens.

Now is a great time to get organized and create a first aid kit and keep one in each bathroom or a designated spot in the house. You may also want to keep one in the car just in case. Notify everybody in the household where to locate the kit if an accident were to happen.

You can store your first aid products in a see through or colorful container, a basket, zippered pouch, or whatever type of container will fit in the area you are storing the kit. Label if you must.

If you are confused as to what type of first aid products to purchase, I have provided a list of suggestions to include in your kit.

First-aid kit list

• Tweezers & magnifier for removing splinters

• Small scissors

• Benadryl

• Neosporin/bacitracin

• Disposable ice pack

• Alcohol wipes

• Insect sting relief wipes

• Peroxide

• A box of all different sizes of band aids

• Gauze pads- 4x4 pads or a gauze roll

• Tape

• Ace bandage

• Gloves

• If anybody is allergic to bees, keep a spare epi-pen in the kit

• First aid guide

• Anti-Inflammatory Medication

• Any trial size products that you find in your travels that you think you might benefit from if they were in your kit.

How to organize it all

Gather all the first aid items that you already store in your home. Check for any expired items.

While you are preparing your first aid kit, also prepare an area to keep sunscreens, SPF lip balm, bug spray and any other items you need to put on before you head outside. Again, keep these contained to one area and be sure everybody in the home is aware of where they are stored.

When an accident occurs, (and hopefully it doesn’t) you won't be stressed or frazzled looking for items, you will be organized and prepared. Happy Spring! Organize! Energize!

Kristin Carcieri-MacRae, the founder and owner of Organizing in RI, has always enjoyed finding creative ways to streamline the environment around her. Kristin spent several years working in retail management, medical offices, and was even a successful certified personal trainer for 4 years. She discovered that in each of these fields she had a natural ability to streamline spaces and processes. Through her organizing ability and her passion for motivating others to achieve their goals, Kristin created Organizing in RI. Kristin has appeared on air on www.talkstreamradio.com and Patricia Raskin's Positive Business Radio. Her articles have been published in the Rhode Island Small Business Journal and New England Home Life. She is also available for organizing workshops.