How to Stock a Home First Aid Kit

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This post was sponsored by the makers of BENADRYL®. Thoughts and opinions are my own.

In my last post, I detailed how I stocked up a first aid kit for when we travel. This time around, I’m going to talk about our home first aid kit and How to Stock a Home First Aid Kit.

 

We have a few medical needs in our house, from my unknown allergy that has me carrying an Epi-Pen wherever I go – and keeping one in the house at all times, to my son’s allergies to animals. Since this first aid kit stays at home, I don’t stock it full of cold medications or our prescriptions, that was covered in our travel first aid kit. This is all about gathering the most important items you need, in one place.

Who has scrambled around the house looking for bandages? Shaking out the empty box and realizing that you have no idea where the devil you put the new box that you just purchased? That would be me. Even at home, it’s flustering to be running around the house trying to find that tube of antibiotic ointment (this is the one that always gets lost on me for some reason) and bandages for the latest small injury.

While my lists below are in no way the most comprehensive you will find, I’ve given you the basics to start your own first aid kit at home so you can be prepared for unexpected moments.

The Basics
• Bandage strips and butterfly bandages in assorted sizes
• Nonstick sterile bandages and roller gauze in assorted sizes
• Cotton balls and cotton-tipped swabs
• Petroleum jelly
• Safety pins in assorted sizes
• Scissors and tweezers
• Soap or hand sanitizer
• Antibiotic ointment
• Antiseptic towelettes
• Thermometer

Medications
• BENADRYL®, both Children’s Liquid and LIQUI-GELS® because you never know who will have an unexpected reaction
• Pain relievers, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol®, others), ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®, others)
• Hydrocortisone cream
• Auto-injector of epinephrine (Epi-Pen)
Other:
• Aloe vera gel
• Calamine lotion

Your at-home first aid kit is going to look different from mine, as your emergency medications will vary. The most important thing to remember when packing your first aid kit is not all of the items on the lists you’ll find on the internet are meant for your family. You have to think of what your family members might need in times of emergency, like my Epi-Pen and customize your kit to your family’s needs.

You can also tuck in a piece of paper with important numbers if you have children that are old enough to stay at home. My list isn’t in the first aid kit, the numbers are on a big piece of paper taped to the inside of my cupboard. Friends, family and all contact numbers – even 911- are written on this piece of paper for when my son watches his sister by himself.

Do you have any tips or tricks of your own for your home first aid kit?