Medication Storing Tips That Every Family Needs to Know

Medication can be expensive. That’s why it’s such a good idea for families to find medication discounts online! However, even if you save a couple bucks on medicine for your family, you don’t want all that money to go down the drain because you have to toss it out later.

Medication can be surprisingly difficult to store, but if not stored properly, you’ll have to toss out that bottle of Aspirin sooner rather than later.

Here are a few medication storing tips that every family needs to know to get the most out of their prescription and over-the-counter meds.

Don't Store Medicine in the Bathroom Cabinet

Chances are, you’ve got a bathroom cabinet full of medicine right now. Although it may seem like the logical place to put all those bottles of pills, the bathroom is actually the worst place to store medication.

Medication degrades much faster when it's exposed to heat and humidity. The bathroom is the most humid, warm place in your home. Even just turning on the hot water in the sink can be enough to warm up the pills in your cabinet.

Instead, store your medicine in a:

·         Kitchen cabinet away from the stove

·         Dresser drawer in the bedroom

·         First aid kit in the basement

·         Secure drawer or container in the refrigerator

Check Medicine for Expiration Dates, but Don't Necessarily Throw Them Out

Many families just can’t seem to throw out medication. You may have a cabinet full of infant medicine when your child is now 10 years old. Or maybe it has been ages since you’ve looked at the medicine in that first aid kit.

It’s always a good idea to inspect expiration dates on medication. If it’s something your family won’t be using any time soon, and it has expired, toss it.

However, it’s important to know that the expiration date doesn’t mean the medicine is bad or unsafe. Most medicine just loses its potency after the expiration date passes, which means you can still keep that bottle of expired pain killers around. Toss them only when they don’t seem effective anymore.

Don't Hang on to Prescribed Medicine From Your Doctor

Many patients don’t take their prescribed medication like they’re supposed to. That means that partially filled prescription bottles often litter cabinets for years.

First, you should always take medication as prescribed. Not only is it better for your health, you also won’t have any pills left over to worry about.

If you do have pills left over, don’t hang onto them thinking you might need them again in the future. By the time you do need them—assuming you remember you have them—they likely won’t be effective anymore.

And of course, make sure that you always keep medication away from curious little fingers by placing it somewhere that isn’t easily accessible!

Don’t let pill bottles take over your home. With these tips, you can save money by hanging onto your medicine for longer, and you can find the courage to get rid of bottles that should be tossed.

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