I’ve come to realize that “medicine cabinet” is a bit of a misnomer. The first reason is because the medicine cabinet isn’t actually a great place to store medicine in the first place! Secondly, until recently, my medicine cabinet was home to not only medicine, but also vitamins, creams, cosmetics, bandaids, hair accessories, a dozen half-used tubes of chapstick, and who knows what else!
In today’s post, I’ll tell you why you may want to move your meds out of the medicine cabinet, and where you should store them instead. I’ll also share some other helpful tips about safely storing, using, and disposing of medications. Medication safety is so important, and following these simple tips could help prevent an unfortunate accident or incident from occurring under your roof.
Related: 7 Costly Storage Mistakes And How To Fix Them
The Best Place to Store Your Medication
It turns out that storing your meds in your medicine cabinet may not be the best option! It’s easy to forget about your medications when they’re stashed away behind that cabinet door, making it much more likely that you’ll forget about taking them. And more often than not, your medicine cabinet is in the bathroom, which tends to stay warmer and more humid than the other rooms in your house. Neither of these conditions is good for storing medications!
I recommend pulling your meds out of your medicine cabinet, and storing them in a decorative box instead. It’s easy to store a box safely out of reach, while still having it act as a visual reminder to take your meds. (Of course, that means storing the box somewhere you know you’ll see it every day!)
More Helpful Tips for Storing Medication
1. Keep Them Cool & Dry
The optimal storage conditions for medications are somewhere cool, dry, and dark. The box itself will keep light away from your meds, so all you have to do is make sure that you store the box somewhere cool and dry. This could be up on a shelf somewhere, or in a drawer that you use frequently.
2. Use a Lock
It’s important to take special precautions when storing certain medications, like those that treat anxiety, depression, or pain. These medications can be habit forming, and potentially harmful to those who haven’t been prescribed them. Consider storing these types of medications in a box or bag with a lock and key, or in a drawer that locks. It’s better to be safe than sorry!
3. Color Code Them
Especially when you’re storing your meds in a box, you may want a quicker way to tell which medication bottle is which. You can put colored stickers on the lids, or wrap colored rubber bands around the lids to identify them. Each color could stand for a different type of medication (for instance, red might mean heart medications, while green is for allergy relief.) You could also use a different color for each member of the family, or the colors could signify how often you take that medication. You can use any color coding system that works for you!
4. Take an Inventory
When you’re clearing all of your medications out of your medicine cabinet, take a moment to clear out anything you don’t need. For each medication you keep, you should know who prescribed it, who it was prescribed for, why it was prescribed, and when it will expire.
5. Dispose Safely
If a medication is past its expiration date, or is no longer needed, it’s time to dispose of it. Some Walgreen’s locations accept medications for proper disposal. You can also search for controlled substance disposal locations through the DEA at this link.
If there are no safe disposal locations near you, here are some tips for doing it at home. Pour the medication from the bottle into a sealable bag, along with a handful of something unappetizing, like dirt, kitty litter, or used coffee grounds. Dispose of the bag in your trash. Dispose of the medication bottle separately, after blocking out any personal information with a dark marker.
6. Stay Organized on the Go
When you’re traveling or simply out running errands, use a pill organizer to keep your medications handy and stored properly. This cute pill case I found on Amazon spins so you can dispense each compartment separately. I also like this pill case that has two layers of lids for added protection against the elements!
Where do you keep medication?
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I keep the pills I take every day in our kitchen.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Those are really great tips. I never realized these troubles a medicine cabinet could have.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I keep a file with the info sheet the pharmacy provides when you pick up a prescription – it usually has all the detail you need about what you are taking, who filled the Rx, and description of medication as to what it is given for AND what to do if you have a reaction. It’s great info and I cannot think of any pharmacy these days that does not provide it.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thanks Jillee!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This is a great article with all kinds of helpful, practical tips!! (As always) :)
I was wondering if you could tell me where the mint colored bins are from? I love them and just have to have them!!
I take meds in the morning and bedtime. I tried many ways to remember them and most failed. I now have a weekly pill container with 2 rows for each day. I lay my glasses on it so I see them day and night. I also plan it, that I refill Sunday, at bedtime. Because there’s quiet time before bed and likely won’t be rushed if you sleep in or there’s a morning emergency. With kids that is almost every morning
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Even if you are young and only take one or two medications a day, it’s a good habit to have them organized. We saw both sets of parents struggle with taking the proper meds at the proper time of day and every day. If you develop a working system it will be easier to understand when you are in ill health.
We have color coded our meds, including vitamins, for several years. Each of us has a color of adhesive dot. You can get those anywhere including Dollar Tree. Whenever something comes into the house on goes the dot. We use a different color for common drugs like 81 mg aspirin. We do use the 7 day organizers. Daytime and nightime are colored differently so they don’t get mixed up.
Make things easier for your spouse, caregiver or children by developing the habits now.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Great tip – thanks Elisa!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Since it’s only me and the dog I keep the one med I take and vitamin bottles in a plastic basket in the pantry and once a week load my 7 day pill container which is on the counter near the coffee pot. When I moved to another state a few years back I found at Walmart clear plastic containers with lids (tall enough to hold most bottles) to move drug store items. I marked one for Cold/fFu and the other is marked First Aid. Those are kept in the linen closet. They stack nicely on top of each other. Works for me!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I set an alarm on my cell phone to remind me to take my meds. I had never heard of traveling with your original bottles before. Just don’t put them in your checked luggage at the airport. I packed a bottle of muscle relaxers in a checked bag and it was stolen. There is also the possibility of your bag getting lost or delayed.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Due to environmental concerns, in Vancouver Canada, we can take back to your pharmacist, they have safe disposal. It sure is different everywhere, check before you go I guess. Cheers!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Our city’s health department gives out Sharpes containers. Once you’ve filled it, you drop it off to them for disposal and they hand you a new one. Any unused drugs can be dropped off at the local sheriff’s office but it must be in the original prescription bottle and you can either give it to them or empty the contents in front of then and take bottle back with you.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Many veterinarians will happily accept old empty prescription bottles that they can use for pet medicines. Just make sure they are clean and remove labels. Great way to recycle!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I already had done that. I keep them close to where I make my coffee; it helps so I won’t forget to take them. Have them with my vitamins in a multi circular container; the extra pills(vitamins) are in a decorative box underneath my coffee table.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.When my brother died a few years ago, I took his leftovèr needles and insulin to my local animal shelter and they were very pleased to have them. Similarly, earlier this year, I noticed that I had a few bottles of an antibiotic which I no longer took, and again, the animal shelter was delighted to get it as it is what they use for kennel cough. It’s more work to call your animal shelter and see if they can use your leftover meds and you will have to drop them off, but they will be put to good use and kept out of landfills.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Great tip Rita!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I haven’t kept mine in the bathroom closet for ages. I store my prescription meds in the kitchen. The Tylenol and some of my dietary supplements I keep in my bedroom. I heard this a long time ago about storing meds in steamy locations. When I travel, I just count out the pills I’ll need and put them in a container. As far as having them in the prescription bottle, that rule only applies to airplane travel. As far as I’m concerned the prescription meds I take are really no one so business except for family.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Yep that’s interesting. The drug possession rule makes more sense.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My husband needs to keep his in their original containers as a long distance truck driver. He was pulled up and was told that way he was carrying them could be taken as selling them. He carries them in a thermal bag, so protecting them from the elements.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Travel with medication in a bottle other than the prescription container is illegal in some states. My friend was in an accident and the patrol officer saw her vitamin container on the floor of the car, it fell out of her purse, and wanted to arrest her on a drug charge. Yes this happens. No she had not taken illegal substances nor was she under the influence of anything! Please be careful when removing any pills from the original containers!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.You Do Not Out Prescription Drugs In the Trash !!! They will most likely be taken to a landfill where they will leach out into the environment causing harm to to species in the food chain & then to all of us…
Please log in or create a free account to comment.It is one of several disposal methods recommended by the food and drug admin. Flushing is okay too. To say otherwise is a common misconception. Some people do not understand how that works and get pretty excited without being truly informed. Sorry to those who may disagree but get the facts and be informed.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.When when keeping your medications in a travel container, you risk being arrested. If you don’t have your prescription bottles with all your information on them and your stopped for whatever reason, you could be arrested for drug possition.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I suppose I don’t travel enough to know this about prescription meds. So happy to know this important information for my next long trip. Thank you!
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