Organize a First Aid Kit for Summer

It is officially summertime.

That means most of us will be spending more time in the great outdoors. In spite of our best efforts, it sometimes becomes the great Ouch!doors. Bumps, bruises, stings and scrapes happen.

Now is good time to review first aid supplies and update the first aid kit. Suggestions for a basic first aid kit can be found at www.redcross.org. Add an extra chemical ice bag, an insect bite remedy, and a soothing lotion for sunburn. Review the contents of the kit to make sure that the expiration dates on the products have not expired. It is a good idea to have a first aid kit in the house and in the car. That way supplies are close at hand when they are needed. When accidents happen it is comforting to know you are ready to handle them quickly.

Beverly & Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net

DON’T FORGET THESE KITS WHEN YOU MOVE INTO THE DORM

Recent high school grads who are college bound will soon celebrate their second Independence Day this year. They will move into college dorms and wave good-by to parents with a mixture of tears, anticipation and relief. Those who have planned well will be able to enjoy that first night of freedom and relax in their new digs.

Good planning means you have the things you need to be comfortable in your room and store everything you need to go to class, study, and socialize with your new friends. That is a tall order given some of the small spaces that pass for college living quarters.

Most colleges send good lists that help students gather the essentials for dorm living and advice from friends and family usually fills in the gaps. Experience has taught us that, even with all this guidance, there are a couple of things people forget to bring to the dorms. They are tools for simple repairs and a first aid kit. The girl or boy who has one of each available on move-in day will be the first to meet many new classmates and their panicked parents. Having moved into four colleges between us, we have personal knowledge of this.

Assemble a tool kit that includes:
Retractable 25 foot measuring tape
Large scissors
Combination drill/screwdriver with multiple tips
Pair of pliers
Hammer
Pocket knife
Nails and screws
Picture hanging kit
Cord ties
Duct tape
Poster Putty
Small flashlight and batteries
Adjustable wrench

These items should allow you to put together assembly-required furnishings and make adjustments necessary for a livable space. Place all the tools in the smallest container that will hold them.

Then put together your first aid kit. Include:
Band-Aids in various sizes
Gauze
Antibacterial ointment
Alcohol swabs
Antihistamine tablets
Acetaminophen tablets
Diarrhea medicine
Cortisone cream
Artificial tears
Hot/cold pack

Now you are ready to take care of any bumps, bruises, stings or other sundry mishaps that might take place as you are getting the room in order. These are no substitute for medical attention when required, but will help you keep the blood off the furniture until you can see the doctor or school nurse.

Going to college is a great adventure. Even Indiana Jones needs a few tools to meet the challenge. Don’t forget yours.

Beverly & Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net

Avoid Bathroom Clutter Traps

Throughout the house there are certain areas that just seem to accumulate clutter. One of those areas is the bathroom. It is a limited space in which we accomplish varied tasks and need to store a variety of items. The things we store in the bathroom fall into four categories: medicines and pharmaceuticals, toiletries and make-up, supplies, and appliances. The key to orderly storage and easy access is to group by function and not by type. For instance, you may use a hot lather machine, disposable razors an aftershave and occasionally, a styptic pencil to shave in the morning. You may also have an electric razor that you use routinely or occasionally. If you create a shaving kit and store these items together, you can more efficiently pull them out when you are ready to use them -and put them away when you are finished. Otherwise you may be tempted to leave an item or two on the counter space. Grouping the items according to function saves time and energy. Try grouping them in a clear shoebox and storing on an enclosed shelf or deep drawer.

Apply this same principle to fashion a first aid kit that includes Band-Aids, antiseptics, bandages and an analgesic. Gather and store supplies for dental hygiene. You can also put together a makeup kit with the cosmetics you use on a daily basis, so you can apply and fly to your next appointment.

There are many storage items that are available to organize your bathroom accoutrements. Also look outside the traditional bathroom storage systems to coral functional items. If you take a lot of pills or dietary supplements the four-drawer spice rack with slide-out and flip-down drawers provides a handy way to organize the bottles. Look at cabinet plate organizers or over the cabinet mail racks to separate and store flat bubble packs. Also investigate slide-out wire racks in various dimensions to store supplies in narrow spaces and under the sink.

If you need a place to sit, a place to store and a flat surface to keep a few things handy, take a look at the telephone bench/storage cabinet at www.Solutions.com. It has a cushioned seat, a flat table surface and two hidden storage compartments.

Whatever innovative solutions you design, remember to keep items together to perform a task and keep the kits you create close to the point of activity. That will make it easier to avoid clutter.

Check out the products mentioned at the following web sites:
www.Solutions.com
www.Grandinroad.com
www.taylorgifts.com


Beverly & Kristen
www.KeyTransition.net