Twice a year - once in September and once in March - I check our medicine stash and first aid stuff. I check expiration dates, I restock anything on which we’re low, I give the area a good wipe down. This tiny, tiny routine saves our bottom multiple upon multiple times a year.
(My Yearly Tasks + Expenses List reminds me to do this routine…and any other task that occurs during only certain months of the year. I swear by this list for lessening my mental load - household chores, annual appointments, family celebrations, holiday traditions, etc etc etc.)
And any time we’re not feeling well, I do a quick spot check afterwards to make sure I’ve replenished what we’ve used, if needed. Like, we just had a cold go through our house, and today I added cold medicine and tissues into this week’s grocery cart so that we’re ready for the next inevitable round of sickness.
Because that’s one of my tiny ways I love to take care of myself. When I don’t feel well - or when I’m caring for a sick kid - one of the last things I want to do is run to the store or place an order. So I keep a few must-haves on hand - things we always reach for when we’re feeling poorly. Future Haley is always so incredibly grateful for this act of kindness.
Is there anything you could order now for Future You That Doesn’t Feel Well?
Here’s 20 things we keep on hand for when we don’t feel well!
cold/throat/cough stuff
the best medicine dispenser for kids
see this list of our favorite cold/throat/cough stuff for kids
plenty of soft, pillow-like tissues
chest rub
and an assortment of over-the-counter medicine
See this list of our favorite cold/throat/cough stuff for kids and babies.
the online pediatric membership that saves my bottom time and time again. read more of my thoughts - and why I appreciate this membership so much - here.
our favorite nasal aspirator for babies
joey was born in December, and I was terrified of all the gunk KK would inevitably bring home from preschool. so we upgraded to this snot sucker, and we used it almost-constantly in the first few months of joey’s life - we proclaimed it was some of the best money we ever spent.
we also love this nose picker for crusty nose stuff.
See this list of our favorite cold/throat/cough stuff for kids and babies.
lots of saline
this saline spray for KK and Joey
this saline spray for Brett and me
a neti pot, of course
I also loved this disposable saline inhaler, so I got a nebulizer and this saline that we could use year after year (although I thankfully haven’t used these yet, so can’t attest to how well this idea worked).
allergy stuff
vials of pre-measured doses of kid allergy medicine that I can keep in convenient, on-the-go spots (like diaper bags), just in case
(Joey was just starting solids at the time of publication)
eye itch drops for me and Brett
hydrocortisone cream from my favorite skin line
see my first aid post for things we keep on hand for stings/bites/rashes/burns
and an assortment of over-the-counter medicine - we get bad seasonal allergies here in Central Texas, so our allergy meds section of our medicine cabinet stays stocked.
I keep some emergency allergy meds in my car, too - here’s what else I keep in my car
I know, I know. It’s pricey. But with Joey being born at the height of RSV season - and with KK basically needing a humidifier for months before that - we upgraded to this humidifier and have been in love with it ever since. It is impeccably easy to keep clean - dishwasher safe!!! - unlike the gross, moldy nightmares we had endured before.
also the best personal steam inhaler
Brett and I use this thing all the time - congestion, sinus gunk, clogged ears, you name it
sometimes we add these vapor pads, too
bath and shower goodies
these vapor epsom salts for brett and me
these shower steamers (brett’s favorite thing to use while sick)
these things aren’t magical, but they do bring an impressive amount of relief when I need the steam/warm water to do its thing, and the eucalyptus scent doesn’t hurt. you could def do a diy version of these things, but when I’m feeling under the weather (or taking care of a sick kid), the last thing I want to do is a diy project. so we keep these things on hand.
we also always have plain epsom salt on hand and set to our Subscribe and Save order
because in my house growing up, my mom offered “a wet washcloth” for almost any ailment. it still provides an immense amount of comfort.
pain/fever/headache stuff
a few thermometers, like this one
an assortment of over-the-counter medicine
I keep some emergency pain meds in the car as well - here’s what else I keep in the car - and I keep some emergency pain meds in our Evacuation Bag, too.
ear stuff
the online pediatric membership that saves my bottom time and time again for diagnosing ear infections, etc at home. read more of my thoughts - and why I appreciate this membership so much - here.
tummy stuff
I keep some in the car too
and an assortment of over-the-counter medicine for a wide range of tummy ailments
tea. and lots of it.
and lots of honey
but also: lemons. sometimes a simple hot lemon water is magic.
and when I’m really on my game, I also have things for a medicine ball on hand
juice + gatorade + ginger ale
we don’t drink these often, but these are the first things we want when sick, so I try to keep a tucked-away stash of juice and gatorade and ginger ale, specifically for when we don’t feel well. i can’t tell you how many times I have praised Past Haley for this gem.
applesauce, oatmeal, crackers, cheerios
things that we eat pretty regularly, but also things that are pretty safe bets for us to nibble on when under the weather, so I make sure to always have these on hand.
plain ramen cakes + broth/stock
this is a new-to-us trick and we’re SMITTEN. we keep plain packs of ramen on hand, as well as plenty of broth/stock. one of my favorite accounts taught me how to make ramen in the instant pot, so this is one of our go-tos whenever we’re feeling poorly.
(or I just simmer the ramen and broth/stock on the stove top for a simple noodle soup situation. THE BEST.)
but also, when we don’t feel well, we will often splurge on our favorite takeout ramen, egg drop soup, or tortilla soup. and when I’m really on my game, I keep a stash of soups in our freezer for this reason.
vitamins
see a full list of what vitamins we take here
ice packs + heating pads
stuff for bites/stings/burns/rashes and a big box of first aid goodies
see the post for everything we keep on hand here! it’s one of my most popular posts.
a few more notes:
I love to keep our medicine, etc in these lazy susans.
But in our Airstream, I keep our medicine in these tackle boxes.
I have a big ol acrylic box for our first aid stuff - perfect for a grab and go situation.
here’s what we keep on hand for first aid!
This list reminds me to check our medicine + first aid stash every September and March.
When someone’s sick, we do this trick to keep all the supplies corralled and accessible (and so it all doesn’t take over my kitchen counter)
Stay well, friends! But I hope this list provides some inspiration for ways you can take care of your Future Self when illness does inevitably arrive.
xo, h
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