If you haven't taken a peek into your medicine cabinet lately, it might be time to take a look. Every home should have basic supplies to help with minor accidents or middle-of-the-night illnesses. A medicine cabinet should also have important phone numbers taped inside of the door to call in case of an emergency.

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Using a Medicine Cabinet

Actually, the medicine cabinet in your bathroom is probably one of the worst places to store medications, whether the meds are prescription or over-the-counter (OTC). The heat and humidity in bathrooms are particularly hard on pills and capsules, which can break down more quickly after exposure to these elements. Your best bet is to store family medications in drawers or cabinets in a cool dry place away from heat and moisture and away from curious little hands.

Storing Medications

Store your meds in their original containers so that you will know when the drugs have expired or are coming close to their expiration dates. Make sure that the containers are closed tightly to protect the medications from moisture. This will also help prevent young children from exploring the contents of the containers. In addition, throw away the cotton that is inside the containers when you purchase the medications. The cotton can hold moisture, leading to damaged meds.