My sister-in-law, Suzie, introduced me to the idea of putting our home first aid supplies into an easy-to-grab fishing tackle box. It’s been bugging me that our first aid supplies have been dumped into a plastic basket with no rhyme or reason. So unlike me, but I’m the culprit.
Today I spent an hour in Walmart going back and forth looking at tackle boxes, duffle bags, small coolers, jewelry bead boxes, toolboxes, and then back again to the tackle boxes in the sporting goods department to end up buying a medium-sized bright orange tackle box for $17.98. My poor 4 year-old kept asking me what we were doing as I danced about the store. Well, she earned a pack of gum and a Redbox DVD rental of “Bolt” which made up for everything. When we got home, we talked about how it was important that she not play with it. I let her help me organize the band aids by size, and everything else in the tackle box, which she loved. It was a good teaching moment. This box has an outside storage compartment where we put the band aids and wipes for everyday access.
I could not fit my larger bottles of rubbing alcohol and hydrogen peroxide, but I think I can pour some of the contents into smaller travel containers. I put larger bandages in ziploc bags in the bottom. I still have a few more items to gather, but I was very happy that I had most of the first aid supplies already at home.
This first aid box can be taken on vacations, outings, and easily grabbed in an emergency. A larger one would hold much more, but I think this will do for us. I also have first aid items in our car emergency kits, and in our 72-hour kits. This is just for home use.
Cost of this project:
Tackle Box: $17.98
Redbox DVD rental: $0.00 (A lady behind me in line gave me a free movie code)
Pack of gum: $.99
Here is a sample First Aid Kit list, but there are many online as well.
Another Tackle Box First Aid Kit with a list of items
Another Tackle Box First Aid Kit with a list of items
I was actually thinking we needed to update our first aid kit. We have a little box all in one kit that is about 2 years old, and all the pills have been used or expired so I know its time to change things. I think I will probably buy another one of those $10 basic kits to keep in the car, but get something bigger and more thorough for the rest of the medicine. I should also help stop us from misplacing the thermometer or the infant tylenol in the middle of the night too since we keep those things separate.
I have a little more: a zipper case (once held a hat) with small-quantity essentials for my overnight bag; a tackle box with material to handle cuts, removing slivers or splinters, or removing stitches or staples;a Hello Kitty diaper bag ($2 brand new at Goodwill) for all the bottles of liquid–to be grabbed along with any tackle box or used alone for burns, road rashes, colds, flu, or poisoning;a tackle box for sprains and possible breaks; anda four-gallon zip-lock bag with clean bleached muslin for big clean-up jobs.What do you mean discard? The stuff rotates itself around here!
What a great idea using a fishing tackle box, think I will do this myself:)
Great idea!!!!!
The bottles of liquid on their sides makes me a little nervous. Would you consider placing them in zip-lock-type bags?
That’s a great way to organize first aid! I’m doing a series on 72 hr kits on my blog right now 🙂
LOVE this idea!!!I know what I will be working on over the next few weeks.Oooo and don’t forget your pet’s first aid kit.A little unconventional maybe, but using ultra thin feminine pads make great bandages.
I love this idea too!I especially enjoyed the picture of such a sweet, adorable little girl.:) Thank you so much for generously sharing your wisdom and knowledge every day on your blog…I really appreciate it!Joyce
This is really a great idea! I have been wanting to organize a kit for us. Mine loks like your basket right now. I love this idea!