How to store medicine at home: boxes, labels and expiry dates

At home, medicines often end up wherever they fit: the bathroom cabinet, the kitchen counter, a pocket of your bag. Then one day you notice a box expired long ago, or you can't tell which blister pack belongs to which box. In this post you'll find a simple roadmap for storing your medicines at home in an organized way: choosing the right spot, keeping boxes and labels in order, checking expiry dates and what to do with medicines you no longer use.

Why does it matter where you store your medicines?

Medicines aren't like ordinary items on a shelf. Heat, moisture, air and light can break down some medicines. A medicine that has deteriorated may not work as expected, even if the date on its box hasn't arrived yet.

The second issue is order. If you take more than one medicine, or someone else at home has medicines too, the more the boxes get mixed up, the easier it becomes to reach for the wrong one. On busy days this confusion grows even more. If you'd like practical tips for not mixing up medication times, take a look at 5 ways to keep your medication times straight.

The third issue is the other people in your home. Medicines left where children and pets can reach them raise the risk of accidents. An organized storage spot solves all three problems at once.

Where is the right place for medicines at home?

In many homes, the bathroom cabinet is the first stop for medicines. Yet the heat and steam from showers and baths can damage tablets and capsules in particular. That's why the general advice is to store medicines in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight.

• Good spots: A drawer in the bedroom, a hallway cupboard, or a kitchen cupboard away from the stove, the sink and hot appliances.
• Spots to avoid: The bathroom, windowsills, next to a radiator or oven, the car's glove compartment.
• For children and pets: Above eye level, ideally in a locked or child-resistant cabinet.

Some medicines have special storage conditions, such as medicines that need to be kept in the fridge. Don't try to guess this. Check the storage instructions on the box and in the leaflet; if anything is unclear, ask your pharmacist or doctor.

The same rule applies to medicines you carry with you during the day. Medicines left in a bag or car for a long time can be affected by extreme heat or cold; the inside of a car gets especially hot in summer. When you travel, carrying your medicines in their original boxes in your hand luggage makes checks easier and keeps your medicines with you in case your suitcase gets lost. Taking a copy of your prescriptions before a long trip can also come in handy.

Boxes and labels: what to keep, what to add?

Taking medicines out of their original box and putting them in another container may seem to save space. But the box and the leaflet keep the medicine's name, expiry date and usage information together. Once blister packs are separated from their boxes, it gets harder to tell which medicine is which.

1. Keep the box and the leaflet. Keep the blister pack in its own box; don't throw away the leaflet.
2. Add a small note on the box. Writing with a pen when the medicine was opened or who it belongs to reduces confusion if more than one person lives at home.
3. Sort by person. If more than one person in the family takes medicines, use a separate box or compartment for each person.
4. Keep daily medicines separate. Keeping the medicines you take every day and the ones you use occasionally in the same place but in different compartments helps you find what you need quickly.
5. If you use a weekly pill organizer, don't throw away the original boxes; when filling it, you can check from the boxes which medicine is which.

How do you keep track of expiry dates?

The expiry date is the limit the manufacturer sets for the medicine to work as expected when it's stored under the right conditions. The general advice is not to use expired medicines. On top of that, pay attention to medicines whose appearance has changed, even if they haven't expired.

• Medicines whose color, texture or smell has changed
• Tablets that are stuck together, harder or softer than usual, cracked or broken
• Syrups, drops or creams that need to be used within a certain time after opening

If you notice a change like this, ask your pharmacist before using that medicine. To turn date checks into a habit, you can go through your medicine cabinet every few months, for example when the seasons change. For medicines you take regularly, planning a refill as the box runs low makes things easier; the steps in never missing a prescription refill date can help with that.

You can build a short routine to make checking easier. Take the boxes out of the cupboard and onto a table, look at each one's date and sort them into three groups: the ones you're still using, the ones nearing their date, and the ones that have expired or changed in appearance. Keep the ones nearing their date at the front so they get used first. Set the last group aside as described in the next section. This small system both declutters your cabinet and keeps you from losing time when you're looking for a medicine.

What should you do with unused medicines?

Letting expired medicines or ones you no longer use pile up at home clutters the cabinet and makes it more likely you'll reach for the wrong one. But throwing them in the trash or down the sink isn't always the right way either.

In many countries, pharmacies or local authorities run collection points or campaigns for unused medicines. The easiest way is to ask your pharmacist which option exists in your area. Some medicines may have specific disposal instructions; if the leaflet includes such information, follow it.

Before disposing of them, also pay attention to personal details on the box, such as your name or prescription information. Keep the medicines you've set aside out of reach of children until you take them to a collection point.

How do you keep your medicines organized in Oveluni?

Oveluni doesn't store your medicines or track their expiry dates, but it lets you see in one place which medicine you took and when. With New medication plan you can add a medicine, enter its start and end date and turn on medication reminders. You can write down details such as the date a box was opened or its storage conditions with A note in the Quick add menu. If you don't want medication names to appear in notifications, you can turn on the "Hide medication names" option in Notification Privacy. Oveluni doesn't calculate doses or provide medical verification; you can see the app's other areas on the Features page. Oveluni is coming soon to the App Store.

Sources

1. MedlinePlus: Storing your medicines
2. FDA: Where and How to Dispose of Unused Medicines