I know the thought of getting sick has overcome up this past year…but do you keep supplies in your house just in case?

Last March, I knew we had a thermometer. I didn’t know it didn’t work anymore because none of us had been sick with fever in forever. We are a relatively healthy family, which is great, but can catch you unaware. But it made me think that maybe, just maybe, one should have some preparations in the house just in case you get sick.

What are the kinds of things that you should keep? I keep the following on hand (and I check the expiration dates regularly)

  1. pain reliever such as Tylenol or Advil
  2. generic nighttime and daytime catchall medicine (like Nyquil)
  3. stuff for diarrhea
  4. stuff for heartburn
  5. OTC cough syrup
  6. cough drops
  7. Benadryl
  8. saline nasal spray

I figure I’ve covered both ends with this list, but if others have things to add I’ll gladly listen.

But that’s the medicine front: what other things do you keep on hand if you get sick? Do you have a secret stash for “just in case”?

After COVID struck I began to think about what I would like to have in the house if I were to become unwell, and I came up with this list:

  1. extra box of tissues that is not for normal use- this is an emergency box
  2. honey
  3. hot water bottle (seriously- this makes everything feel better
  4. chamomile tea
  5. homemade soup in bags in the freezer
  6. saltines
  7. thermometer
  8. neck wrap that can be heated in the microwave
  9. eye mask that can be chilled or heated
  10. I try to always have lemons in the house, and a bag of mandarin oranges

Now it’s your turn: what are the things that you do/should keep in your house in the event that you got sick? Are there any special things that make you feel better? What are your not so secret secrets to making yourself feel a little bit better?

86 thoughts on “What If You Get Sick?”

  2. Like you, I keep Benadryl in the house. But, my Benadryl is liquid. If having an allergic reaction, it works faster. My favorite cough syrup is Delsym. It works for 12 hours. Recommended by a friend from Boston. It’s the best.

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  6. Whiskey. I don’t drink the stuff. BUT last time I had a nasty sore throat, I decided to try a mixture of whiskey, water and our honey…Instant relief! we had one of those tiny little bottles on the shelf for years and used it up that week. Wife went to the store and bought 4 more little bottles.

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  11. … we’re, um, wayyyyy more prepared than you are in a lot of ways. 😀 -Probably because of an LDS upbringing; maybe because of your living in a small apartment in NYC.

    -General first aid is a must
    -Second the hot water bottle but also a reusable ice pack
    -I could go on and on; but, for purposes of your specific question, my on-hand go-to’s if I start feeling congested are: nasal spray, OJ, Ginger Ale and/Fresca, water water water, and exercising.

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  12. I’ve always had a box in our upstairs closet with cold and allergy medicines just in case, but they always seem to expire on us, which is good news because that means we aren’t using them. We also have band-aids, ointments in a Ziploc bag in the kitchen. Then I have a container for migraine medications, should I need them.

    Geez, I sound like a mini-hospital.

    I just had a discussion with my mom yesterday about how we haven’t had colds this year because we’ve been wearing masks and social distancing. It’s been lovely.

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  13. I always have to have cough medicine in the house, since my husband has allergies he gets post nasal drip which we can only get rid of with cough syrup, and cough drops. I always have citrus in my house because when I don’t feel well I want an orange.

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  14. Hot water bottle, baking soda (add with salt and warm water to make a saline spray), pain relief oil (ayurvedic) and a couple of naturopath meds (Himalaya has a good collection of meds). I usually change diet accordingly (like, if acidity then eat curd and avoid spicy/oily food) and so on.🙂

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  20. Great list! I need to get a new thermometer.
    I’ve made couponing a habit, so once a week I go to the Dollar Store, Walgreens, and Cvs to snatch all the free products or extremely cheap after coupons. I stock up on all my favorite household items. I keep a stockpile in my hallway closet and in the laundry room.
    I could open a store and sell Laundry detergent, tissue, paper towel, tooth brushes, body wash, hair care products, makeup, razors and so much more.

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  21. I put together illness bags, 2 gallon zip lock bags, one for each person in the house. That way if someone gets sick they have treats, drinks, new socks, dvd and/or book, etc to have to help keep them entertained……….plus I always keep extras of everything else that is needed. Years ago when all the kiddos were young, we were caught very unprepared and we were all very, very ill at the same time……….

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      3. go for it! living with chronic illnesses, i knew that i may not be able to get out when i needed to………and in the last 10 plus years i have been doing this, we have only have maybe 2 years where they weren’t all used. Plus i was able to purchase most of the items as Dollar Tree.

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  24. Campbell’s Chicken noodle soup – it’s the only time I eat it…..and Vick’s Vapo Rub…nostalgia from childhood. Otherwise, considering my previous profession, my medicine cabinet is like a well-stocked drugstore!

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  26. Me being sick is almost always tied to my cough, so I have all the goodies to help with that on hand at all times (cough drops, honey & lemon for hot lemonade, and a variety of OTC cough meds that never really do much). Other kinds of sick, I need to have Sprite on hand and rice. The rice sounds odd, but the only things I want to eat if I’m really sick is either cinnamon and sugar rice or rice in broth. It is one of the few things that helps to settle my stomach when it is really unhappy with me. I REALLY want a “Go AWAY” sign for my bedroom door because it seems like every person in my family suddenly has a million questions and gets exceptionally needy when I’m sick, so it never feels like I can get any rest when I need it.

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  28. Your list is awesome. Honey is just about the most perfect medicine there is for a sore throat. If you are into essential oils: peppermint for headaches, ginger for chills, eucalyptus/frankincense/lavender for aches and pains. Plant Therapy has one called Germ Fighter I diffuse all the time. It has a nice cinnamon/clove scent. And, don’t forget a cuddly afghan, fuzzy slippers and a good book. 🤧🤒

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      1. Ginger is also helpful for nausea and upset tummies. I have these candied ginger pieces called Gin Gins. I tiny bite will settle a tummy very quickly. I mix oils for muscle and joint pain and put eucalyptus in the bath to help with joint pain as well. Happy mixing!

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  31. Pain killers, hot water bottle, A measure of stoicism. Tinned soup.

    Since they started m on immunosuppressants for my arthritis I haven’t needed the first two this year.

    Other than that I potter on through life coughing and sniffling and relying on a reasonably balanced diet to see me though.

    Now I come to think of it, I’m a lot healthier than I deserve to be. 🙂

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  32. The things that helped me most in the midst of an awful cold recently were elderberry syrup, cough drops, ginger lemon tea, diffuser with eucalyptus and oregano oil, and extra tissues! All your ideas are great and necessary to have in hand!

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