It's a great idea to put all your medical stuff into a kit of some sort, even if it never leaves your house. The worst place to store medicines and supplies is in the bathroom, where most people keep them. It is moist and warm there, while what medical stuff wants is dry and cool. You also want to be able to grab supplies quickly and take them where they are needed. We put ours into plastic cases the size of shoe boxes, There's one for bandages and first aid, and another for medicines. The lids seal tight, prolonging the shelf life of the contents. When there is an first aid injury, we get the kit and have everything together on site.

Tube Gauze

Kids hurt their fingers a lot. You can make an okay bandage with Kling wrap (see Vet Wrap, above)--but if the injury is on a fingertip (a common spot) the cylinder shape you get from rolling doesn't do as nice a job of protecting or of providing gentle pressure. You can fold over the end, but it gets bulky and inelegant for everyday activities. Tube Gauze is a quick, easy, elegant way to make a stocking cap for your finger or toe. The applicator (sold separately, but you can do without it) is a metal cage that holds the tube of the gauze open. You slide the applicator (or just the gauze) over a finger, lift it up, twist once, and then slide it back down. You can repeat several times to get the thickness of bandage you want. It gives a smooth, flat, elegant bandage-and it's kinda fun to do. A hit with kids.