Today, I had to repack the trunk of my car after having it in the repair shop. I had removed all of my supplies and gear prior to the visit. In the process, I discovered two problems:

1) Do-nut spare tire was extremely low on air pressure - aired it up completely and reinstalled.

2) My juice box type of Coast Guard survival water rations had lost it's integrity and leaked - tossed it out and restocked with some AquaLiterz that I had on hand, this time using a cardboard box as a reinforcement against excessive movement and damage from other items.

Lesson learned - check your stuff regularly!

I went through the home first aid kit, that Mom and I built, and added two non-stick pads, a tube of antibiotic ointment, a tube of hydrocortisone cream and hand sanitizer. I also did minor reorganizing. I then checked the car kit and the refill supplies.

I reorganized my personal stash and realized I have more lip balm than I realized. I organized them according to their expiration dates. I also went through the small tubes of toothpaste, the ones that come in a care package the dentist gives you at the end of each visit. Well, some of the toothpaste was expired, I threw those away.

Jeanette Isabelle

toothpaste, even in those tiny tubes,expires?? I had no idea....

I just finished using up a bunch of those aforesaid tubes while away from home and they seemed to work just fine - basically, just mild abrasives in a nicely colored, scented gel. I am pretty sure they would have had expiry dates from the late Pleistocene....

Usually it´s a best before date not an expiry date. When the tube is open, bacteria and fungi can start to grow into the tube. So it should be used up within a couple of months once it has been opened.
I was really surprised to find a best before date on a box of talcum powder. Who would have guessed that ground stone might turn bad?

Are they plastic or metal bottles? Can they be refilled?

I strongly suspect that the various "best by" or "expired" dates, etc. are printed more with the view of stimulating sales, than protecting public health or welfare...

Metal. I don't think they are refillable.

Jeanette Isabelle

To further organize, I set up two boxes. One box is for first aid supplies I want to keep. The other box has first aid and other supplies, including two first aid kits, I want to give away to whom ever whats them.

Jeanette Isabelle

Whilst times are normal, and the fire department are available, and the property afire is insured, I agree entirely that DIY firefighting beyond a single extinguisher is generally to be advised against.

IMHO there are exceptions to this general rule. For example I would consider use of multiple extinguishers on a fire from which escape is easy, near the exit door, ground floor only.
Also if a single extinguisher has LARGELY put out the fire in say upholstered furniture or bedding, then I would consider use of a second extinguisher to "make certain" and put out any glowing embers.

Other exceptions no doubt exist, but IN GENERAL if you can not put it out with one extinguisher, then yes run away.

The other condition justifying the use of multiple extinguishers would be fire in a TEOTWAWKI situation with no fire department to call and no insurance to replace the loss. Under such emergency conditions one might take risks to preserve valuable property such as food stores or vital equipment.

Knowing when a fire is "out"can be a tricky business and not at all as obvious as it might seem. Even if one person is successfully engaging with the flames, it is always prudent for someone else to call the FD and get them on scene. They can perform a far more professional assessment of the fire situation than any of us amateurs...

More than one fire, deemed "out" has smoldered for hours or days, finally erupting into flames and destruction.