Sluttishly Practical: First Aid Kit

NB: Dr Ross not included

On the surface, I appear to be A Responsible Grown Up. I have a mortgage, children, an estate car and a sensible waterproof jacket. So far, so responsible right? Well there's a chink in my responsibility armour, one that might not seem obvious but once you think of it, it becomes glaring. I don't have a first aid kit which means I can never find plasters, painkillers or anything else remotely useful. True, this isn't the most exciting thing in the world but it will make life so much easier if you can soothe a blister caused by those new shoes that you had to buy even though you knew they'd hurt and can locate painkillers through the fug of a cocktail hangover.

First up, you need a box. The emergency red one above is from Flamingo Gifts and costs £15.99. It's compartmentalised for even greater efficiency.There's no way you'll miss it even with post-beer bleary eyes.

As well as sensible plasters, you'll need some fun ones too for when your scrape is minor enough to be left but you still want some tea and sympathy. These comic ones by Ouch! are perfect for that. They're on sale at Prezzybox at the moment for £2.96. Don't forget blister plasters too - Compeed have a mix pack for heels and toes. They're £5.95 at Boots.

What about lotions and potions? At any one point, I always have Calpol, chamomile lotion, Sudocrem, paracetamol and ibuprofen somewhere (normally hiding at the back of my top kitchen shelf). And safety pins for bandages I do not yet possess but that come in handy to for emergency clothing fixes.

Of course, you can be even more sensible and prepared and get yourself a proper kit. Like this efficient looking St John Ambulance one which comes with bandages and eye wash and all sorts of Useful Things. It's £9.54. And don't pass up the opportunity to do a first aid course if you have the chance. Apparently watching every episode of ER doesn't have the same effect.