What area/room of your home do you use for performing glucose tests? In what room/area do you store the related testing supplies (and any other diabetes supplies–syringes, pump or cgm supplies)? (Unopened insulin vials/pens, etc, are in the refrigerator, of course)
1 Like
I use a cupboard in the kitchen with separate bins for things I need to access daily, sometimes, and rarely. Paperwork is all under there, too.
I test my BG wherever I happen to be. I have a meter in the kitchen, one in the bathroom, one in my handbag and one at work, plus I use a Libre.
2 Likes
Testing: anywhere.
1 Like
Testing: anywhere that isn’t underwater 
As for storage I have a triangular shaped wooden cupboard that is about 4 feet tall that fits into a corner of my bedroom that can hold all of my supplies and a small bag with about a weeks worth of supplies including insulin that either resides on my bed or goes out and about with me.
1 Like
Testing everywhere. Storage in my office cabinet.
1 Like
They are in piles all over the place. Only I could ever locate them. Sometimes not even I can.
My son has a test kit in beside his bed upstairs, and another one that lives on the kitchen bench downstairs (both Contour Next). He also has a couple of spare meters that live in the cupboard with the rest of the supplies:
- Infusion sets and pump cartridges in their original boxes
- Dexcom sensors in a plastic tub
- Tegaderm tape, alcohol wipes, skin tac wipes in a separate tub
- Backup (leftover) MDI supplies in a third plastic tub along with spare canisters of test strips for each meter.
Also in the cupboard is a complete kit (containing meter, spare infusion set, hypo supplies, glucagon) ready to throw into a bag if we’re going out for the day. This gets topped up with backup MDI supplies and an insulin pen cartridge if we are going on an overnight trip. He has a duplicate of this kit that lives at his school.
1 Like
I have a meter by the couch, by my bed, in the kitchen and in my purse. Convenience is important to me even though now I don’t test as much with my Dexcom. So I usually test at one of those spots which is pretty much wherever I am in the house.
I have some back up supplies in the bottom drawer of my nightstand for that meter, but otherwise I have a large cupboard in the kitchen pantry for all of the rest of my supplies and my diabetic dogs supplies too.
Insulin of course is in the fridge.
Supplies pretty much everywhere!
Hall closet has the bulk of them: Dexcom supplies, Omnipods, Pen toppers, test strips.
Bathroom: testing kit.
Kitchen fridge: 2 drawers full of humalog vials and pens and victoza.
To go bag: Pens, vials, wipes, omnipods, pen topers
Today I’m glad I had my to go bag with me. Had to bug out quickly last night due to my apartment flooding due to the neighbor upstairs toilet overflowing. Damaged almost the entire apartment. Fortunately my renters insurance put us up in temp hotel while they sort it all out. I worry about the mold though and hope the landlord fixes everything right vs paint over it.
I use two kitchen cabinets to hold all my supplies, inclunding Pump and CGM. I use a kitchen drawer to hold my testing supplies.
Hi Lynn17:
Testing, now only occasionally, since starting with a CGM. When I do perform a finger stick, it’s usually at the dining room table.
Supplies for an older pump are stored in a bedroom cabinet and a small backpack is utilized for my new pump supplies. I like the idea of being able to pick up and move all of the necessary pieces and parts. Very convenient.
Test anywhere. I have a couple meters at home, one in my car and one in my backpack. I have my insulin in a fridge in my garage. I have a working supply of infusion sets, cartridges and sensor in a bedroom-closet drawer. Bulk pump/CGM supplies in my basement.
I sometimes wonder if I should stash a portion of my supplies at another location in case something happens to my house (fire, flood, etc).
1 Like
I test anywhere and everywhere but not very much any longer.
As for storage, everything is in the linen cabinet outside our bedroom. Yes, I use a whole section just for my diabetes stuff. The clear container in the bottom of the one photo is my emergency kit that I can grab if we are in evacuation mode. The issue is making sure I grab the insulin stuff from the refrigerator. But I do find having everything in the same area makes it easier to keep track of everything. I also date make everything, when I receive it and when it expires. I use to write on the boxes but learned that if I do that, you can’t return it. Oops. Learned that the hard way. Got the wrong length on the cannula and wrote on the box, so I had to work through it. Another lesson learned!
1 Like
Hi Sally:
I’m I a bit envious…
I could be wrong, but you look to have more supply inventory than my medical supply distributor.
I need to start squirreling away pieces and parts myself.
Well done.
2 Likes
I joke all the time with my wife that we could open a pharmacy. We have all sorts of stuff that I won’t go into. 
1 Like
Yeah, I know but I really just get my order on auto. So I get an email reminding me it’s time to reorder, so I do. And it doesn’t take long to start stockpiling supplies. I don’t always change every 3 days, sometimes it’s 4. And it adds up over time. Same with the G6. I worked through my stockpile of G4’s which I could wear for weeks, so I have a little bit of a stash. And as soon as my email comes in, I order! Same holds for insulin. I reorder every three months.
1 Like
Yeah, I am the same way. Lancets were a huge problem. But when I cleaned things out a few months ago, I just put them into a sharp container and called it quits. I have one box that now with my G6 I will probably never get through. But will keep them for those just in case moments. Because they still happen!
Our lancets are not a sharps item. We use the type that has 6 in a tiny drum that goes into the business end of the lancet device. It is a Multiclix. Love it.
I guess those of you who use multiple meters don’t have my situation. My endo downloads my pump, Dex, and meter! So I tend to just use one Contour meter and carry it where I need to. I would not want to lug 5 or 6 meters in to my appointments nor would my endo want me to. I think I will ask next time why they want to download the meter. the office does not have online transmission, for those who may ask. But then I am retired and don’t carry a meter on my daily travels since I am never far from home, and rely on Dex.
I never lugged all my meters to an appointment, I just took the one I used the most. My endo knew I had several meters, she helped supply them.