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Winter really hasn’t even started yet, and already, the kiddo and I have had to take a little time off of work and school because we weren’t feeling our best. It seems like anytime you’re at school, work, or even home, when winter hits, it seems like it’s the season to feel a little more… under the weather. Sometimes it’s all of the warm air circulating inside closed windows that just keeps the germs in, and sometimes it’s the number of hugs you’re exchanging at those family holiday parties, but because of all of that, it helps to have a plan to keep you at your best, and to help you bounce back fast when you aren’t. That’s why I’m all for a winter preparedness kit that will help keep things going this winter!

To build a Winter Preparedness Kit, I started my journey at CVS, which had pretty much everything I needed to stock up on for winter– Smart Water (which can be found in the refrigerated drinks and on the shelves at most CVS locations), Premium Saltine Crackers (great for tummyaches!), Kleenex, Lysol, and Halls were all products I knew I had to put on my check list. These were my top 5 must-haves, and I’ll share why each of those works perfectly below, but you can also tailor your kit to your family’s needs. For a home kit, you might also want to add hand sanitizer or extra soap, cans of brothy soup, or your go-to cold and flu medications.

Winter Preparedness Must-Have #1: Kleenex

Why it’s great for home: Snot. Yup, it happens. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve looked at my son to see it on his nose, his forehead, and pretty much anywhere else. Kleenex is perfect at keeping the whole snot-face thing at bay, and I feel like no matter how many I go through in a day, it never seems to make my nose feel sore or raw (they’re so stinkin’ soft!). The Perfect Fit Kleenex are pretty, squeeze into small spaces (like on a cluttered bathroom counter), and they match my decor… win!

Why it’s great for school: I can almost guarantee your back-to-school shopping list included Kleenex. And while that’s definitely something great to take at the beginning of school, by the middle of the year when kids need to blow their nose non-stop, teachers start to run low. Don’t make your teacher pay for those out of her own pocket– stock up on Kleenex in a Wellness Kit for your child’s classroom and help support keeping snot at bay!

Where I found it at my local CVS store*: Kleenex is located near other paper goods like toilet paper and paper towels. There is often also a supply of Kleenex near the makeup section.

Winter Preparedness Must-Have #2: SmartWater

Why it’s great for home: Let me share a little story… my son and I both have a water bottle that sits at our bedside at night, and we tend to just refill it (I mean, duh, of course we wash it), and re-use it. But when BOTH of us recently got strep throat, the last thing we wanted was to get germs all over those bottles. We still needed to stay hydrated, so we turned to bottles of SmartWater, which kept us well-hydrated and didn’t pass germs back into our system as we were getting over our Strep.

Why it’s great for school: Hydration. Whether you’re packing a box that includes SmartWater for the teacher to use at her discretion (teachers have hydration needs, too, y’all), or you’re sending it with your child to school, everyone needs to stay hydrated. When you’re sending SmartWater in your child’s backpack, you’re helping them avoid the school drinking fountain. You know… the one that every kid has had their mouths near this winter. It’s just Smart to send your student to school with some SmartWater in their backpack and avoid that whole mess altogether.

Where I found it in my local CVS*: SmartWater is located in the refrigerated drinks, or also in the bottled waters and juices in the non-refrigerated grocery aisles.

Winter Preparedness Must-Have #3: Lysol Disinfecting Wipes

Why it’s great for home: Lysol Disinfecting Wipes kill 99.9% of bacteria on soft surfaces. That pretty much speaks for itself right there. Whenever your family isn’t feeling great, taking a Lysol wipe to doorknobs, telephones, any shared surfaces, or pretty much anywhere in general can help eliminate those virus-causing bacteria so they don’t spread. The last thing you want is to allow for everyone in your family to catch something you got.

Why it’s great for school: If your child is in elementary school or preschool, I guarantee they are constantly sharing scissors, glue, pencils, table surfaces… everything. In high school, students change classes and you never know who (or what germs) were sitting at the desk before your student walked in. Lysol wipes are great for killing germs, and this is another supply, like Kleenex, that teachers often have to buy themselves because what’s brought in at the beginning of school just doesn’t last… taking a pack to school could be a serious help for cutting down on the bacteria your child is exposed to this winter season (which helps cut down on all of the junk they bring home, too).

Where I found it in my local CVS store*: Lysol products can be found in the Cleaning Supply section.

Winter Preparedness Must-have #4: Halls Cough Drops

Why it’s great for home: No one should have to live with a scratchy throat or nasty cough. Halls Cough Drops provide pretty fast relief for those symptoms, helping you get through the day. Also, moms, can you imagine having a scratchy throat to the point that you couldn’t holler from another room for your teen to change the trash? It would be pretty much tragic… keep your throat soothed with a package of Halls and you can prevent that whole mess.

Why it’s great for school: Okay, take that trash scenario, and multiply it not just by one or two teenagers, but by an entire classroom of teenagers. Try getting ten preschoolers through story-time with a cough or throat tickle. It just doesn’t work. Sending some Halls to school for your child’s teacher could provide a little bit of relief so they can keep on getting through the day, and knowing someone is thinking of them is the perfect way to make them smile.

Where I found it in my local CVS store*: Halls Cough Drops are located near the pharmacy area, in a section labeled “Cough Drops.”

Winter Preparedness Item #5: Premium Saltine Crackers

Why it’s great for home: Queasy tummies are no fun. Queasy tummies with nothing to settle them are even worse. Turning to dry toast may work, but something more shelf-stable like Premium Saltine Crackers will help settle stomachs while also lasting the winter. Plus, they are topped with sea salt, taste great, and pair well with soup, so they’re just generally great to have on hand anyway. For me, they’re a major comfort food, so I reach for them even when I feel just fine.

Why it’s great for school: Keeping a small box of Premium Saltine Crackers in your child’s locker can be a great thing for them to turn to if they’re just not feeling themselves… a cracker or two between classes can calm the butterflies, or help get them through the last class before they head home and get some rest.

Where I found it in my local CVS store*: Premium Saltine Crackers are located in the cracker and cookie section of the grocery aisles.

Other Perfect Winter Preparedness Additions for Home: Broth-based soups like chicken noodle soup, Lysol Disinfecting Spray, hand sanitizer and soap, any medications your family regularly takes when they’re feeling under the weather, crossword puzzles or other small ways to pass the time when you’re not feeling yourself, tea bags, local honey.

Other Perfect Winter Preparedness Additions for School: Extra pencils, hand sanitizer (if approved and accepted at your school), a caring note for the teacher, Lysol Disinfecting Spray.

Now that winter is just about here, getting prepared is just a good idea. No one wants to feel less than their best for any longer than they have to, and having products on hand is a great idea– no one wants to be running out to get these things when they’re feeling under the weather.

Find a nice bin that can fit all of your Winter Preparedness goodies, place them inside, and you’re all set for a great winter! I just used a hard-sided tub that I had on hand, but you can use whatever bin you’d like. Mine is stored in a closet until we need what’s inside!

*I mentioned where I found some of my winter-weather must-haves at my local CVS store, but the product locations may vary depending on your location. You can find the closest CVS store in your area by checking out their handy CVS store locator! Of course, you can also check out their website. Plus, now that it’s time to stock up on these seasonal needs, you’ll want to know that starting Sunday 11/15 through the end of the week, if you spend $15 at your CVS store, you will receive $5 in extrabucks!

What is your favorite item to stock up on before winter hits? Let me know in the comments below! You can also check out other great ways to get prepared for winter here.