It’s FALL! The season that I’ve been looking forward to most of all. I’m not a fan of spring, because of my allergies, and I’m not big on summer because of the heat. However, I just LOVE fall and everything, well almost everything, that it brings. The changing colors of the leaves, everything pumpkin-spice and the cool weather. However, with the change of weather usually comes the dreaded cold and flu.
Madison and I have already been hit with the cold, and we are trying to avoid seeing the flu in our household, so we usually take a few precautions. We make sure that we wash our hands as often as we can, cover our coughs and sneezes and get our yearly flu shot. Did you know that an estimated 20% of Americans will get the flu this year? With symptoms lasting as long as a week, now is the time to stock up on all the necessities needed to ease those symptoms without having to make a flu-induced trip to the store. Today I want to share with you our cold and flu basket, and what we do to make sure that we’re prepared. Since my household includes children, my basket usually includes products for both kids and adults alike and are kept in our basket that is easily accessible when the need arises. It’s really simple to make and I’ll share that with you right now.
Get a basket
This is your first step. Get a basket that can hold all your cold and flu essentials. I had a basket that I purchased around Easter and that’s what I use for my household. I decorated it with a fall ribbon to make it look more fall-like.
Get your essentials
As I mentioned, I also have children in my household, so our cold and flu basket usually include products for both children and adults alike. I usually pick up our products at my local Walmart. Here’s what you can find in my basket.
- Vicks® VapoRub™ for both adults and kids alike. Vicks VapoRub is one product that I can say that I grew up with. My parents swore by it, and if any of us children got sick, even if it was a slight sniffle, my mother would rub the ointment on our chest and back and send us to bed. Now as an adult, I do the same thing with my children. It’s medicated vapors works quickly to relieve cough and cold symptoms. And it is now available in children and baby formulas.
- Vicks DayQuil™ and NyQuil™. While both temporarily relieve cold and flu symptoms, they are as different as night and day (pun intended). NyQuil is great for night time use when you want to relief and a good night’s sleep, while DayQuil relieves your symptoms and allows you to do what needs to be done during the day, without the drowsy effect. My husband loves them both, so I always keep them in stock for him.
- Vicks Sinex™ Moisturizing Ultra Fine Mist spray. With colds usually comes congestion. My husband suffers from seasonal allergies and he’s often congested in the spring and the fall. Sinex is a nasal spray decongestant that works to relieve sinus pressure allowing him to breathe more freely and easily.
- Vicks VapoInhaler™ is also one that I keep handy as well and another Vicks product that I have been using for years. It’s also one product that my parents always had on hand. It’s non-medicated but gives you that refreshing vapor that you find in the ointment.
- Puffs Facial Tissue. My basket isn’t complete without facial tissue and I just love Puffs tissue, especially Puffs Plus Lotion. It’s perfect for runny and sore noses. When the sniffles come, I need something that is soft and won’t irritate your nose. After blowing for the hundredth time, you don’t want anything to irritate your nose any more than necessary. I keep full-sized boxes of Puffs on hand and Puffs to go in my bag and car for emergencies on the go. After all, “A nose in need deserves Puffs indeed!”.
These products have helped our family survive the cold and flu season yearly. On 10/29, Walmart shoppers can save up to $5 on medicine cabinet essentials just in time for cold and flu season. On this date, look in the P&G brandSAVER in your local Sunday newspaper or at PGeveryday.com to find coupons for $0.50 off Puffs and $1-$3 off Vicks products including DayQuil, NyQuil, Sinex and VapoRub. This arsenal of cold and flu symptom relievers will help your family feel better this season.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of P&G. The opinions and text are all mine.
