Clear your chest

Clear your chest. Your medicine chest or cabinet, that is. When was the last time you cleaned it out?

If you're a regular headache sufferer or live with someone who is, then your cabinet is probably full of pain-killing pills like acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and aspirin.

You should make it a habit to check expiry dates and chuck out all expired medications or those that show signs of breaking down. Just like food, drugs do spoil over time. Ready-to-be-thrown-out aspirin and acetaminophen tablets may smell of vinegar. Liquid medicines may become discolored.

But don't throw medications in the garbage! Instead, take them to your local pharmacy for disposal. Many pharmacies have programs where they accept old medications and pay for special waste disposal companies to destroy them safely. Alternatively, check out local community newspapers advertising hazardous waste disposal days organized by your community. You can usually get rid of outdated medications at these events along with unwanted household chemicals like leftover paint and paint thinners.