Where can I store all this junk?

[bainp001]

   Folks say there is a lot of supplies for PD.  I live in hot during the summer and cold in the winter American Fork Utah and figure the garage will work for the monthly supplies.  Any thoughts on the temprature issue on the goods?

[jeannea]

They can't be in the garage. I used a corner of my bedroom. The delivery driver will help you arrange things. It took me 2 or 3 months until I was happy with where things were for my own comfort. Garages are not temperature controlled and they are a lot more likely to have lots of small bugs or even small pests. The nurse will ask about your home and where you have room. Some nurses visit your home to make sure your setup is ok.

[PaulBC]

We do keep supplies in the garage. We have mild weather year round and are in the middle of the worst drought ever recorded, so it is fairly safe and dry. If your garage temperature goes below freezing in winter, that might not be an option for you.

The boxes of dialysate take up the most space. I'm not sure ours would fit in the corner of any room, even stacked as compactly as possible. They fill up an entire wall. You do want to keep them clean and away from bugs, but note that they're sealed in plastic outer bags, so it just has to be a reasonably clean place, not sterile or climate controlled. In your case, the main issue is probably temperature changes. If you need to keep them indoors, you can still probably find space. You probably have more total volume in your house than you realize.

Our PD nurses were very insistent that people carry out PD in all kinds of circumstances, and yours would probably understand your situation and offer whatever advice they can.

[Sugarlump]

As long as stuff doesn't freeze and the garage is dry should be okay for a lot of the supplies... Space is always a premium for us at the start of the month...

[bainp001]

Well, so much for thinking my house would not be a storage unit.  Maybe I'll put up a curtain.  Maybe I'll move to San Diego...who knows?  Thanks for the advice.  It looks like the heat doesn't matter so much as the cold, so maybe just have to use the livingroom during the winter.

[Michael Murphy]

If space is a problem could you insulate your garage and heat it to 50 degrees.

[jeannea]

To be honest, you'll only be bothered by how it looks for a short time. Then you will appreciate having the supplies closer to your machine. I would have hated having to take a walk for my supplies. Also, it is best if you don't lift the full boxes. They are too heavy once you are doing PD. So picture yourself opening the box, taking one bag to the machine, going back to the box, then taking the second bag to the machine. Then you go back to your supplies for drain bag, cassette, and anything else you need. This is all while you're tired and want to go to bed.