Organizing T1D Supplies at Home and On the Go

Managing Type 1 Diabetes comes with a lot of gear—meters, insulin, pump supplies, CGM sensors, alcohol wipes, snacks, emergency items, and more. Staying organized isn’t just about tidiness—it’s about safety, peace of mind, and making daily routines easier.

Being organized reduces stress and prevents last-minute scrambles. It also empowers your child (or you!) to feel confident and in control of diabetes management.

At Home: Dedicate a cabinet, drawer, or clear bin system to keep your supplies visible and grouped by type (e.g., infusion sets, sensors, insulin, low snacks). Use labels and expiration date tracking. A small dry-erase board nearby can help with reorder reminders. Keep backups of everything—and a “go-bag” stocked and ready.

Click on our YouTube link (opens in a new tab) to watch the video of our at home organization for all the diabetes supplies. Watch this video (opens in a new tab) for our dedicated kitchen cabinet for our day to day supplies.

On-the-Go: Use compact organizers with compartments for test strips, pens, lancets, and low treatments. Many families use diaper caddies, fishing tackle boxes, or makeup bags repurposed for diabetes supplies. Include a medical ID, extra pump batteries or charging cables, and glucagon or Baqsimi in every bag.

Click on our Medical bag post to view our go to items for our daily medical bag.

Click on our YouTube link (opens in a new tab) to watch the video of our on-the-go/travel organization videos.

School: Label everything clearly. Create duplicate kits—one for the nurse’s office, one in the backpack, and possibly some for each classroom. Include clear instructions for coaches, teachers, and friends. Use this link to provide staff members with highs and lows charts.

My son carries a fanny pack (opens in a new tab) in elementary school, this will probably change once he gets to middle school. Currently, he straps the fanny pack on his backpack and once he arrives at school it goes on the back of his chair. As he goes from class to class or outside to recess, he carries it with him. Inside his pack, he carries glucose tabs, glucagon pen, peanut butter crackers, and his cell phone.

The school nurse has a bin of his extra supplies. Carrying the bag himself with basic low supplies has worked well for us, but I know some parents prefer creating low bins (opens in a new tab) for each classroom as well.

Sports: My son plays soccer and has a soccer bag with him at all times. We keep low supplies in his bag: glucagon, glucose tabs, and peanut butter crackers. We always carry his on the go medical bag with us while he is training or playing in a game. This bag has everything else we might need for him. Check out our medical bag post to see what we carry with us every day.

Although my son usually no longer likes to wear the SpiBelt (opens in a new tab), we do carry it with us just in case he needs it. When he plays goalie, he takes his phone with him and puts it behind the net. When he is on the field, at times he may come disconnected from his phone, so we do not have his numbers, but once he is off the field, it quickly reconnects and we see it. I do not mind him doing this as long as his numbers are steady. If he is running lower, we will make him wear the belt during the game.

Want to see what we use? Check out our recommended organizers below.