Best and Worst Places to Store Your condoms

If you are sexually active, it is good to have condoms on hand when you need them.  Some people may keep condoms in their wallet or even in their shoe. Although you are making the smart choice in wanting to practice safe sex, you need to be aware of the best and worst places to keep your condoms.  An important factor in ensuring that your condom is in good shape to protect you against unwanted sexually transmitted infections or unwanted pregnancy is where you store them.  Before we go into the best and worst places to store your condoms, it is important to be aware that condoms do have an expiration date. Before you use a condom, be sure to check its expiration date.  Expired condoms can become dry, or brittle, causing them to potentially break during use.  This them defeats the protective purpose of using a condom.  It is also important to store your condoms in a cool, dry place away from sunlight in its original wrapper.  This will preserve the condition of the condom.  Remember, before you use the condom, even if it is not expired, it is still good to check it for any holes or rips.If you live with your parents or have a roommate, you may especially be wondering where you should keep your condoms.  Or, you may want to know how to keep your condoms handy while you are out.  Here are the list of best and worst places to keep your condoms.Best Places to Store Your Condoms:

• Keep your condoms in a tin such as an empty clean tea tin or clean altoids tin.  Keeping your condoms in a tin will help preserve the condition of the condoms and is a discreet way to keep your condoms hidden.
• A separate, small coin purse is a good place to stash your condom if you want to keep them handy while you are on the go.  Do not keep it in your everyday wallet as frequent use of your wallet can cause the condom to wear down and possible tear the wrapping, causing the condom to dry out.
• Store your condoms in a sock, within your sock drawer. This will keep your condoms hidden and cool.  
• Keep them in your nightstand so they are easily accessible.  If you are worried about your partner, roommate, or parent being nosy, then put them in a clothing that can disguise it such as the above sock suggestion.
• You can keep your condoms in a side compartment of your backpack.  This is a good way to know that they are handy, but make sure that you keep them away from sharp objects such as pens or pencils and do not crush the condoms under heavy books.
• Another great place to stash your condoms is in an empty compartment of your jewelry box.  If you have a jewelry box with multiple compartments, this can be a great secret storage area.  Do not store the condoms where you keep other jewelry since earring, necklaces, or bracelets can possibly rip the wrapper of the condom.  
• Toiletry bags or unused cosmetic bags are another great place to store your condoms. 
• Hollow out a book.  If you hollow out a large book, this can be a great secret place to store your condoms.

Worst Places to Store Your condoms:

• Do not store your condoms in your wallet unless you are bringing only one and plan to use it that night.  Storing condoms in your wallet, then putting your wallet in your back pocket is a bad idea.  Between the friction of your body movements, sitting down, and the body heat, this can lead to the condom wearing down.  If you want to have the condom on hand and need to keep it in your wallet, make sure it is a new, fresh condom out of the pack that same day.  Be sure to check the condom before use.
• Do not keep your condoms in your glove compartment.  Although you may think this would be a great spot since you can lock your car, and keep your condoms handy when you are out, the heat from the car will not be good for the condition of the condom.  Heat can wear down the condom so avoid storing it there.
• Do not keep your condoms in the refrigerator or freezer.  Freezing or refrigerating condoms will not keep your condoms fresh.  It will only affect the material and condition of the condom.
• Do not keep your condoms outside.  It is important to store your condoms in a dry, cool area.  The change in outside temperature and other weather conditions can negatively affect the condition of the condoms.

While some of these points may seem like common sense, you would be surprised where people store their condoms.  Keeping your condoms in the best condition possible is the way to ensure that the condoms will be effective in keeping you protected.