There's a particular quiet that comes with cleaning out a parent's or spouse's home. Somewhere between the coats in the closet and the mugs in the cupboard, you open a drawer and find the diabetic supplies — a stack of sealed test strip boxes, a shoebox of Dexcom or FreeStyle Libre sensors, maybe lancets and a spare meter. They managed their diabetes carefully, and the evidence of that care is right there in your hands.
It can feel wrong to just throw them out. It should — these are unopened, usable medical supplies, often worth a meaningful amount, and there's no reason they have to end up in the trash. This guide is meant to make one small decision a little easier, on your own timeline.
There is no rush
Nothing here needs to happen today. Sealed supplies keep until their printed expiration date. If all you can do right now is set the box aside in a cool, dry place, that's enough. Come back to it when you're ready.
First, sort what you found
When you're ready, a quick sort makes everything else simpler. You're looking for the difference between what's still usable and what should be safely discarded.
- Sealed and unexpired — unopened retail boxes of strips or sensors with dating still left. These are the ones with options: donate or sell.
- Opened or partially used — a vial that's been cracked open, or a box missing strips. These can't be donated or sold and should be discarded.
- Expired — past the printed date. Not usable; recycle the cardboard and dispose of the rest.
- Used sharps — lancets and used needles are a biohazard and belong in a puncture-proof sharps container, never loose in the trash.
Donating: giving the supplies a second life
For many families, donation feels like the most fitting choice — the supplies keep helping someone, the way your loved one would have wanted. National nonprofits like Insulin for Life USA and SafeNetRx accept sealed, unexpired strips and sensors and redistribute them to people who can't afford their own. Most require at least a few months of dating left and unopened packaging. We cover the details in our donate-or-sell guide.
Selling: turning supplies into a small help for the family
Settling an estate comes with its own costs, and there's nothing wrong with recovering some value from supplies that would otherwise expire. Selling them isn't cold — the boxes still go on to be used by someone who needs them; you simply get something back for handling them. With Cell Me, it's a local, in-person process: tell us the brands and quantities, get a cash offer, and meet up somewhere convenient in the Salt Lake Valley. No shipping a box across the country during an already heavy week.
We know these conversations are different from a routine sale. There's no pressure and no timeline on our end. If you'd rather just ask a few questions first, you can call or text us and we'll walk you through it kindly.
The care they put into managing their health doesn't have to end in a landfill. It can go on to help the next person.
A note on what makes supplies eligible
Whether you donate or sell, the same basic rules apply: boxes need to be sealed, unexpired (generally with several months of dating left), and in their original, undamaged packaging. One more thing worth knowing — supplies that were paid for by Medicare or Medicaid, or marked “Not for Retail Sale,” can't be resold, though some can still be donated. If you're unsure what you're looking at, send us a photo of the box and we'll help you figure it out.
Got sealed boxes to turn into cash?
Tell us the brand, quantity, and expiration dates. We'll send a no-obligation cash offer and set up a local meetup across the Salt Lake Valley.