You need more than just food
Food is not the only thing to consider as you work towards a three-month storage. Although food is the most vital, don’t forget the non-food items that you use every day: shampoo, toothpaste, toilet paper, feminine hygiene products, razors, etc. You’ll want at least a three-month supply of these non-food items to complete your preparedness plans.
Summer time is the perfect time work on this goal since it is so low-stress. Also, summer time is when a lot of paper items–like paper plates, cups and napkins–go on sale. If you worked on this goal last month, it won’t take you much to finish it up this month.
Stocking up on these products means:
- You will never have to pay full price. Only buy when items are on sale and buy extras to replenish your supply.
- Avoid price fluctuations. Prices are always going up, but when you stock up your family budget ls not hit so hard when the prices increase.
- Never have to make an emergency run to the store for toilet paper (or any other personal care item.)
How Old is Your Soap?
Did you know that household cleaners also have a shelf life? It’s true.
Bleach and liquid soap have a shelf life of about 6 months.
Powdered laundry soap and oxi-whiteners last about 1 year.
Drano, furniture polish and most multi-surface cleaners last about 2 years.
Vinegar, baking soda and ammonia will last indefinitely.
Be sure to write the purchase date on all your household cleaners and use them before they expire.
Do you have enough?
How do you know if your supply is sufficient? How much of each item does your family go through in a month? If you aren’t sure how much you need for a three-month supply, here’s a simple solution: When you open a new bottle of shampoo (for example), mark the date on the bottle with a Sharpie permanent marker. When the shampoo bottle is used up, you’ll see how long that bottle lasted. Now you know how much you need for a three-month supply. Do the same with toothpaste, deodorant, bar soap, TP and anything else on your list. (Here is where a Sharpie marker is your best friend.)
Choose one (or more) of these three categories to work on this month:
- First aid
- Personal care
- Household cleaners
First aid items will include bandaids, anti-biotic creams and anything else you need to dress minor injuries. You should have a three month supply of any prescription or over-the-counter medication you regularly take. Your medicine cabinet should include pain relievers, electrolytes and OTC medication for colds and flu, antiseptic creams, medications for stomach and digestive upset and vitamins.
Personal care items include shampoo and hair conditioner, toothpaste, deodorant and lotion. You should have a new toothbrush at least once every three months, so have at least one extra toothbrush for each family member.
Household cleaners include laundry soap, dish soap, bleach, non-chlorine whitener and ammonia. There’s a huge variety of household cleaners out there, but the main ingredient is ammonia, mixed with coloring, fragrance and additives for sudsing. Keep it simple. Just buy a couple gallons of ammonia and add essential oils for fragrance and a squirt of dish soap for suds. Bonus: Ammonia does not lose its cleaning strength when it’s old. (See sidebar above.)