If all you have at home is an almost empty tube of toothpaste and half a roll of toilet paper, the next few days are going to be uncomfortable, to say the least. Having enough supplies for your personal hygiene needs is more than just about your health and wellbeing.
It’s also a form of stress relief. If you’re stuck at home because the roads are flooded or the shelves in the store are empty due to people grabbing whatever they could in a panic, knowing that you have the basic creature comforts such as toilet paper, wet wipes, mouthwash, etc. will help to ease your mind.
Below you’ll find a list of products that you should store in case of a crisis. Most of these items last a long time. So, it shouldn’t be much of a hassle as far as rotating your supplies go. Let’s look at the list.
- Toothbrushes – one for each family member. You may wish to keep a few extras, in case you have guests.
- Mouthwash.
- Toothpaste – one big tube for adults and one for the kids.
- 1 box of dental floss.
- Toilet paper – enough to last you 8 weeks.
- 2 bars of soap – make it an antibacterial soap that can also be used to properly clean out cuts and scrapes.
- Wet wipes – antibacterial, if possible - enough to last you for 3 to 4 weeks. These are especially good for cleaning off not only your skin but other areas that you are handling to keep from spreading germs.
- One large bottle of baby shampoo – this should last you for at least a month. And I specify baby shampoo because that is also a recommended remedy for washing out around your eyes if you get a stye or some other infection close to the eyes. It is very mild and doesn't sting.
- Hand moisturizer and hand sanitizer.
- Sanitary pads – this is one of those items that is very handy. If someone is wounded, sanitary pads can be used as an improvised dressing to stop the bleeding. That said, women may want enough supplies to last them anywhere from 3 to 4 months.
- Towels – during a crisis, there may be a water shortage and you may only be able to use wet towels to wipe yourself down. So, have sufficient small towels for all the members of your family.
- Portable toilet – in the event you run out of water to flush your toilet, you can use a portable toilet that uses disposable waste bags. That will make clean up easier. Be sure to also stock plenty of waste bags as well.
- Q-tips and nail clippers.
- Shaving cream and razors (if you use them). Believe it or not, maintaining a sense of "normalcy" in a crisis situation is very comforting.
Store as much of them as space will allow. During a crisis, you can always barter the extra supplies for items that you may need. Personal hygiene products will ALWAYS be in demand when there’s a shortage of them. As a savvy prepper, you’ll understand the value of storing these items.
