He Travels A Lot

I know that Joe travels a lot, but I didn't realize how much until I filled this five-gallon bucket with hotel toiletries ... and had some left over. (This doesn't include the times he has requested "no room service" because his work laptop was not secure.)

In our church, we are encouraged to be prepared. Be prepared for the unexpected. And to have 72-hour kits available for each member of the family and a year's supply of food, etc. Just in case. More and more lately, it is apparent how wise this counsel truly is. With the economy the way it is, it is comforting to know that we are a little prepared. We don't have a full year's supply of food. But, I'm pretty sure I have my year's supply of fabric. And pretty close to a year's supply of hotel toiletries to keep us clean and hygienic. If nothing else, I think I have a year's supply of jam and applesauce and wheat and a bunch of miscellaneous stuff that can sustain our family.

Are you prepared for any uncertainty in the economy? Do you have a stash of odd things?

Comments

Emily said…
We belong to the same church so I also have a huge pantry in my basement that is filled with all the good stuff I canned myself: Soups, fruit, beans, vegetables, flour, sugar, etc. I'm sure it's not a yr's worth but I do lots less running to the store for this or that. Makes me happy to go in there and see it all ready at a moments notice.
10:23 AM EST
LunaMoonbeam said…
I wish I could get more canning done for my "emergency preparedness", but it's just never happened in the three years I've been married.

One thing that I thought I'd share though, if any of your readers are interested - at Costco.com you can get a bucket of "emergency gear" for $50 right now (usually $70), while supplies last. It includes a one burner stove, some food, space blankets, and a hand-crank radio/cellphone charger, among other things. I know SEVERAL people in my family are receiving this for christmas!
10:26 AM EST
Karyn said…
That is a lot of toiletries!

Hmmm...other than craft supplies (mostly buttons), I don't think I have any other stashes.
10:28 AM EST
Anonymous said…
I do have a supply of goods, but not a whole years worth. Your church has wonderful resourses for saving up and I have been reading up on them lately. I think it is important these days!
10:33 AM EST
Southerner said…
If we could just eat soap and drink shampoo! I am trying to stock up. I am not of the Mormon faith so people really look at you around here to have extra food under your bed. I could probably make due for a year without starving but it would be some really weird combos. I am working on it to buy really good sales. I have a lot of emergency camp stove fuels I got at a garage sale and candles- I buy all I can find at garage sales b/c they are 10c and 25c. We don't live in a cold climate so could make due heat wise with blankets and making a tented room. I want a pressure canner and am buying heirloom seeds this year.
11:05 AM EST
misschris said…
Our pantry could be beefier, but we've got disney videos to last us for years. And fabric, yes.

Love that tub of soaps though. I also wonder if shelters take them??
12:26 PM EST
kira said…
We've been working hard on our food storage too this year and a half. In fact we even started a ward blog with the updates each month: greenwayselfreliantsisters.blogspot.com

Way to go on having so many canned items that you did yourself! I really want to each year, but chicken out. LOL.
2:54 PM EST
amy smart said…
I have always taken great comfort that at least I have a year's supply of fabric, but it dawned on me recently that I probably don't have a year's supply of THREAD! (I probably don't even have a month's supply of thread.) So I need to remedy that pronto so that I can happily keep sewing away while we eat all that whole wheat and potato pearls.
4:41 PM EST
Anonymous said…
We probably have enough food to last quite a while, but eventually we'd have some pretty odd combinations, like water chestnuts and baked beans. I'm sure I've got several years of magazines to keep us occupied, though ...
5:25 PM EST
Cindy Is Crafty said…
Lera,
I thought I might mention that local homeless shelters love donations of hotel toiletries for their visitors. The last company I worked for asked all of us to collect them at the hotels and then donate them when we returned.
7:03 PM EST
Kris said…
Well, my food storage is not perfect, but I know how important it is because we have had personal emergencies that required us to live off of it. Such a blessing to have food stored when you need it. It seems as though unsettled times are ahead of us, so it's a good time to update our food storage!
7:13 PM EST
Amanda Jean said…
your title and the photo of the toiletries made me chuckle. I don't have nearly as much in my pantry as I would like to...we eat it too fast. :) we have plenty of quilts, though, to keep us warm.
7:15 PM EST
Anonymous said…
This is fascinating, Lera. Thanks for the link. I have massive amounts of packaging materials that I'm afraid to stick in the landfill. The Christmas boxes just came out & my livingroom is covered with old tissue paper in every color. Time to clean house...
7:47 PM EST
Liz said…
Since I live on an island and often can't get to the mainland for supplies I have quite a stash in the basement. I have several months worth of everything: snacks, meat, dried goods, juice, peanut butter, soap, detergent, shampoo, dog and cat food. No water though...
8:25 PM EST
Myrnie said…
How are we doing...that's the question, isn't it? Our bishop mentioned a personal thought on Sunday: Those with 2 year supplies will NEED that much food to be able to share with those who don't have any, and still be able to take care of their families. Interesting thought.

I have rice and beans and wheat and pasta and rice and everything good...but ummmm...no water. Now how's THAT going to work?
1:33 AM EST
jenny said…
I don't think I'm quite there with a years worth of food, but I think I could go 6 months, give or take. Definetely have enough fabric, but I don't think my machine would handle it, I need a new sewing machine! no no, I WANT a new sewing machine. My old one works and gets the job done, but no fancy stitches for me. just plain old straight lines. Is it wrong for me to hope the kids keep messing with it and break it so I have an excuse to get a new one???
11:27 AM EST
Unknown said…
Another great resource I have found to help with those of us trying to get better prepared is www.shelfreliance.com. They sell all sorts of fantastic items from food to storage shelves to emergency items. I also found a code (save15) that will save you 15% off at checkout.
1:04 PM EST
Diane said…
Wow. That's a lot of tiny soap and shampoo!

I don't have a year's worth of food stocked up, but I'm pretty sure my fabric stash is close :)
4:39 PM EST
Anonymous said…
ha! we don't belong to the same church, but i believe in a good supply for emergencies. and with recent news "good supplies" meant 1 year (for me, personally). pretty close to that. thanks for the link, i was actually thinking of e-mailing you...
11:58 PM EST
Lori B said…
It certainly is prudent to have an emergency stash. Sadly, we don't. It is always something I think we should do, but don't get around to doing it. Thanks for this reminder. I am stocking a cupboard in our basement today for just such an emergency. (Water, batteries, canned goods, first aid, etc.)
12:54 PM EST
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