10 Non-Edibles for Your Emergency Stash

While not exactly edible, stocking up on these ten items will make everyday life more comfortable, whatever your emergency.      

1. deodorant/anti-perspirant.  Picture this.  You’ve been in your bunker for three weeks.  Sponge baths are a rare treat.  Then you remember your stash of Secret anti-perspirant.  Ahhhh….. instant morale booster, especially if shared.
2. feminine products.  Periods don’t stop for something trivial like a nuclear war.  A six month’s stash of tampons, especially o.b., won’t take up much room, and will greatly improve your quality of life.
3. small items for entertainment.  Choose multi-use toys and games.  Playing cards or Play-Dough, for example. 
4. Bar soap.  In a pinch it can be used for shampoo and even laundry.
5. Zip-Locs of all sizes.  These can’t be beat for everything from a tooth for the Tooth Fairy to containing nuclear waste, aka dirty diapers.
6. Rope for a clothesline and clothes pins.  Air-dried laundry smells and feels so clean and crisp.  It may become your preferred method of drying, even after the electricity comes on, and of course there’s the added benefit of being oh-so-Green!
7. a pack of never-before-opened underwear for each family member.  Enough said.
8. battery-powered CD player & CDs.  There’s just something about beautiful music for defusing tension and calming nerves. 
9. Tylenol PM.  Seriously.  Do you really want to be 100% conscious wrapped up in your silver emergency blanket, huddled in the back seat of your mini-van?
10. Toilet paper.  But you knew I was going to say that, didn’t you??

Preparing for natural disasters, nuclear war, complete societal breakdown, doesn’t mean we have to lose our sense of humor.  In fact, your sense of humor should be #1 on this list!  Don’t ever hunker down in your bunker without it!

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