We have talked about the dangers of ‘just in case’ items- things that you think you might need ‘someday’. These can build up in the background to the point of having too many- more than you could ever need if the hypothetical situation you’ve conjured up in your mind were ever to arise. With all that said, there are some things that are warranted- even for a minimalist, here are just seven that you might want to have around if the worst were to happen.
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An overnight bag: The pandemic has alerted us to the potential to move quickly if the right situation were to present itself. In an ideal world, we all want to grab what we need with a moment’s notice and not spend ages packing in a state of panic. So, think carefully (when you are calm) about what you would take with you if someone were to say to you- ‘you need to leave you home now’. This might include things like extra clothes, small toiletries, chargers and a small notebook for example. Choose a bag that you don’t use for other things such as holidays and weekends away- one that can keep packed so if you needed to leave quickly, you could be confident you had everything you would need for a few days.
First aid kits: Accidents happen- it’s a sad and scary fact, but it’s true. We personally choose to have kits in our car, in my daughter’s nappy bag and in our home if the worst were to happen and we needed to dress a wound or treat a burn. This was recommended to us when we were about to have our first child as kids are prone to accidents but it doesn’t hurt to have a kit or two even if you don’t have children. It makes good sense because you never know when you might need one.
Extra food: If the last year has taught us anything- it’s that we should always buy a little extra at each shop to make sure we have some food in reserve- tins and dried goods were at a premium so these are a good place to start. The panic and bulk buyers of last year proved that we can’t always rely on things being on the shelves when we need them. Whether you choose to have an extra fortnight or month’s worth of food in your cupboards and freezer, as long as you rotate the food you store, nothing will get wasted.
Extra supplies: People bought too many toilet rolls in response to a pandemic, and a shortage could easily happen again so it’s wise to keep a few extra bottles and packets of items such as toilet paper, cleaning products, handwash and hand sanitiser as they have a long shelf life but are what people are drawn to buying in a panic.
Masks: If you don’t have a mask now when you leave the house, you will be denied access to anywhere that is open. Until we are told otherwise, masks are as important as keys, wallets and phones when you leave your home so it doesn’t hurt to have a few in reserve, especially if you prefer the disposable variety.
Medicine: It was hard to get hold of things like pain relief when we were in the heart of the pandemic so if you have a medicine box at home- be sure to keep a close eye on what you are running low on. Do this especially if you know you use the product regularly because you are prone to headaches or joint pain or take a daily multivitamin for example.
Essentials for your child: If you have a baby you might want to have a few surplus boxes of formula hanging around, or some extra nappies, rash cream and wipes as these can run out fast when you have a little one to care for. If you have a toddler, snacks with a long shelf life might be prudent if you didn’t have access to fresh fruit and vegetables.
Set a time scale for yourself- a week, a fortnight or a month for example and work out what you would need in that time for your whole family. Make a list and aspire to fulfil that requirement so that if we were thrust into another lockdown you would be comfortable and not left worrying about running out of what you deem to be essential.
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