LTS: Preserving Comfort

Today is trying to get away from me, so before it does I wanted to get up at least a short post. Yesterday, I talked about preserving knowledge in the face of disaster. Today, I want to talk about preserving some of the comforts of civilization, comforts that can have a profound effect on health and well being.

If you have read John Ringo’s Black Tide Rising series, you probably already have an idea of what I’m talking about. Which is personal hygiene products.

I’ve done some of the ‘live (for a short period of time) like a colonial settler’ and primitive camping and such. Heck, I even thought about trying out for Naked and Afraid even though that’s way out of my league. The fact is, we don’t appreciate the comforts we have and would be horrified at living at a level of a century ago (hint, that’s the 1920s, not the 1820s). When disaster strikes, I want to survive in comfort and style for as long as I can.

Little fact is that as hygiene improves, so does lifespan. So does quality of life, as with cleanliness can come a lowered chance of illness, infected wounds, and the other joys of primitive (and even fairly modern) life.

So, here’s a tip. In addition to keeping supplies of toilet paper, feminine hygiene products, soap, hand soap, and even laundry soap and sanitizer around to get you through the inconveniences (short term) and emergencies (mid-term), stock away enough for a true disaster.

You really are not going to appreciate toilet paper until it is gone. Field expedients blow, and I still remember being warned back in the early 1970s about finding wax paper, a form of sand paper, and tissue wrapping paper being put into public toilets in a certain European country. That was when I learned how to core a TP roll and pack at least one roll (and carry several small packs of tissues) for travel and boy howdy am I glad I did so. You still find interesting ‘substitutes’ or nothing at all in various places around the world.

Feminine hygiene products are another you almost can’t have enough of in a disaster. It’s amazing though how many tampons and pads you can fit inside bags inside a 5-gallon bucket. Also, tuck away a few “starter” kits that are available for young ladies just hitting puberty.

Same holds true for bath soap, hand soaps, and shampoo. Fact is, you can store a years worth (at least at my rate of usage) easily and work through the stock as you live life. Also consider keeping some specialty soaps (surgical, etc.) on hand. I ended up with a couple of nice bottles of the generic surgical soap (generic hibi) courtesy of the shoulder replacements and have them on hand just in case.

All of this is not necessarily a huge cost, and it has a huge return on several levels. Just a quick thought to share before things get crazy again.

Getting hit by lightning is not fun! If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, which include moving once we have medical issues cleared up, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo, use the options in the Tip Jar in the upper right, or drop me a line to discuss other methods. There is also the Amazon Wish List in the Bard’s Jar. It is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.