Household Items

You'll want to click on this to really read it, I didn't have time to figure out how to bring in my excel spreadsheet so it was print out and scan, then upload the photo! Lame I know!

Since conference last October, Erik and I have been wondering about our year supply. So at the beginning of this year we started tracking what we use. We listed common items on a list and then wrote the open date in the first column and when it was used up in the second column. We were then able to see what we needed... we were pretty close in our years supply but somethings were a little under and a couple things I had been storing way too much of. I thought I'd make my list available in case it might help any of you.

This said, let me just say that this is based on our families needs and uses (family of 5 - now 6). Some people may wash clothes more often, or less (I'm a fanatic about washing sheets once a week). And you would need to gear some items for what you use (we use JUMBO rolls of Charmin so you'd need to adjust your amount if you use a normal size roll).

Also, I store one more than what I need, so if I need 8 jugs of laundry soap I have 9 so that when I finish #9, I purchase a new one and thus always have 8 always in storage... or if I need 2 packages of Dove soap for the year, I have a third that is open and in use. Again when I get close to using that package I purchase a new one so I always have two unopened packages for our years supply.

Comprehend??? You could get quite O.C. about it but the idea is to just do your best to store approximately a years surplus.

Our church lists a lot of what to store per person for a year (like water, flour, sugar, salt, etc.), so we are relying on those figures for now, and a lot of the food storage changes from week to week based on what we are using for the meal, we have tracked some of our basics, like peanut butter, pancake mix, etc. and I'll be listing those amounts in the future.

For now this is what we use... it's pretty complete on the basic household & personal items we want to have. I always keep one extra case of diapers and wipes on top of one that's being used.

I haven't listed medicines, band aids, q-tips etc. cause it's too hard... I just store way more than I should because I'd rather be safe than sorry... right now I have 5 plus 1 opened bottles of children's Tylenol... More than I probably need but I never want to run out and make my kids suffer through a fever or something. I usually don't have this much but it's the beginning of flu season so I always stock up so by the end of the season I still have a years supply... and hey who wants to go the the store sick and contaminate everyone else to pick up medication. Oh and you have to stock up on Sudafed (behind the counter kind) 2pkgs over a distance of time or they will think you are making drugs or something!!!

Hope this might be helpful to some of you... we just totally revamped out 72hr kits too so I'll post about that soon too.

Oh and just to get this out in the air before I get the question ... YES my food storage room is VERY full.

My Pack

So I thought today I would share my pack with you. Underneath a bench seat in my Yukon I have a small size backpack which I picked up on sale at Target for a couple of dollars. It is my emergency kit.

In it I have...

• 4 water bottles


• zip lock with two diapers and wipes for baby


• change of underwear for each child


• change of pants for the little ones(soft knit pants you can pick up at Target for $4)


• change of socks for the little ones


• (when I have a baby I have a knit one piece out fit)


• (when I have a baby I have bottle/2 sticks of formula - the ones you get free at the hospital and a small thing of baby food/spoon)


• 3 Hard granola bars(chewy have to be replaced more often)


• 3 Fruit snacks (they will melt sometimes in hot weather)


• Collection of Suckers and smarties (they last forever in there)


• Sippy cup for those who can't drink well from a water bottle


• Lemonade packs(the ones you dump into a water bottle)


• Couple band aids


• Small notebook with small pack of crayons


• small toy/doll


• $5-20 cash


• small blanket rolled up

All of these items are stuffed in this bag. The diapers and small thing of wipes are in a zip lock pressed tight, along with another zip lock pressed as air tight as I can with the clothes/underwear/socks in it.

I keep this bag shoved under a seat so it isn't in the way. Under the seat next to the pack, I also have a fleece blanket we picked up on one of our ER visits with Elizabeth, which is rolled up and stored.

We also carry in the back of the car a large picnic blanket which is super compact, small fire extinguisher, a full size emergency kit, which I added bug spray and sunscreen to the kit, rain poncho, along with a few other things.

In the middle console I always carry anti bacteria wipes, napkins, a few snacks/treats, flashlight and our collection of sunglasses.

When I pull something out from my pack I always try to replace it immediately and take that time to update as needed.

So this is my bag, and it has come in so handy. I try not to count on it but if I am in a total hurry to get someone to dance I know it is there. When I grab the diaper bag and it only has 1 diaper in it or it's missing a sippy cup, I know I always have backup. I don't get stuck because someone peed there pants or spilled, and I have to leave or run to a store. And if we are stuck in traffic and kids get anxious, if there is nothing else, I have the bag with water and snacks to calm them down. If I made it out the door without my purse I have backup $$ if I really need to stop at a store or get fuel.

I just thought I'd share my pack, it helps make me calm and I always feel somewhat prepared.

41 Bottles of...

Thanks to my cute Dad for coming over and helping me peel, core, slice, grind, heat, bottle, cap, boil...41 bottles of applesauce. It would have taken me three days to do the work we did in one. THANKS DAD! My legs & feet are so soar, so I know he must be feeling it too. I am so lucky to have such a great Dad who just jumps in and helps out whenever, wherever he can. He's the first to grab a baby from the parents and carry him/her around -- especially when parents and baby are fussy. He has such a big heart, he is fun to be around, and he is so full of wisdom! I feel so lucky to have him for my Dad, and count him as one of choicest blessings! I'd write more about him but I am running up to see if Erik will massage my feel before bed...most likely while enjoying a mug of ice cream!!