30 DAY PREPAREDNESS CHALLENGE — DAY 27 CHECK YOUR HOUSEHOLD SANITATION SUPPLIES
Posted by Mimi on Sep 27th 2026
30 DAY PREPAREDNESS CHALLENGE — DAY 27
CHECK YOUR HOUSEHOLD SANITATION SUPPLIES
BECAUSE RUNNING OUT OF TOILET PAPER SHOULD NOT BECOME THE SECOND EMERGENCY.
Welcome to Day 27!
We're getting VERY close to the end of our 30 Day Preparedness Challenge.
On Day 22, we talked about what to do if our toilet couldn't be used normally.
Today we're talking about something different.
We're looking at all those ordinary household supplies we use every single day without thinking much about them.
Soap.
Toilet paper.
Trash bags.
Dish soap.
Cleaning supplies.
Paper towels.
Gloves.
Baby wipes.
And all those little things we suddenly notice...
WHEN WE'RE DOWN TO THE LAST ONE.
Today's challenge is simple:
TAKE INVENTORY OF YOUR HOUSEHOLD SANITATION SUPPLIES.
WHY DOES THIS MATTER?
Imagine you're unable to make your normal shopping trip for several days.
Maybe:
- Roads are closed.
- The power is out.
- Your vehicle isn't available.
- Someone in the household is injured.
- You're asked to stay home because of a local emergency.
- Money is unexpectedly tight.
You may have plenty of food and water...
but what happens when you discover:
THAT WAS THE LAST ROLL OF TOILET PAPER?
Sanitation supplies may not be exciting preparedness purchases.
But they help us keep:
✔️ Hands clean
✔️ Food-preparation areas clean
✔️ Dishes clean
✔️ Bathrooms usable
✔️ Waste contained
✔️ Living areas more sanitary
They're everyday supplies that become even more valuable when normal routines are disrupted.
START WITH THE OBVIOUS ONE
Let's just get this one out of the way.
TOILET PAPER.
How much does your household normally use?
You don't need to build a toilet-paper fortress in the garage.
We're not trying to corner the international toilet-paper market. ?
We simply want enough that missing a shopping trip doesn't immediately become a problem.
Check your supply.
If you're running low, add it to the shopping list.
Remember our Day 22 Emergency Sanitation Kit too.
Make sure the toilet paper stored with those supplies is still clean and dry.
CHECK YOUR SOAP
Soap is one of those things that's easy to overlook because there's usually a bottle sitting beside the sink.
Until there isn't.
Check:
- Hand soap
- Bar soap
- Dish soap
- Laundry detergent
Ask yourself:
“IF I COULDN'T SHOP THIS WEEK, WOULD WE HAVE ENOUGH?”
Again, we're not trying to store a year's worth today.
We're simply looking for gaps.
HEAVY-DUTY TRASH BAGS
If you've followed this challenge, you may have noticed that Mimi REALLY likes having trash bags around. ?
There's a reason.
Heavy-duty bags can be useful for:
- Household trash
- Emergency sanitation
- Cleanup
- Containing dirty or wet clothing
- Pet waste
- Separating contaminated or messy items
They're inexpensive, compact and useful in many different situations.
Remember Day 22?
Heavy-duty bags were an important part of our emergency toilet plan.
KEEP SOME WITH YOUR EMERGENCY SUPPLIES.
DISPOSABLE GLOVES
Check whether you have disposable gloves available for sanitation and cleanup tasks.
They can be useful when:
- Handling waste
- Cleaning contaminated areas
- Handling pet waste
- Providing some first-aid care
- Managing messy cleanup
But remember:
GLOVES DON'T REPLACE HANDWASHING.
Remove them carefully, avoid touching your face while using them, and wash your hands thoroughly with soap and clean water when available.
WHAT DO YOU ACTUALLY CLEAN WITH?
Take a look under the sink or wherever you keep household cleaning supplies.
Do you have:
- General cleaning supplies
- Dish soap
- Sponges or cleaning cloths
- Paper towels or reusable cleaning towels
- A bucket
- Gloves
- Trash bags
If you use disinfecting products, check that you know how to use them properly.
Read the label.
Use the correct amount.
Follow required contact times when applicable.
And remember:
NEVER MIX CLEANING CHEMICALS
unless the manufacturer's instructions specifically say the combination is safe.
Especially products containing bleach or ammonia.
More chemicals do NOT automatically mean more clean.
WHAT IF WATER IS LIMITED?
Now today's challenge connects back to Day 3 — Water Storage.
Water isn't only for drinking.
We may need it for:
- Handwashing
- Food preparation
- Cleaning
- Dishes
- Personal hygiene
- Sanitation
If water becomes limited, suddenly every drop matters.
That's another reason I like keeping some supplies that can help reduce cleanup needs during a short disruption.
Depending on your household, that might include:
- Paper towels
- Disposable plates or bowls
- Disposable utensils
- Hand sanitizer
- Appropriate cleaning wipes
These don't replace proper handwashing or safe sanitation practices, but they may help reduce water use for some household tasks.
BABIES CAN CHANGE THE ENTIRE LIST
Have a baby or toddler?
Your sanitation supply list gets longer VERY quickly.
Check:
- Diapers
- Baby wipes
- Diaper cream
- Disposal bags
- Baby-safe cleaning supplies
- Extra clothing
And don't forget:
BABIES CHANGE SIZES.
If you keep emergency diapers stored away, check the size occasionally.
Twenty emergency newborn diapers aren't terribly helpful when your “newborn” is now running through the house stealing your phone.
DON'T FORGET PERSONAL HYGIENE PRODUCTS
Every household's needs are different.
Think about:
- Menstrual products
- Toothpaste
- Toothbrushes
- Shampoo
- Body soap
- Deodorant
- Wipes
- Lotion or skin-care necessities
- Denture-care supplies
- Contact-lens supplies
Some of these were part of our Day 4 Grab-N-Go Sanitation Kits.
Today we're checking the HOUSEHOLD supply.
THINK ABOUT SPECIAL NEEDS
Does anyone in your household need sanitation or hygiene supplies that aren't on a standard emergency checklist?
Think about:
- Older adults
- Accessibility needs
- Babies
- Children
- Someone with an injury
- Pets
There isn't one perfect list.
PREPARE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY LIVE IN YOUR HOUSE.
Broken-Wrist Mimi is learning that lesson rather personally this month.
Sometimes a normal household task suddenly isn't so normal when one hand is temporarily out of commission.
PET SANITATION COUNTS TOO!
Pets have sanitation supplies.
Check:
- Waste bags
- Cat litter
- Disposal bags
- Paper towels
- Pet-safe cleanup supplies
- Gloves
Remember our Day 8 Pet Grab-N-Go Bag?
Today's a good time to make sure the household pet supplies aren't running dangerously low either.
Because I promise...
The cat does NOT care that the roads are closed when the litter box needs attention.
SHOP YOUR HOUSE FIRST
Before you add 37 things to your shopping cart...
LOOK AROUND.
You may already have plenty.
Maybe there are trash bags in the garage.
Soap under the bathroom sink.
An unopened toothpaste in the linen closet.
Gloves with your cleaning supplies.
Paper towels in the pantry.
Today's challenge isn't necessarily:
BUY MORE.
It's:
KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE.
Then fill the gaps gradually.
THE “ONE EXTRA” METHOD
This is one of the easiest ways to build household preparedness without wrecking the budget.
When something you normally use is on sale—or when your budget allows—consider buying one extra.
One extra package of toilet paper.
One extra soap.
One extra toothpaste.
One extra box of trash bags.
One extra package of wipes.
Then rotate through them normally.
USE IT.
REPLACE IT.
You aren't building a museum.
You're building a little cushion.
AND THAT CUSHION MATTERS
We've talked mostly about disasters this month.
But remember what we're going to talk about more on Day 29:
Sometimes the emergency is personal.
Someone gets injured.
Someone can't work.
Money gets tight.
The car breaks down.
You can't make your normal shopping trip.
Having a few extra household necessities means:
THAT'S ONE LESS THING YOU HAVE TO BUY RIGHT NOW.
Food storage does that.
Emergency savings do that.
And everyday household supplies can do it too.
Preparedness can simply give your family...
A LITTLE BREATHING ROOM.
DON'T GO CRAZY
Mimi is NOT telling you to leave today's challenge with:
147 rolls of toilet paper,
62 bottles of dish soap,
and enough trash bags to last until 2047.
We're doing what we've done all month:
ONE LITTLE THING AT A TIME.
Know what you use.
Keep a reasonable backup.
Rotate it.
Replace it.
That's it.
TODAY'S 10-MINUTE CHALLENGE
Take a quick inventory of:
☐ Toilet paper
☐ Hand soap
☐ Dish soap
☐ Laundry detergent
☐ Trash bags
☐ Disposable gloves
☐ Paper towels/cleaning cloths
☐ Cleaning supplies
☐ Hand sanitizer
☐ Personal hygiene supplies
☐ Menstrual products if needed
☐ Baby supplies if needed
☐ Pet sanitation supplies
☐ Emergency sanitation supplies from Day 22
Then ask:
“WHAT WOULD WE RUN OUT OF FIRST?”
Pick ONE OR TWO things you're low on.
Add them to your normal shopping list.
That's today's challenge.
DAY 27 — DONE!
Today's preparedness lesson wasn't fancy.
It was soap.
Trash bags.
Toilet paper.
Cleaning supplies.
Everyday things.
But preparedness isn't always about buying specialized emergency gear.
Sometimes it's simply making sure your family has enough of the ordinary things you depend on every day.
YOU DON'T NEED A WAREHOUSE.
You just need a little cushion.
Use what you store.
Replace what you use.
Build gradually.
And keep going...
ONE LITTLE THING AT A TIME.
— Mimi
PackFreshUSA
TOMORROW — DAY 28
We've packed the bags.
We've checked the food.
We've added sanitation supplies.
We've checked clothing.
We've made plans for the kids and pets.
Now we're going to find out:
CAN WE ACTUALLY GET OUT THE DOOR?
Tomorrow is our:
5-MINUTE GRAB-N-GO CHALLENGE!
No panic.
No speeding.
No throwing Grandma into the backseat. ?
We're simply going to practice what we'd grab, who does what, where the pets go and whether our plan actually works.
Because a plan you've practiced is a whole lot more useful than a plan that's only sitting in your head.