"Before" the time that my entire life changed, I lived as an upper middle class human, spoiled in many ways. I was Daddy's girl growing up and while he was a very generous man, he never really taught me the value of a dollar. It wasn't until I got "here" that I had many realizations emerge and of course by then it was too late to go backwards in time. I did not live a fairytale life "before" by any means, I was not a princess or someone who walked through life with blinders on. I had a very tumultuous upbringing frankly and many traumas to go through. But the one way my parents showed me love was by giving me things. Perhaps it was their ultimate choice since growing up in the depression era and seeing the realities of war, (my father was in the concentration camps) they felt that giving things was the best way to show me. Perhaps because they were shut down emotionally for the most part and didn't know how else to show me. I don't judge them, but as I have gotten older and gone through this place I am in now, I have become much more aware of so many things about them and about myself.
There was a time when I would walk into a store and buy without hesitation, not looking at the price tags, just choosing what I desired. Looking back I now realize that I spent money like water because it gave me a false sense of being special, it made me think I was successful, it gave me a sense of power. In fact I didn't need many of the things I purchased, and most of them either hung in my closet with the tags still on, or were still in the bag they came in tossed carelessly in the back of my closet.
Fast forward to "here".
I can proudly say that I now know the value of a dollar. So in my practice of gratitude, when I think of things to be thankful for, one is that I learned that. I of course wish that I didn't have to go through the life experiences I have went through to learn this, however I can honestly say that I am grateful for learning it, and if it took becoming homeless to learn the value of a dollar, then it has been beneficial in that way.
Nowadays I can take 5 dollars and buy food to last me several days. I have become an extremely savvy shopper. It gives me a sense of pride to be able to finagle my money in order to survive a few more days. Granted the food I buy is not the healthiest food but I can buy a loaf of bread, a pack of bologna (which I seriously hate), a bag of chips, some ramen noodles and some koolaid for 5 dollars. So yea not the best food out there, but when I sit down and practice gratitude I realize how many people would love to have those items to eat. And I thank God that I do.
There are lots of ways to save money on things. But some things you just have to have. And not always can you buy them with a few dollars. So therein lies the problem of most homeless people when they are trying to survive, stay clean and comfortable. Even things from the dollar store still cost a dollar. And nowadays before I spend that dollar I always ask myself this question --"Do I really need this? Or can I get by without it?"
I have put together a list of things I have found invaluable on being homeless. If you are trying to figure out how to help someone homeless or just need a list to refer to, I think you will find this list very helpful.
I know I see many of these "care kits" people pack for the homeless on Pinterest or other places, and I think they are a great idea. But beyond the ordinary items a person needs to get through life are some others that perhaps someone has not thought of and that I
personally know to be helpful to have.
Now please keep in mind that not all of this stuff I mention is an absolute must have but ALL of it certainly makes your life a lot easier when your homeless.
So here is my list of Essentials that I try to always keep in my duffle bag--
*Hydrogen Peroxide --this is a cheap product but has so many uses. Having a bottle of this all of the time helps in many ways, for medicinal reasons and for cleanliness. It helps for wound care, infections, foot problems, mouthcare, tooth aches, sanitizing both food and your surroundings, among many other things.
*Dawn Dishwashing Liquid -- This costs money, but sometimes you can get a 9 ounce bottle at Walgreens for one dollar on sale. Dawn is the best thing to have, just the blue one, not the other scents, although I am sure they work almost as good as the original. Dawn and Hydrogen peroxide mixed together make a great sanitizer and it's always good to have a bottle to wash your utensils and things of that sort. Also you can use Dawn as a body wash, to wash your pets and keep them free from fleas and mites, and to wash clothes. I am not sure why Dawn seems to work better than other dishwashing liquids but it is definitely a good thing to keep in your duffle bag.
*Over the Counter Medicines - Pepto Bismol is the top of my list. The generic dollar store brand works just as good as the real stuff. I can't tell you how much a bad diet changes your bathroom habits, and that stuff really does work. Also Epson salt is excellent to keep, because it can be used for boils, or skin infections, bathing or soaking tired hurting feet and joints, and other medicinal purposes. And Listerine style mouthwash is a multi purpose product as well. Then of course Ibruprofen is helpful, cough drops, bandaids and first aid kits, and sinus medication like benadryl type products.
* Clothing - Socks top my list, if your feet get cold or wet, you are done for. I have found that if my feet are warm I am generally okay, if they are cold, my entire body is cold Maybe that's just me I don't know. But I do know clean dry socks are important. Also, on the clothing list, are scarves, hats, gloves, hoodies and sweat pants. Because these can be layered and taken off or added as the weather changes. Shoes are important but it is pretty hard to pass out shoes to people I imagine. I hate wearing shoes myself, always have. So I try to stick to slippers if I can, but obviously there are times when I have to wear shoes.
* Food - The food I have found to be easiest to keep and that gives a person protein is peanut butter. Also canned meat like spam, tuna, chicken, sardines. I am positive any easy to pack food is good to have but honestly I have always felt that if I had a jar of peanut butter I was not going to suffer from the effects of hunger or malnutrition as much. The other thing that is good to have is instant packets of things like soup or broth and oatmeal. These can be made easily enough with hot tap water if you don't have electric handy. When I sit down and have a cup of broth or soup, and a peanut butter sandwich I am happy and grateful that I have something halfway nutritious to eat.
*Paper and Linen - Toilet paper, paper towels, washcloths, drying towels and trash bags. These are a must to have if you can get them. It's pretty hard to live without toilet paper when your homeless, for reasons you obviously know. And washcloths are essentials also. Paper towels are nice to have, but not a must have although they have several uses. Also a good sponge is good to have if you can get one. And of course blankets for warmth and a pillow is nice or a pillow case that you can put your dirty clothes in and use as a "pillow". But trash bags are probably next to toilet paper on the list of must haves. They keep your stuff from getting wet, they hold stuff, and you can use them as a rain coat for shelter if needed.
*Tools/Household - Duct Tape is probably the best thing to have in this category. You can make shelters easier, can tape torn bags, or fix things. Also a flashlight and batteries. I can't tell you how many times I have used a flashlight to sit in my "fort" or "shelter" and read at night. Sleeping outside in the streets at night is most difficult for me so if I find myself in that position and can't find a room or place to go to, I generally stay awake all night. And having light makes it possible to write or read. And last but not least is a writing tablet or notebook and pens or pencils, some envelopes and some stamps.
*Misc - A hotpot is great to have if you have electric. You can heat up most anything this way.
This is just a partial list, but includes some of the more important things I have found that one needs to have being homeless. So maybe if you are so inclined or are doing care packages for the homeless it might be something to think about giving.
- Hydrogen Peroxide
- Dawn Dishwashing Liquid
- Pepto Bismol
- Listerine
- Epsom Salt
- Cough Drops
- Sinus Meds - Benadryl
- Ibuprofen
- Band Aids
- First Aid Kits
- Socks
- Hats, Gloves, Scarves
- Hoodies, Sweats
- Peanut Butter
- Spam, Tuna, Canned Meat
- Instant Soups, Oatmeal
- Toilet Paper, Paper Towels, Sponges
- Towels, Washcloths
- Trash Bags
- Duct Tape
- Flashlights, Batteries
- HotPot
- Pillowcases, Blankets
“People who are homeless are not social inadequates. They are people without homes.” -- Sheila McKechnie
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