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>>>> "Re #1550, about checking the medicine cabinet - GREAT IDEA! Think I'll do that myself this evening. Thanks!" <<<<

I've made some big changes to the way I stock my "extra" storage goods.

I had a couple 'scares' last month when I was ill.

First off, although I "always" have LOTS of extra lightbulbs in the drawer.... seems everyone else around here was replacing lightbulbs but me, and I didn't notice we were down to ONE NEW LIGHT BULB - until one evening when I happened to be ill, in no condition to run to the store to stock up.

So there will no longer be a substantial "stash" of bulbs in the OLD lightbulb drawer, just a very few of each type we use.

I felt very lucky when I was finally able to run errands. First I stopped by U-Haul and got several very heavy duty moving boxes.

Then I went to at least half a dozen different stores, and at each shop bought one or two or even three packages of lightbulbs.

When the family tells me there are NO LIGHTBULBS, HELP -- I'll go down into the basement, or up into the attic; half of my storage boxes are on shelves in the basement, well away from the cement floor or else up in the far reaches of the attic.

I've divided by lightbulb purchases into the six boxes.

Seriously.

The LAST thing I want to have happen if I have to shelter in place, and we still have utilities functioning --- is to run out of LIGHT BULBS.

Or what if we have a massive trucking strike? Or a terror incident at a major port? Or a quarantine? OR, OR, Or, Or..... SO many many "ors."

LOL

You see... I no longer *trust* the storage system I set up, even though this really is the very first time there was no stash of lightbulbs in the drawer.

So, now..... whenever I run out of something, it has to go on one of 2 lists.

The first list is for general grocery & household items; but the second list is for items that would "drive us NUTS" were we without them in an emergency. And that list has more things than "just" toilet paper and light bulbs... and that kind of list will differ for each family.

Anyway.... IF it is a "I will go NUTS without this if I have to shelter in place for ten days without it" type of item --- then it is purchased in multiples, at different stores and in different brands --- as I don't want to make one big bulk purchase and learn years later that it was defective and recalled.

Anyway, I know that most people who are concerned about the future "shop" in their storage pantries at home, but there really are some things which you need LOTS of, during real life emergencies, and I hadn't realized some serious gaps in my own storage system.

Also, last month, I learned that some people get healthy from H1N1 if they take EXTRAORDINARY amounts of D-3 on a daily basis. I came nowhere near that amount of IUs, but within a few days of taking 20,000 units of vitamin D-3, I was out of it.

And that is disconcerting.

What if my entire family had needed mega doses of this vitamin??

I am going to find a synthetic version of D-2 for Emergency Storage, cuz I think the D-3 expires alot quicker.