A disaster will cut off your energy source. That means your radiator, heater, and house thermostat will be rendered useless. You will experience cold and frigid nights, especially during the colder months of the year.
One way to keep yourself warm is by lighting a fire in your furnace or a wood burning stove. The problem with this is it poses as a fire hazard. It’s very dangerous to leave a fire unattended through the night. It may harm your children and pets. This method can also deplete your resources.
A reliable way to keep warm is through wearing thick layers of clothes. Wear long underwear and ad some shirts, jackets, and outerwear. Make sure to use clothes with thick and warm fabric so that it will be efficient in retaining body heat.
Don’t forget to keep your head warm by wearing warm headgear. This includes wool caps, scarves, and ear muffs. Get a hat or a cap to protect your head and face from the rain or sun. The sun causes severe damage to the skin, like cancer and burns. Pair your hat with some sunscreen if you’re going to spend most of the day outdoors.
The primary reason why it’s a good idea to stockpile clothes is because they’ll be so much cheaper during a disaster. Invest in practical and basic clothing that you can pair with different outfits. Prepare all sorts of clothes that match the weather in your area. Include some work clothes, gloves, and boots. You might need to evacuate which entails a lot of walking so there should be a pair of walking shoes for each member of the family.
Washing and Drying
Your electricity supply may be cut off which means that laundry shops will close and you won’t be able to use your washing machines. As such, you’ll need to hand-wash the clothes yourself. Prepare some pails, basins, washboards, and washtubs. Stockpile laundry detergent for your clothes. It’s better to stick with bar soaps because they last longer and occupy less space.
After washing, hang up your clothes to dry. Keep them in a well-ventilated area with direct sunlight. The ultraviolet rays from the sun have disinfecting properties. The UV rays will help eliminate unpleasant odor.
Clothing Check List
- Long underwear
- Underwear
- Socks
- Coat
- Jacket
- Ear muffs
- Hat
- Cap
- Scarf
- Poncho
- Raincoat
- Sweater
- Good pair of well-fitting walking shoes
- Gloves
- Shirts
- Pants
- Shorts
- Moleskins
- Washboard
- Washtub
- Pails
- Basins
- Laundry detergent
- Bars of soap
- Clothesline
- Clothespins
- Hangers
