I have always believed in keeping extra food and household necessities on hand. My household backup bin is where I keep the things our family would hate to unexpectedly run out of, such as toothpaste, deodorant, dishwasher detergent, garbage bags, toilet paper, batteries, and other everyday essentials.
For me, keeping backups is not about expecting something terrible to happen. It is about knowing that if we run out of an item, have an unexpected expense, cannot get to the store, or face a larger emergency, we already have some of the basics our family needs.
I am very grateful for the supplies we have accumulated over the years. They have helped us avoid last-minute trips to the store, pay full price less often, and feel a little more secure during uncertain situations.
Why I Keep a Household Backup Bin
I used to be a couponer, so I have a lot of experience watching sales, stocking up, and finding ways to stretch our household budget. That experience taught me that preparedness does not have to mean rushing out and spending hundreds of dollars at once.
Most of my backup supplies were accumulated slowly.
I would set aside a certain amount of money each month for household supplies and food storage. Then, when toothpaste, detergent, shampoo, or another necessity went on sale, I already had money available to purchase a few extras.
Sometimes I had a coupon to make the price even better. Other times, the sale itself was enough. Either way, I tried to buy these products when they were inexpensive rather than waiting until we completely ran out and had to pay whatever the store was charging that week.
That is still basically how I purchase many of our household items and food. I watch for a good price, buy a reasonable amount, and gradually add it to our supplies.
My household backup bin is not actually one container. I have separate containers and storage areas for many of these products because one container would never hold everything. The name simply describes the system I use to keep at least one backup of the things our family regularly needs.
When COVID began and toilet paper suddenly became almost impossible to find, we already had a backup supply. We still conserved what we had because no one knew how long the shortage would last. However, we did not have to panic or drive from store to store trying to find one package.
That experience reminded me why I had spent so many years keeping extras on hand. I was grateful that our family could use what we already had and leave the limited store supplies for people who truly needed them.
A household backup bin can help during large emergencies, but it is just as useful during ordinary life. Sometimes the emergency is simply discovering that the toothpaste tube is empty when everyone is getting ready for bed.
What to Keep in Your Household Backup Bin
Every family’s list will be different. There is no reason to stock something just because another household considers it essential. I think it makes more sense to pay attention to the products your own family uses regularly and really dislikes running out of.
Possible household backup bin items include:
- Toothpaste and toothbrushes
- Deodorant
- Shampoo and conditioner
- Bar soap or body wash
- Toilet paper
- Facial tissues
- Feminine hygiene products
- Diapers and wipes
- Laundry detergent
- Dishwasher detergent
- Dish soap
- Garbage bags
- Paper towels
- Cleaning supplies
- Hand soap
- Batteries
- Light bulbs
- Pet food and pet supplies
- Basic first-aid supplies
- Common over-the-counter products your family uses
- Food storage bags, foil, and plastic wrap
- Paper plates, paper bowls, napkins, and plastic utensils
You do not need to purchase everything on this list. Start with the five or ten items that would cause the biggest inconvenience if you unexpectedly ran out.
It may also help to walk through your normal day. Think about what your family uses in the bathroom, kitchen, laundry room, bedrooms, and other areas of the house. Those are the products that probably belong in your household backup bin.
I prefer keeping different types of supplies in separate containers. Bathroom products can stay together, cleaning products can have their own area, and paper products can be stored wherever there is enough room. This makes it easier to find what we need without digging through one overflowing container.
Keep products in a cool, dry place and follow any storage directions on their packaging. Cleaning products, batteries, medications, and other potentially hazardous items should always be stored safely and kept away from children and pets.
Build Your Household Backup Bin Slowly
You do not need to create a complete household backup bin in one shopping trip. In fact, trying to buy everything at once can quickly become expensive and overwhelming.
Start with one extra item.
If your family opens the last tube of toothpaste, add two tubes to the shopping list instead of one. Put one in the bathroom and place the other in your backup container. The next time laundry detergent is on sale, purchase an extra bottle if it fits comfortably within your budget.
Continue doing that a little at a time.
Setting aside a small amount of money each month can make this easier. That money does not have to be spent immediately. You can save it until you find a worthwhile sale on something your family uses.
Ready.gov also recommends building emergency supplies over time, beginning with useful items you may already have at home.
The federal preparedness website Ready.gov also recommends building emergency supplies over time and beginning with items you may already own. Their suggestions can help you expand beyond everyday backups if you would like to prepare for power outages, severe weather, or other emergencies.
Do not confuse stocking up with buying as much as possible. A useful household backup bin should provide reassurance, not create clutter, waste, or financial stress.
Before purchasing multiples, consider:
- How quickly your family uses the item
- How much storage space you have
- Whether the product can expire or lose effectiveness
- Whether the sale price is actually a good deal
- How much you can comfortably spend
Buying twenty bottles of a product you rarely use is not helpful, even if the price is good. I would rather have a reasonable supply of products I know our family will use.
I also try to rotate our supplies. When I take something from a backup container, I use the oldest item first. Then I add that product to my shopping list and wait for a good opportunity to replace it.
The goal is to keep the household backup bin useful without allowing it to become a forgotten collection of expired products.
A Backup Supply Provides More Than Convenience
There is a sense of relief that comes from knowing we have another package of garbage bags, an extra bottle of detergent, or enough toilet paper to get through an unexpected shortage.
A household backup bin cannot prepare a family for every possible emergency, and it should not replace a more complete emergency plan. However, it can be a practical starting point.
It can help when someone is sick and no one wants to go to the store. It can help when the weather is bad, the monthly budget is unusually tight, a commonly used product is temporarily unavailable, or a family member forgets to mention that they used the last one.
It also gives me more control over what I pay. When I have one backup available, I can wait for a sale instead of purchasing a replacement immediately at full price.
There is no need to make the system complicated. You can use a plastic tote, a cupboard, a few labeled baskets, a shelf in the linen closet, or several containers placed near the rooms where the products are used.
What matters is that you know what you have, where it is, and when it needs to be replaced.
I am grateful for the supplies we have built up slowly over time. They have not appeared all at once, and they have not required one enormous shopping trip. They are the result of setting aside a little money, watching for sales, and purchasing reasonable amounts of the things our family genuinely uses.
My household backup bin gives me one less thing to worry about. If we run out of an everyday necessity or find ourselves facing a larger emergency, we have a place to begin.
The goal is not to prepare for every possible problem or fill the house with products. It is simply to make sure our family has some of the basics so we can respond calmly instead of panicking.
What are the household products your family never wants to run out of?
Making every house feel a little more like home.
