In late December, the first reports of pneumonia, soon to be identified as COVID-19, were reported to the World Health Organization in Wuhan, China. This was pretty alarming because the cause of this virus was unknown. Three months later WHO officially declared a pandemic outbreak. With 97 reported deaths and counting in the United States, the nationwide anxiety and panic have resulted in The Great Toilet Paper Shortage of The 21st Century.
Here are three practical ways to stay sane and save money during these perilous times.
Take a media break.
Notice I didn’t say take a social media break. Take a break from all of it. No TV. No internet. No social media. The amount of coverage this is getting is enough to give Gandhi anxiety. You will hear about it on every news outlet and you’ll definitely see posts and commentary on the topic as you scroll through your social media feed. Take a few hours or even a full day to not indulge. Read a book. Meditate and journal. Sleep all day. It’s your time to relax just take a break.
Inventory your home.
Make the most of social distancing by staying home and completing an inventory of your supplies. When I lived in The Gambia, West Africa, I kept a tight inventory of the food I had on hand at all times. If I ate something I marked it off. This gave me peace of mind and minimized the time I spent rambling through the market. So what do you actually have? Start in the kitchen. Take an inventory of all your dry goods, canned goods, and perishables.
Next inventory your cleaning and sanitation supplies. Don’t forget to check all the rooms where these items might be stored. For instance, I have limited space, so I keep one roll of paper towels under my kitchen sink and the rest in a hall closet. Now that you know exactly what you have, you can move on to my third tip.
Only buy what you need.
Listen friend. Now is not the time to stockpile. Everybody is in need so don’t be greedy. Unfortunately, there actually is a nationwide shortage of toilet tissue, paper towels, sanitation and cleaning supplies, cold & flu medicine, hand sanitizer, feminine hygiene products, diapers, and baby wipes. (Did reading that list make you as exhausted as it made me to type it?)
Take your inventory and make a list of things you actually need. Before you head out to buy see if there’s a local shop that could deliver some of the items to you. Local businesses will suffer greatly during this outbreak so support them as best you can. Plus, getting your items delivered limits your contact with OPG (Other People’s Germs). Everybody wins.
Stay safe and sane out there and don’t forget to wash your hands!
Great advice.