How many times have you had a situation arise when essential household items were needed but, alas, those items were nowhere to be found?

Recently I purchased some much-needed table lamps for my home. The old ones were falling apart from age and new ones were long overdue. As I ordered them, I was so sure I had light bulbs on hand I really didn’t give it a thought.

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The day my pretty lamps arrived I unboxed them carefully and went to get some light bulbs to light them up but light bulbs were NOT THERE! Ugh. We were completely out and the old lamps took a higher wattage than the new ones would so I couldn’t use those bulbs, either. So, off to the store I went.

That got me thinking. There are many essential household items that we use from time to time but don’t go through them fast enough for them to be routine purchases. They are the ones – like my light bulbs – that can often not  be there when we need them.

So, do the obvious and plan ahead. Put them on your shopping list now and get them back into the house. If you cannot afford to buy them all at the same time, no worries. Just keep a list within reach and add them to your shopping plan, one or two at a time, until you have them all. These 10 items are by no means everything that fits the description but they are a great start!

1. Bandaids – boo boos happen. Keep an assortment of the most popular sizes in stock for paper cuts, scraped knees and other little injuries.
2. Batteries – I never thought I would see the day I would need AAA size batteries, but I do. Those tiny little houses of power run my new TV remote and my flicker candles. Now I keep a supply in stock along with the standard AA, 9-volts, C’s and D’s. Smoke detectors take 9-volts, you know. 
3. Birthday Candles – really? Seems like we should know when to replenish the supply. We all have calendars! But there have been times in my own home, and when visiting others, where we had the cake with the birthday girl (or boy) patiently waiting on the other side but no birthday candles could be found. Keep them in supply and remember where you put them. LOL! (PS. When celebrating birthdays at other people’s houses, be a “friend-indeed.” Quietly bring a box along in your purse in case of emergency!)
4. Checks – more and more people are paying bills online. When you do have to write a check, though, will you have any? Order a supply now.
5. Fasteners & Tape– I wasn’t sure what to call these. All I know is that they matter. What I am thinking of is paper clips, safety pins, staples for your stapler, thumb tacks, rubber bands and tape. All are used to fasten things. All are so helpful when you have them and it can be a problem when you don’t. I’ve used bobbi pins for paper clips and it just isn’t the same. [Should we add bobbi pins to this list, too? Paper clips don’t work well for hair, either!]  When it comes to tape, PACKING TAPE is the item I used to regret not keeping in the house.  I learned my lesson and always have a roll on hand, now.
6. Furnace Filters – granted, this is not one of those cheaper purchases but it does fall into the “not often purchased” category. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have a new one on hand when you need it?  Today was a first for me. I actually had a new filter on hand. Felt great!
7. Light Bulbs – we’ve already talked about this one but I might add that having the more obscure bulbs available is really nice. I am talking of outdoor floodlight bulbs, appliance bulbs and novelty bulbs. Again, you can do this piece by piece instead of making one big purchase but that’s what your list is for. Buy them and check them off as you do.
8. Matches / Lighter– back to the birthday party. You found the birthday candles and now how do you light them? These days it is very possible to have a party without a smoker in the group (yipee!) Keep some matches or a multipurpose lighter in the house.
9. Postage Stamps – people don’t use the postal service nearly as much as they used to but when you do have a greeting card to mail or a bill to pay, isn’t it annoying to have to wait to buy a stamp? Keep a supply in your home along with envelopes.
10. Razor Blade Scraper – if you haven’t painted a window lately, this little tool may not be on the radar. I need one about every two years when the registration on my car is up. Soak the old sticker on the windshield with some window cleaner and use a razor blade to get it off – or not. I’ve learned to keep one of these babies on hand for times of need!

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