*Thanks for stopping by! This post is sponsored by our good friends at Staples. Hope you enjoy. Oh, and look for something cool we’re doing below!

I remember like it was yesterday—March 22, 2020, two weeks after the world broke. A virile cry rang out from the bathroom where my 5-year-old son had been stationed for the past 15 minutes. 

“Mom! There’s no more toilet paper! MOOOOOOMMM!”

“Hang on,” I said. “I’ll bring you a new roll.”

I went to the linen closet and lifted up an empty plastic package, like the sloughed off skin of a snake. Gone. I checked the guest bathroom. There was a weak excuse of a toilet paper strand drooped over the roller. How generous of someone.

With no reserves in sight, the hot swells of panic started to rise up and I began thinking of all the creative alternatives that my family could use in place of toilet paper if we had to.

The Day the Toilet Paper Ran Out

My fingers flew across the keys of my laptop and I scoured the internet, looking for anyone who had toilet paper in stock. Sold out…out of stock….out of luck. The great t.p. shortage of 2020 had just taken me for a fool. Or so I thought. Guess who emerged to save the day? Staples! Not only were they the only store that had toilet paper in stock, but they also had FREE delivery!

I ordered on the double and by some miracle, two fresh, plump packages of toilet paper were on my doorstep the next day! I have never been so glad to see toilet paper in my life. Who would have thought?

This experience taught me a valuable lesson in always keeping stocked up. No need to go crazy and hoard it from floor to ceiling, but during these unpredictable times, it’s good to keep a nice reserve of all the necessities that you use every single day. And not to mention all the essentials you’ll need during the holiday season. 

Staples has it all: paper plates so you’re not doing the dishes every moment, plastic forks, spoons, and knives to make life convenient, and all of those high-demand products like toilet paper, paper towels, hand sanitizer, and cleaning & sanitizing supplies. Here are some essentials to stock up on now to get you safely and soundly through the holiday season and beyond. 

Buy One, We’ll Donate One

You don’t realize how important essentials like toilet paper and paper towels until you don’t have them. Right now, there are shelters in desperate need of donations and with your help, we’d like to do something cool.

For every Staples necessity you purchase here (or anywhere in this post), HowDoesShe will donate a Staples essential to a local Women’s Shelter to help them stay stocked up this holiday season. (You helped us do this in the fall and we were able to make a second grade teacher very happy!)

5 Essentials You Should Always Have on Hand {Especially in a Coronavirus Year}

Paper Plates & Cups

Spend less time worrying about the dishes and more time doing the important things, like hanging out with family, planning holiday festivities, and de-stressing.

Staples has everything you need for family gatherings, in fact, these bulk paper plates are one of my favorite things to have on hand and they last forever! 

The Staples Perk brand is phenomenal and the same cups that grace an office break room are also perfect stocked in your pantry. In fact, these bulk cups are perfect for hot cocoa bars and to just have handy (my kids use them all the time!)

Grab up all of the necessities you use on a daily basis now so that you’ll have a nice reserve for whatever the future brings. (Right now, I see a lot of at-home pizza parties in our future.)

Paper Towels

They’re another thing that can be very hard to find in stock right now–paper towels are an essential we use every single day and when you don’t have any, you feel it. Stock up while you can!

Toilet Paper

This goes without saying, but as a good rule of thumb, you should have a three-month’s supply of toilet paper on hand if you’re able. Luckily, Staples ships it fast and free so you can restock if your supply is dwindling. Have it on hand because who knows what the future holds.

Cutlery

If your holidays involve guests, grab up a box or two of disposable cutlery. It’s just always nice to have plenty of spoons, forks, and knives on hand for those chili and cornbread nights or impromptu cake and ice cream.

Snacks

One thing I’m going through faster than ever since my kids have been home the majority of this year is snacks. They are always snacking! I found these break boxes and they pretty much rock. 

5 Ways Break Boxes will rule your world:

1. Awesome to have around the house for snacking.
2. Great for throwing in your kids’ lunches.
3. They make you the cool mom when friends com over. 
4. If you have guests coming, you’ll be the perfect hostess. 
5. You can send them to someone! Have one shipped to a college student or far-away loved one.

See all the different kinds of fun break boxes here!

So don’t get caught in the lurch. Keep a steady stock of the essentials that you use every single day. And when you snag one of these items (t.p., paper towels, whatever!) from Staples, we’ll donate an item to a local women’s shelter. 

Thank you for helping make a difference!