What to do if you suddenly find yourself homeless
FOOD
Find your nearest food bank or mission, for food
grocery stores with free samples, bakeries + stores with day-old bread
different fast food outlets have cheaper food and will generally let you hang out for a while.
some dollar stores carry food like cans of beans or fruit
SHELTER
Sleeping at beaches during the day is a good way to avoid suspicion and harassment
sleep with your bag strapped to you, so someone can’t steal it
Some churches offer short term residence
Find your nearest homeless shelter
Look for places that are open to the public
A large dumpster near a wall can often be moved so that flipping up the lids creates an angled shelter to stay dry
HYGIENE
A membership to the YMCA is usually only 10$, which has a shower, and sometimes laundry machines and lockers.
Public libraries have bathrooms you can use
Dollar stores carry low-end soaps and deodorant etc.
Wet wipes are all purpose and a life saver
Local beaches, go for a quick swim
Some truck stops have showers you can pay for
Staying clean is the best way to prevent disease, and potentially get a job to get back on your feet
Pack 7 pairs of socks/undies, 2 outfits, and one hooded rain jacket
OTHER
first aid kit
sunscreen
a travel alarm clock or watch
mylar emergency blanket
a backpack is a must
downgrade your cellphone to a pay as you go with top-up cards
sleeping bag
travel kit of toothbrush, hair brush/comb, mirror
swiss army knife
can opener
Reblog to literally save a life
if there is a Dollar Tree near you, they have entire food aisles
Planet Fitness also has $10 memberships. you can shower and they have free food days! pizza night 1st monday every month, bagel tuesday the 2nd tuesday every month.
Save a life reblog
i am so glad that i renblogged this however so long ago. i saw this post and shared it with others in mind, but now i am the one who really needs this. id like to think of this as good karma i guess
also a good list if anyone ever needs to run away from home for whatever reason.
Reblogging again because I’ve been living by a lot of these guidelines the last month. If you suddenly find yourself homeless, don’t give up. You have options.
Wet wipes especially are life savers - crotch rot isn’t pleasant.
Take care of your feet - if you can’t walk, you stand a very real chance of dying. That’s not an exaggeration, take care of your feet.
Keep them dry, and if you can manage it try to change your socks daily - I had three pairs I would wash - more or less - and hang to dry so that I always had a dry pair to replace the ones I had on if they got wet.
Even a cheap plastic water bottle is a water bottle, fill it from public fountains and stay hydrated. If you can carry two and have room, keep one in your bag.
Your bag is your life. Do not put it down. I used to sleep with it on my front, it helped a little in terms of staying warm.
Newspapers torn up and stuffed into your jacket can help you stay warm. Layers are your best defense, you don’t want to sweat because that will compromise your ability to stay warm and dry. If you get overheated you can peel off a layer and put it in your bag.
DONT overburden yourself. A heavy bag full of stuff might make you feel more prepared but it will also wear you out, trying to haul everything around. Pack smart, pack light.
Ziplock bags get thrown out all the time, grab them. You can pack anything you don’t want to get wet in them, and you can also suck the air out of them and seal them so they take up less space.
Learn to build shelter; this is a skill I personally think everyone should learn Just In Case, because dumpsters are great but they’re also dumpsters. You don’t want to sleep behind one unless you really, really have to.
Protein is great but if you can manage it, remember to eat FRUIT. Something with vitamin C at least; my teeth started getting loose in their sockets because I wasn’t getting enough vitamin C. Scurvy can kill you.
srsly about the Wet Wipes
I met somebody in Harvard Square. I didn’t wanna give him money but I bought him wet wipes, a new reusable bottle, and a sammich.
The guy took Wet Wipes like manna from heaven
Wet wipes are fucking GOLD, I got into the habit of keeping a pack in the trunk of my car even after I got off the street. And towels.
I can’t stress enough about staying dry, especially in the colder months.
News about that fella. I ran into him 2 years later a few months ago. He’s getting his shit together as a barback in Harvard. I know this cuz he recognized me in his bar.
Be kind to homeless folks. They might just make you feel like an angel
