Essentially Non-Essential

From time to time, I enjoy posting a good list on this blog. I admit it’s a rare occasion, but sometimes the mood hits me and before I realize it, I’m typing away and wrangling a couple arbitrary ideas into some sort of list for easy digestion. A few days ago I noticed a gentleman walking down the street with nothing more than a large army duffle bag strapped across his back. I wondered what contents were in his bag and that led me to consider what it would be like if I could only have a limited number of supplies with me at any given time.

Since it was essential he could only carry the most important things with him, I wondered what those essential items were. This led me to do some research and try to find some opinions on what 10 things would be the most practical items for a person to keep as they traversed the streets. So, what does a person need when living on the streets? Here are numbers 6-10, and I will reveal the top 5 later this week.

10. Sleeping bag– Preferably one made of down because it is lightweight and very compact. This is the most vital piece of equipment you will need. You can either stash the bag, or carry it with you. Carrying it makes you more mobile because you can sleep wherever you end up. If you can’t get a good quality down bag, double bagging two poor quality ones will do the job (though definitely not as well).

9. Matting (preferably plastic and lightweight) – You must keep your sleeping bag off the ground away from the damp. If you can’t find or buy matting, at least make sure you put your sleeping bag on cardboard because putting it directly on concrete will result in feeling like you are sleeping on a block of ice. The cold can cause back muscles to freeze up and numb and the result is that when you stretch in the night you can tear them – potentially leading to months of difficulty walking (and walking is what you need to be doing every day).

8. Backpacks– Consider keeping a smaller backpack for use during the day and a larger one that you can stash. You should keep in mind that some states in the US have “camping bans” which make it illegal to walk around the city with a large camping backpack. One homeless man was even refused service at a restaurant because they “do not serve people with backpacks” – clearly discrimination against the homeless – but you need to be aware of this. A small day backpack will spare you all of these problems.

7. Toiletries- Soap, a toothbrush, razors, at the very least. These you should keep with you in your day backpack. It is also worth trying to score a mirror of some kind; just because you are living on the street doesn’t mean you can’t take care of your appearance – you will certainly find life easier when dealing with non-homeless people.

6. Utility items- Small items are very handy to have when you live on the street. For example, you will want a needle and thread to fix minor tears and loose buttons – this can save you a lot of trouble trying to find new clothes – especially in winter. You will also probably want a couple of pens or pencils (you never know when you might need these). It goes without saying that an essential item is a can opener – without one of these you limiting the types of food you can buy (and canned goods are often the cheapest). You will also want a pair of scissors which you can use for trimming your own hair, cutting your nails, and for any other task that may require the use of something sharp. A bottle opener and / or a corkscrew is also useful. And finally, a box of matches or a lighter is essential.