Plan and prepare

List the ordinary hygiene activities each person needs to maintain and identify the supplies they already use. Include soap, oral-care items, menstrual products, continence or diapering supplies when relevant, and suitable waste containers. Ask people privately about preferences rather than buying one standard kit for everyone.

Check the water and disposal dependencies for each activity. A cupboard of supplies may not help if the available water is restricted or waste collection has stopped. Keep current local guidance accessible and follow the water advisory's instructions for washing and bathing.

Use a clear process

Count usable quantities, note storage requirements and manufacturer dates, and choose a review interval. Keep products in their labeled containers and away from children or others who could accidentally ingest them. Do not mix cleaning products or invent substitutes from unrelated chemicals.

CDC recommends soap and water for handwashing and describes alcohol-based sanitizer as an option when soap and water are unavailable, with important limitations. If including sanitizer, choose a labeled product meeting CDC's recommendation of at least 60 percent alcohol and retain its directions. It is not a universal replacement for washing.

Worked example

Suppose a household normally buys hygiene products in large containers stored on a high shelf. The inventory may show plenty of supplies while a person with limited grip or reach cannot use them. Include accessibility in the review: can each intended user find the item, read the label, open it, and use it as directed? Choose appropriate packaging and storage arrangements without decanting products into misleading containers. Keep instructions with the product, especially when a helper unfamiliar with the household may need to assist.

Decisions and exceptions

Use a table with the activity, product, usual quantity consumed, available amount, storage location, and any water or disposal dependency. A short period of ordinary use can provide a more realistic estimate than guessing an emergency quantity. Record preferences privately when they concern personal care. Add supplies gradually through normal purchasing and review them when household membership or care arrangements change. A large generic kit may contain items nobody uses while omitting a familiar product that is important to daily routines.

Check and improve

For a community distribution, offer a clear list of available categories and a discreet way to request suitable products. Avoid requiring recipients to explain intimate circumstances in a public queue. Keep original labels and product directions available, and do not substitute unrelated products because they appear similar. Confirm how the distribution relates to local water and waste guidance so a kit is not presented as a complete solution to a service failure. At a trial pickup, ask whether packaging, collection hours, and information formats are usable. Record broad unmet needs without publishing personal details. Use that feedback to refine quantities and product choices, and route specialized care questions to appropriate professionals rather than asking volunteers to recommend treatments. Keep a separate replenishment list with confirmed suppliers and realistic ordering times so the program can distinguish an available product from one merely requested.

Solo and community application

Alone, use a short checklist during regular shopping and replenish supplies as they are consumed. A community program can offer choice, accessible packaging, discreet pickup, and a private request route. Keep detailed personal needs off the public inventory.

Reference guidance

CDC's hygiene and preparedness pages provide the reference guidance. This inventory method helps organize access without prescribing care. Test whether an intended user can find and open the items, then fix packaging or supply gaps before a disruption.