We've all been there. Out of toilet paper, paper towels, (or both sick). Using old restaurant napkins and facial tissue will only get you so far. Well, at least since I started getting serious about earthquake prep I can honestly say I have never run out of paper towels and toilet paper. I also keep paper plates on hand as I'd rather not waste valuable water on dishes during an emergency. What I've noticed is these basic items are rarely talked about for disaster prep. Either we all assume everyone's pantry is stuffed with charmin and bounty or we're underestimating their usefulness in an emergency. Sure, you can wash your snot rag, but wouldn't it be nice to have the option of blowing your nose and tossing the tissue into the bin? And then there's the health aspect. Sanitation is critical, and paper towels make cleaning up messes far easier and lessen the risk of contamination. IMO, toilet paper should actually be in the top 5 of an emergency items list. A sore and itchy bum will make surviving without running water and electricity that much more uncomfortable. Anyway, just thought I'd pay tribute to the unsung heroes of survival prep. I'm not saying we need those items but they sure are nice to have.