To move from homelessness to normal house-living, I had to acquire many, many things that the normal person never thinks of being without.  But of course, the homeless person is without them.

It posed a financial hardship.  For several years, I’d literally spent all my money on Dunkin’ Donuts coffee and smokes.  I had no savings.  The offer of normal housing was sudden, abrupt, and I was mandated to move out of the shelter that same day.

Moreover, I now had to pay rent and utilities, and had to figure out a budget; but there are all these things you can’t figure into your regular monthly budget; such as a hammer.  Once you get one, you’ll probably have that one for life.

Originally I kept records of all this things, where and when I bought them, and how much they cost.  But I lost some receipts, and lost a lot of data in a computer glitch the night before my laptop got stolen.  I remember that the can opener cost $10; the bucket cost $10 also.  The can opener was the most urgent purchase, and no one had thought of it.  If I had nothing else, I needed that to be able to open cans of food.

Here are the things that I either received as gifts, or had to buy:

Christmas gifts I asked for, over the years, at the shelters:

• 2 cup Pyrex meauring cup
• Large wooden spoon
• Mixing bowls
• 2 quart saucepan
• Comforter

Gifts from my case manager:

• Sheets and towels
• Another comnforter
• Air mattress
• Tumblers
• Silverware
• Pots and pans
• Hot pan holders
• Shower curtain

Gifts from church:

• Desk
• Coffee table
• Secretarial chair

Things I stole from the hotel:

• Towel and washcloth

Things I bought:

• Can opener
• French press
• Coffee mug
• Bucket(**)
• Broom
• Brush & dustpan
• Fabuloso
• Microban cleaning spray 22 oz
• Bathtub mat
• Toilet bowl brush
• Toilet bowl cleaner
• Plunger
• Recycling bags
• Quart size food containers
• Ziploc bags:  Freezer
• Ziploc bags: Quart
• Ziploc bags: Gallon
• Aluminum foil
• Waxed paper
• Dish soap
• Scouring powder
• Dish brush
• Kitchen knives
• Ice cube trays
• Funnels
• Sieve
• 22″ Box fan
• Hammer
• Screwdrivers(*)
• Short pants
• Litter pan
• Litter scoop
• Scotch tape
• Masking tape
• Twine
• Sharpies

Still need:

• Drain board for kitchen sink
• Dish drainer
• Cutting board
• Scissors

(*) To punch holes in coffee cans I want to use as planters.  Family Dollar was consistently sold out of nails, but these were the same price.

(**) I don’t ever plan to get a mop.  As I did at the rooming house in Barclay where I was the “super,” I mean to get down on my hands and knees, to mop.