It’s time to get prepared for the next few months of winter! I have a friend who loves to plan ahead. You will not catch his family having to make a last minute run to the grocery to pick up staples like laundry detergent, medicines or toilet paper. In fact, this friend knows exactly how much toilet paper his family unit needs to last through a wintry storm. So whether you are planning for a power outage, flooding, weather emergency or zombie attack if that’s your thing, you’ll be ready! He has challenged me to see how much toilet paper a family of 5 needs to store back to be prepared for a winter emergency.

How Much Toilet Paper do you Need?

So here’s the question…. How much toilet paper does one person or family use in a months time? I admit that I don’t know the answer to this question. But I’m going to find out! There’s two main ways to find out how much toilet paper you need to have on hand for your family unit. Just pick whichever option works best for so you will be able to prepare for winter emergencies!

Do the Math:

For the math intellects out there, I have a puzzle for you. I would love to see how this situation plays out in a mathematical formula. There are obviously some variables that we would have to know.  If you can come up with a mathematical formula to figure this out, I’d love to see it and share it!

1. How many people in the family unit?
2. Time:  30 days
3. Average squares in a roll of toilet paper
4. How large is the average roll?
5. Are there any guests coming for visits?
6. How much extra would you need to add in for unexpected sickness?

For the others of us who aren’t quite so math minded, here’s 2 options for coming up with how much toilet paper each family unit needs for 30 days!

Option #1: Count the Rolls

If you have the space, you can do an easy count to see how many rolls of toilet paper a family needs in a month. Every time you finish a roll, instead of tossing the cardboard roll in the trash or recycle bin, toss it in a box. Then you can count up the rolls at the end of the month.

Option #2: Mark this Form

If you prefer to keep the trash collection to a minimum, you can just print off this little form and make a mark each time you finish a roll of toilet paper. At the end of 30 days, just add up how many you have used.

Click here to print How much toilet paper do you need

Toilet Paper Rolls are Different Sizes

Not all toilet paper rolls are created equal. Some are thicker, larger, double roll, triple roll, quilted or stronger. These differences make the toilet paper rolls different sizes. By keeping count for a full 30 days, you will be able to get an average number of rolls needed. It is not an accurate number if you only keep count for 1 week. You need at least 4 weeks to get a full picture of how much toilet paper your family unit needs.

Have you ever thought about how much toilet paper and essential supplies you need for emergencies? The first day of a new year is a great time to think about it! Are you going to join me in this Toilet Paper challenge? I’d love to hear!