How to Survive Homelessness

Co-authored by Dan Bodner

Last Updated: October 9, 2024 Fact Checked

Have you or a loved one found yourself living in a homeless shelter? Are you struggling to survive homelessness? This article contains tactics that you can use to help improve your situation, as well as your state of mind. This advice is best suited for those who are emotionally/physically stable, as well as those who are currently substance-abuse free; most shelters require this, especially ones where you can stay for extended periods of time, store your personal belongings, and have medications administered or monitored by a staff member.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Streamlining Your Belongings

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1
Get rid of just about everything. Being homeless can be an extremely overwhelming experience. Chances are you have had to let go of some items already, and with any luck you have found a way to store some of them for when you regain a permanent/semi-permanent residence in the near future. Until then, you must think and act in an efficient manner that will help you right now. "Right now" is very important, as things are just that - things - and most household items can be attained again through the use of local non-profit organizations and charities.
- Try to make a point of maximizing your limited space by going through your items on a regular basis to toss, or store, what you don't need.
- When selecting what to keep, look at what can help you, as well as what can hold you back. Doing this can make all the difference in keeping your stress levels down to a manageable level, as well as giving you less to worry about keeping track of while you get back on your feet.
2
Limit your personal items. The best way to do this is to think about how long you have available to you at the current shelter you are at, or will be going to. Many shelters have time limits on when you can be there, whether it be days, weeks, or months, and some even have time limits on what hours you can be in the building on any given day.
- If you are in a shelter that has limited availability during the day, then this step is crucial for you. Look at what you can realistically use. Clothes and shoes should be appropriate for the season and climate. For example, shoes with "breathe holes" do not work in a climate that's rainy many months out of the year. Cosmetics and hair care items should be kept to a minimum, and a good way to judge this is to carry a small bag inside your purse or backpack and only use these items.
- In most shelters the line for the bathroom is long, while the length of time you have to use it is short.
- Consider letting go of the complicated hairstyles, facial hair, and make-up routines while you are in a shelter.
- Consider mixing products together, such as body spray/cologne and body lotion, to cut down on space.
- Add foundation to your face cream, or add face cream to your foundation.
- Consider going nail polish free, or choosing one color that will go with everything and maintain it with much less effort.
- If you are in-between seasons, or will be in a shelter long enough to see the seasons change, make use of layering items to extend your wardrobe without taking up too much space - scarves, tops/jackets that button or zip, leggings which can double as pajamas, etc. The key things to remember are "How versatile is this item?" and "Is it a helpful item or a burden to keep up with/keep track of?".
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3
Be sure to keep personal papers and information safe. This is the most important part of your homelessness journey - keeping track of your personal information, such as your Identification, Social Security card, and anything else you need in order to get back on your feet. Also, living in shelters, you will find that you are going to be filling out a lot of applications and signing a lot of waivers; you will be given copies, or you will be encouraged to have a staff member make copies for you so you can advocate for yourself and keep track of your appointments, etc. Keeping these items on your person at all times is impossible, but you can make sure to have them handy by keeping them in your purse/backpack, or even in a body wallet or waist pack. Unfortunately, just like everywhere else in life, you will run into thieves, and even more unfortunate is the fact that sometimes the thieves are working at shelters - so the best way to ensure you keep track of your essential papers is to keep them with you as much as possible, put them into a safety deposit box at your bank/credit union, or to put them in a safe at the shelter (if available), making sure to sign for the items you are putting in there for accountability.
- You will most likely not need to keep anything you can print off from the internet, such as copies of utility bills, bank statements, etc., but if you don't have access to a library with inexpensive printing, or your shelter does not offer this, then you may want to keep the most recent one if you need to establish a reference, or to get a library card to use their free internet.
- If you have a resume, and are applying for jobs, try to access an online application/resume submission as often as you can; doing this will keep you away from worrying about wrinkling a stack of resumes, or worrying about buying postage. Keep at least two resumes on hand, and two envelopes that will fit them inside, pre-stamped, allowing you to mail something on the go.
Todd Murphy, Homeless Survival Expert

When you're homeless, finding food and shelter should be your top priorities. Seek out soup kitchens, shelters, food banks and other resources in your area that can provide for basic needs. Also make sure to take care of your hygiene as best as possible - this will help you stay healthy and make a good impression when seeking help.

Part 2

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Presenting Your Best Self

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Being homeless is difficult, but if you find yourself lucky enough to be living indoors in a shelter, you have eliminated a constant issue - maintaining your personal appearance. Keeping clean and presentable are key elements in getting ahead and getting to where you need to be. The simple reality is that you are living in a society where how you look matters, and for the person who is down and out, this can seem like a petty thing to concern yourself with. Indeed, some people get upset when they find out that a homeless person spent money on their appearance when they "should be spending their money on something more important". Despite such unfounded outrage, there is nothing more important than self-care when you are homeless, and your personal appearance is part of that. If you are lucky enough to have your own clothing and shoes, then it's a good idea to take an inventory of what you don't have but will need, or what you can enhance or make use of.
2
Take care of your clothing. One of the hardest things to deal with in a shelter is laundry. The hours are usually limited, and so are the machines, if they have any at all. Also, if you have gone to a clothes closet or thrift store, you have to deal with that particularly unpleasant smell that clothes from those places have.
- An easy way to deal with laundry when you cannot wash properly is to invest in a box of baking soda, baby powder, or carpet freshener powder. (Carpet freshener powder is not recommended for intimate items such as bras, socks, or anything that will touch your skin directly.) Also, you will need a plastic or paper bag large enough to shake the item of clothing in, like you are shaking a coating onto a piece of chicken. Giving your item of clothing a good shake in the bag with a small amount of powder will help get rid of the smell.
- Keep in mind that body heat will send any odors from your clothing from your body outward, so if you have to use perfume or cologne on your clothes, try to do it on the inside. This will carry the scent through the clothing and not just on the surface where the unpleasant odor is being wafted out from your body heat. Leaving it in your shake bag for a few hours is even better than a quick shake, and letting something air out before you spray it will give the scent longer to work.
- Shake clothing vigorously, preferably outside or in a shower stall, to avoid making a mess or affecting anyone's allergies.
- If you need something ironed for the next day, but don't have an iron, fold it up neatly and put it under your mattress or under a few books. Use crayons or markers to cover scuffs on your shoes. Blue ink pens work well on jeans that have white marks on them. Dresses can be cut in half to become a blouse or a skirt, and a men's blazer can become an outdoor jacket for both sexes. Men can also look at women's socks, t-shirts, or other traditionally interchangeable items if the selection of menswear is low when you are picking things out. Ties can become a belt, and a belt can become a handy way to keep a heavy coat or a few pairs of jeans in a neatly folded and secured bundle.
3
Use cosmetics sparingly and focus on basic hair care. If ever there was a time for a natural look, it is while you are homeless. If you cannot and don't want to do without your make-up, then here are some tips:
- Lipstick can double as blush and eyeshadow, it can even add some color to your bare fingernails.
- Chapstick can help with rough or ashy elbows and ankles.
- Face powder, depending upon the color, can double as a hair powder on the days when your hair is oily, or the line for the bathroom was too long.
- Conditioner can double as body lotion, but may be too thick for your face.
- Corn starch is a good anti-shine powder, hair powder, body powder, and can be added to regular bar soap to help give you a good lather to shave with.
- A clean sock or nylon, and even a t-shirt, can not only be cut into a bunch of hair "scrunchies" and headbands, but it can also be used as a make-shift cosmetics bag, pad/tampon case, eyeglass case, and any other small pouch you can think of putting stuff in. And, if you cut the leg part down the middle a few inches you will have four ties you can use so stuff won't fall out.
- Shampoo can double as laundry detergent.^{[1]
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- Paper bags can blot excess oil and stop a cut from a cheap razor.
- Perfume, cologne, and even spray deodorant, can all be used as fabric spray, as well as perfume/cologne doubling for deodorant.
- If you need to shave, and cannot, try to grow out your beard and keep it in place with an inexpensive tube of chapstick if the edges become uneven. If you want to shave your legs, but can't find the space, try using some conditioner or lotion - just leave it on for a few minutes to soften the skin to avoid rash and shave in very slow downward strokes. This will put less stress on the hair, which grows downward, and you will end up with far fewer bumps from your unconventional shave. Underarms can be shaved this way, too, keeping in mind that if you sweat a lot you may want to avoid thick creams and try to find some soap or shampoo instead.
4
Attend to menstrual hygiene. Sometimes, a person's menstrual period will stop during a stressful time in their life, and then resume again once things calm down.^{[2]
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Trustworthy Source

National Health Service (UK)
Public healthcare system of the UK

Go to source} If you are still menstruating, then you may want to consider finding a pair of full cut panties in order to accommodate the less expensive and bulkier pads that dollar stores sell, and most shelters carry for emergencies. This will save you money. Also, if you carry a few pads/tampons with an extra pair of panties in your purse, like in a baggie or sock-bag (see above), then you can be ready for any surprises your period may toss your way during this chaotic time. Some other uses for pads and tampons include:^{[3]
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- Clean and empty tampon tubes are a great place to hide money. You can also hide money in a pad you have slit down the side.
- Pads can be used as toilet paper if you find yourself in a stall that has run out.
- Pads can also be used as eyeglass protectors when stuck to each side of a baggie that has your eyeglasses in it.
- Any tampon can be used as a smaller tubeless insertable - as long as you keep it clean - this can really save some space if you aren't able to carry much.
- Pads can also be used to cushion shoes you get that don't fit well, or to insulate them if it's cold outside.

Expert Q&A

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Question

How can you make it easier to find a job if you're homeless?

Amber Rosenberg, PCC
Pacific Life Coach
Amber Rosenberg is a Professional Life Coach, Career Coach, and Executive Coach based in the San Francisco Bay Area. As the owner of Pacific Life Coach, she has 20+ years of coaching experience and a background in corporations, tech companies, and nonprofits. Amber trained with the Coaches Training Institute and is a member of the International Coaching Federation (ICF).

Amber Rosenberg, PCC

Pacific Life Coach

Expert Answer

A good place to begin is to visit the US Dept of Labor’s website for federal programs for people experiencing homelessness, https://www.dol.gov/general/audience/aud-homeless. The Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Homeless Assistance Program (HAP), https://www.hud.gov/topics/homelessness/localassist, for chronic homelessness also provides vocational services. Contact the local homelessness coalition, https://www.hud.gov/hudprograms/continuumofcare, to find other programs that are available, such as Goodwill, Salvation Army, Catholic Charities, and services from other religious or poverty organizations that offer employment services. All of these programs have websites that explain what services they provide, who is eligible, and how to contact them.

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How can I survive homelessness if I'm a minor?

Emma Erasmus

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Call Social Services, or go to the nearest school and see if they can help. If you are in the UK, you can call Childline.

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What if I am with my animals?

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It is best not to have animals when you are homeless. Give them up for adoption or put them temporarily in a friend's care.

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Tips

Most shelters do not have shredders available to their residents, so make sure to tear up your discarded papers as best as you can. If at all possible, add some water to the papers and scrunch it up into a moist ball in your hand and then tear that apart into smaller pieces. This may sound drastic, but it is a good way to ensure you are keeping your personal information as safe as you can. If you are throwing something away that is large, ask to use the shredder, and watch it go into the machine - do not hand it off to someone hoping they will remember to do it for you. Most staff will be reasonable and understanding; if not, then perhaps find another place to throw it out, or to shred it. Some career centers have shredders for discarded applications and resumes you can use. Do this with anything that has your social security or birth-date on it.

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Travel will help you. If there are no opportunities to take where you are, go somewhere else. New surrounding site can also calm the mind and help with emotional and sometimes even physical health.

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Rolling up papers is just as good as keeping them flat, so if you have a need to keep down space, consider rolling your important papers inside a newspaper or magazine and secure it with a rubber band or hair elastic. If the roll is small enough, you can also use a bread tie. Adding a layer of one or two sheets will help keep your papers from getting dimpled, and if you can find paper that is a little longer than yours, you can also keep the edges from getting squished.

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Warnings

If you have children with you, it is vital for them to learn the name, address, and social worker/staff member you are dealing with at the shelter, just like they knew their home address. Some shelters, especially domestic violence shelters, do not post their physical address anywhere and rely on a post office box. If you become separated from your child, they need to be able to convey their current information, rather than lead the person trying to help them to a location where you are not at anymore. Also, not all shelter employees work directly with the clients/residents, so they may not know everyone's names. Sometimes, shelters also have code words. These are all very important to know, as well as setting up your own personal safe word between you and your children to know when you have sent for them and when you have not. Unfortunately, not everyone is homeless for reasons of happenstance, some have come straight out of prison, jail or have lost their place in a half-way house, and the shelter may not be equipped to do a background check, nor require it for admission.

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