I read that in Japan, every day there are dozens of earthquakes, some so minor they’re undetectable, some strong enough to pop you out of bed. They say that when there’s a big earthquake you should open your front door as an escape route, then dive underneath the dining room table with a pot over your head. Both the table and pot are supposed to protect you from falling debris, although the time it takes to grab a pot before diving under the table might make such precautions useless. There are also earthquake survival packs, a prepackaged bag you keep by the door in the event of a big one, complete with first-aid kit, radio, nonperishable food and water, etc. Being ever so thrifty and clever, I made my own survival pack, which included such survival essentials as face cleanser, dental floss, and tweezers (in case I need to pluck my eyebrows at the evacuation shelter).

Short of leaving a soup pot under your table as a precaution, you could use the waste-paper baskets by Hachiman-Kasei Co., Ltd. It is a line of environmentally friendly plastic goods, which includes baskets made with resin mixed with wood powder and resin mixed with recycled paper. They’re attractive enough to display in the dining room, with subtle colors and an organic texture that looks more like pottery than plastic. The best part is that it’s phenomenally strong, even under intense pressure or magnitude 5.5 earthquakes. Just grab this as you’re diving under the table, stick it over your head, and pray your cosmetics will survive the damage.