Being prepared for an emergency is, in my opinion, one of the most important things that a family can do. Yes, it is important to have a solid family budget. Yes, it is important to do things that build wealth for your family. But if you aren’t prepared for what may come, you stand to lose all that you’ve built. That’s why I think it’s so important to do things like build a stockpile to help you through emergencies. If you have never built a stockpile, you will want to be sure you include the right emergency preparedness items within it.
After all, you never know when the “stuff” will hit the fan. And these days, that seems more likely than ever. It’s this uncertainty, its important to prepare as soon as possible.
Sure, you probably will have some time before something major happens, but if Murphy’s Law has taught us anything, it’s that whatever can go wrong; will go wrong.
Emergency Preparedness Items To Store
When I say the “stuff” hits the fan, I don’t mean a massive disaster that affects everyone. Sure, that could happen, but for our family personally, we prep for things that will primarily affect only us.
Specifically we prepare for weather related events and for a financial event.
Because this blog is one of the main sources of our income, my income is irregular and can show massive jumps or drops from month to month. My husband Steve is a truck driver which means his income is variable as well based on how many miles he drives and what those miles pay per load.
This means that we could have thousands left over one month but be negative on income the next. Prepping is one way that we can protect our finances from a financial crisis.
We also prepare for weather related emergencies since I’ve lived in areas that include all kinds of weather and have seen pretty much all of it and the damage that Mother Nature can do.
Things to Store for Emergencies
Life is full of moments where we question what would happen. How many times have you asked “what if” or “what would we do” to yourself or your spouse?
Preparing for an emergency helps you make sure that you would be better equipped to fully handle those moments.
But if you’re new to trying to be prepared for an emergency, you may not certain what things you should store for an emergency.
I get it.
We all start somewhere and frankly, it can be both confusing and overwhelming to try and think about it.
What Emergencies Should I Prepare For?
Each person and each family will have their own version of “stuff” and each family will need different amounts of emergency preparedness items.
A family of four for instance will need larger amounts than a single parent who is preparing for an emergency.
By the same token, a family who is preparing for financial troubles may not need the same emergency preparedness items as someone who is preparing for something like war.
In other words, what you’re preparing for and the way you prepare for it likely won’t be the exact same as the way that we do and how we prepare likely isn’t the same as the next guy.
In other words, there is no wrong way to prepare.
Wait.
If you’re preparing to go to Walmart in an emergency? You’re doing it wrong.
What Items Should I Store for an Emergency?
Batteries in all sizes
We are a society that uses electronics in almost every aspect of our lives so having batteries on hand is just plain smart.
You’ll definitely want to primarily keep AA or AAA sizes on hand, but don’t forget about 9V, C and D sizes. If you’re looking to save money, Amazon basics batteries are actually really good batteries, but your best bet is to buy a battery charger and rechargeable batteries.
Duct Tape
If you can’t fix it with Duct Tape? You need more Duct tape.
Flashlights
Picking up a few good flashlights is never a bad idea. They put off more light than a candle and they’re safer than an open flame. This is especially important if you have children in the home. See #1 for keeping your flashlights working.
If you do have littles in the house, you may want to consider picking up a couple of kid friendly flashlights like THIS one that come in cute characters to help keep them calmer.
Blankets in Varying Thickness
How many blankets do you have in your home? Three? Not even that? Most families have one – maybe two – for each bed, but no extras.
What would happen if your furnace were to go out in the dead of winter? Would you be able to keep your family warm with the blankets you have? How about if you needed to use them to create a shelter due to getting stuck in a storm or something worse? Would the amount you have now suffice for that?
Storing blankets can be expensive though which is why I love these small fleece throws and these moving blankets. They’re scratchy and not soft at all but they will work incredibly well in an emergency.
Wool Socks
While the Fruit of the Loom socks that you have in your drawer are great, they won’t keep your feet very warm if there is no furnace during the winter. They also won’t pad your feet very well if you have to walk more than a few blocks.
To help protect your feet, invest in a few pairs of wool socks and keep them in your 72 hour emergency bag.
Fishing equipment
Fishing is a great hobby, but it can also be a fantastic way to provide food for your family. In fact, not too long ago, my husband and I fished for 10 days straight to fill our freezer.
Turned out, we were quite successful at providing incredibly cheap meals for our family all winter long. You can read about that HERE.
Having fishing equipment on hand for an emergency – or for fun! – gives you the chance to do so too! If you’re new to fishing, you could start with THESE fishing items for fishermen and go from there.
Coats and jackets
We may live in Texas, but my family all have a plethora of hoodies, light jackets and a heavy winter coat.
Why? Because Texas or not, it does drop below freezing here in the winter.
Even if you live in an area you otherwise might not expect to need a jacket or coat, it never hurts to have one. And if you live in an area that will for sure get cold? You should have at least one extra for each family member.
Mittens/gloves
See the above point. ‘Nuff said.
Hats
No matter where you live, you’ll want to make sure you have enough hats to go around for your own family plus a few extras in case they get lost or wear out.
Hats aren’t just for cold so don’t make the mistake of stocking only winter beanies.
Here in Texas, they go a very long way toward protecting your scalp, face and forehead from the blazing sun.
Yes, your scalp can sunburn. As me how I know.
For best results, use a wide brimmed hat like a boonie hat or a baseball cap with a bill on it to protect your face at the very least and don’t forget to apply plenty of your favorite homemade sunscreen (here’s mine!) on the rest of your body.
Freeze Dried Emergency Foods
Whether you’re looking for something to keep in your 72 hour emergency bag, your vehicle emergency kit or just your emergency stockpile, Freeze Dried Emergency Foods are a great thing to have on hand.
They’re light weight, shelf stable and easy to use. I wouldn’t want to use them for daily use but they’re great for more than just emergencies. In fact, they’re my go to camping foods if we are rural camping and I love to carry them when I’m hiking.
My favorite brand of freeze dried foods is Legacy Foods. Not only do they taste amazing but they are certified Non-GMO emergency foods and they also offer gluten free freeze dried meals. As someone who eats gluten free, I can tell you, that is unheard of!
You can check out Legacy Foods HERE if you’re interested.
Water storage
Water is life which means that not only should you have water stored but you should also have a way to purify it in case you have to find a new water source.
5 gallon water containers are fantastic for drinking water as are 30 gallon and 55 gallon water storage barrels. Most barrels can be filled with a hose or sat outdoors and used as a rain barrel.
Finally, you’ll also want to have a quality water filter, such as the Berkey water filter, in case you need to filter water. We use much more water than most of us realize each day and you absolutely will run out of what you have stored if an emergency lasts long enough.
Candles
I know that I said earlier that flashlights are better than candles, but that doesn’t mean you won’t want to have a few on hand. Candles do have their place.
For best results, purchase long burning candles such as the ones designed for use with UCO lanterns or 100 hour candles. They’ll burn longer which means you’ll get more bang for your buck.
Plastic Tarps
Those blue and grey poly tarps might not seem like they’re good for much, but they are.
Of course they can be used to cover things, but they can also be used to create a makeshift shelter, to cover the ground, to cover your body and more. Having a few on hand is never a bad idea.
Band-aids
You will get cuts in an emergency situation and if you don’t have a way to keep those cuts clean? You will be dealing with an infection that could very easily turn serious. Having a few waterproof band-aids on hand can save you from all of that trouble.
Anti-Bacterial Ointment
Those little tubes of Neosporin or other antibacterial ointment are fantastic for keeping infections away so making sure that you have a few tubes on hand is super important.
If you’re worried about expiration dates or don’t want to use the store bought, making homemade antibacterial ointment is probably your answer. When you make your own, you can make as little or as much as you need without worrying about having spoilage.
Gauze Bandages and Medical Tape
Along with regular band-aids, you’ll want to keep something on and for deeper cuts. That is why your first aid kit should include a few different size gauze bandages and a roll or two of medical tape. It will allow you to bandage anything too large for a band-aid to cover.
Raw Honey
Honey will keep indefinitely and is a great natural antibiotic, great for allergies and more. This makes it one of the ultimate emergency preparedness items you should store.
While it does not expire, it may crystallize if its stored for too long. It is still good, but it just takes a little bit of heat and a good shake to bring it back.
Raw honey is best, but if you can’t get raw honey, any will do as long as it is actually honey.
Essential Oils
Essential oils can be used to make homemade cleaning supplies and to help treat or relieve certain medical conditions which means that without a shadow of doubt,you need to include them in your preps.
I personally prefer Plant Therapy essential oils for two reasons. First, they’re 100% pure essential oils which means they aren’t cut with anything and secondly, they’re extremely affordable.
Strike Anywhere Matches
Having a lighter is great for starting a fire, but what happens if your fluid runs out and you don’t have another? Keeping strike anywhere matches on hand can help with that.
Just make sure to dip the match heads in paraffin wax lightly to help make them waterproof.
Tent
If you’re preparing for an emergency, you’re likely also preparing for the chance that you may have to leave your home. In this case, you’ll need a place to sleep so making sure that you have a good, quality tent that will sleep your entire family.
For comforts sake, go 2-3 people larger than you actually need so if you have a family of 6, opt for a tent that sleeps 10. Make sure you pick up some waterproofing spray too since factory waterproofing often doesn’t do the job well enough.
You may also want to pick up some extra tent stakes in case the originals break.
Sleeping Bags
Depending on your area, you’ll want to make sure that you have sleeping bags that can handle any temperature changes that you might experience. This can include a lightweight summer sleeping bag for the warmer months or something as heavy as a 0 degree sleeping bag.
Don’t simply rely on your memory for which you need. Find the average summer and winter temperatures for your area for the last 10-years to get a good idea.
Camp stove
If things go south, you’ll need a steady way of cooking meals. Sure, using your outdoor grill to cook s always an option, but it will make things much easier on you and others who are cooking if you pick up a camp stove.
If you’re only looking for something that will carry you through a day or two, a backpacking stove will work, but if you’re looking for something to use on a longer timeline, consider something along the lines of a Coleman camp stove. Just be sure to pick up propane or butane canisters for your stove as well if it needs them.
I personally have a Coleman fuel stove that takes butane canisters. It not only doubles as a way to cook, but it gives me a way to home can foods since I have a flat top stove.
Propane Heaters
Speaking of propane, having a couple of propane heaters on hand is not a bad idea. Having a secondary heating source ready to go will help if your furnace happens to go out during the colder months of the year.
I personally prefer to use the Mr. Buddy brand heaters since they put off an incredible amount of heat, but you should use whichever ones you’re most comfortable with. If you don’t like the idea of a propane heater, consider a kerosene heater instead.
If you’re using a camp stove, be sure you have extra propane canisters on hand. If you’re using a kerosene heater, you’ll want to keep a supply of K1 and extra wicks on hand.
Chapstick
Not only are empty Chapstick containers incredibly handy, but having lip balm or Chapstick on hand can save you from painful chapped lips.
This homemade Chapstick recipe is one of the things I stopped buying and started making. I prefer to know what is going on my lips than to apply a bunch of chemicals that I can’t pronounce.
Lighters
Eventually you’ll likely run out of matches. Having a few lighters on hand will save you a ton of trouble when that happens. Just be sure to keep them out of reach of the kidlets.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil has an incredible shelf life for an oil. and has so many benefits that it just makes sense to have it on hand.
Not only that, but in addition to the cooking and health benefits, it is also a staple ingredient in homemade beauty supplies such as homemade deodorant and homemade shampoo.
Opt for an organic coconut oil so that you are certain you’re getting pure coconut oil and store it in a cool dark place. It will keep on the shelf for 12-18 months. If you want to store more than one option, choose to stock both fractionated coconut oil and “regular” coconut oil.
Wipes for both bathing and cleaning
Both your body and your home will get dirty quickly in an emergency situation which means that you need to store both reusable and disposable wipes that can clean both quickly.
For bathing, consider stocking disposable adult wipes. The adult versions are much more thick than a baby wipe and are generally larger as well. For cleaning, store things such as Lysol disinfecting wipes or learn how to make homemade reusable cleaning wipes.
Vinegar
Vinegar, both white vinegar and apple cider vinegar, should be a staple in any home that practices emergency preparedness.
White vinegar is a staple in not only preserving foods, but also cleaning due to its natural properties.
Organic Apple cider vinegar has an incredible amount of health benefits. By keeping both on hand, you’ll be ensuring that you will be able to reap those benefits should the “stuff” hit the fan.
Mason Jars
If you’re looking to preserve your own food, you’ll need the supplies to do so. Mason jars are a staple for home canned foods.
You will want to pick up an assortment of sizes including half-pint, pint and quart. Do not attempt to use jars that aren’t specifically for canning. You run the risk of exploding jars if you do.
If you’re new to canning, make sure to pick up the Ball Blue Book and other must have canning supplies before you get started and that you start off with a few easy canning recipes until you learn the basics of home canning.
Water Bath Canner
Water bath canning or a boiling canner is what you will need to can most fruits. Basically a water bath canner is just a huge pot with a lid. They’re super cheap to buy which means that you have no reason not to have one.
Pressure Canner
Other items such as meat and most vegetables can not be water bath canned and instead, must be preserved using a pressure canner to be safe.
When you buy one, you’ll need to make sure that you don’t buy a small pressure cooker. They are not safe to can in. If it is labeled as a cooker only, you’ll need to find something else.
Food Dehydrator
Having more than one way to preserve meat is always a good idea which means that you’ll want to have both a regular food dehydrator and a solar dehydrator ready to go.
Dehydrator recipes are not hard to follow and if properly done, your dehydrated meat will last for years. You’ll get the most bang for your buck by dehydrating meat that you buy in bulk.
Vitamins and supplements
Try as you might, in a true emergency situation, it can be very hard to get all of the nutrients that your body needs. That’s why one of the most important emergency preparedness items that you can stock for your health is vitamins and supplements.
Because vitamins and supplements are not regulated, be sure that you are only storing a reputable brand. We personally use NOW Foods brand since we have felt in our own home the quality of the ingredients.
Cooking herbs
Food cooked without herbs and seasonings is often bland, so making sure that you have them stocked is a fantastic idea.
Not only is taste a favtor, but there are quite a few cooking herbs that can be beneficial medicinally which makes them a must include in your emergency preparedness items.
Cooking herbs that can be grown in your kitchen are a great place to start. Once you’ve got them going, take a look at preserving dry herbs in mylar bags.
Seeds
In any emergency that lasts for more than a few weeks, you will likely need to start thinking about what happens after the food you have stored runs out.
In other words, you’ll want to have seeds stored in your emergency preparedness items so that you can plant a garden. If you’re only preparing for short term, keeping them in the freezer should suffice, but if you’re preparing for long term, you’ll want to consider picking up a seed vault.
Also make sure that you have a good quality organic fertilizer recipe on hand so that you can help your plants along.
Charcoal Grill and Charcoal
Need a place to cook outdoors, but can’t build a fire? Pull the grill out!
Cast Iron Cookware
If you would need to cook outdoors, what would you do so in? A good cast iron skillet or cast iron dutch oven is what!
Thrift stores and yard sales are great for picking up cast iron cookware. Make sure that the ones you pick up are quality but don’t pay attention to rust. You can always remove it and you can always learn how to clean and season cast iron cookware pretty easily.
Aluminum foil
Aluminum foil; not just for hats.
It can be used for so many things that it makes sense to make it one of your emergency preparedness items.
Rubbing Alcohol
In an emergency things will get dirty and will need sanitized. Make sure that you keep rubbing alcohol in your emergency preparedness items so that you can do so when you need to. You will want to keep at least 70% alcohol in order to be able to properly sanitize things.
Your chosen method of security
Not getting into security here, but make sure that your chosen method is in working order with all of the supplies you would need.
Bleach
See rubbing alcohol then add water purification to the list of why you should have it in your emergency preparedness items.
Shampoo
Commercially sold shampoo is fine, but this homemade coconut shampoo is a much better option and the one that I personally use.
OTC Pain Medicines
Ever had a toothache without medicine? How about a migraine with no pain medicine in sight? In an emergency that is the last thing you will want to see happen.
Keeping OTC pain medicines in your emergency preparedness items will cut will ensure that you can handle most minor emergencies such as a headache, toothache or fever.
If you want to take it a step farther, keeping tart cherry juice or tart cherry juice concentrate in your stockpile is a good idea too. It works as a natural ibuprofen.
OTC stomach medications
Tums, Maalox, Pepto and other stomach medicines are necessary emergency preparedness items as well. You’ll also want to stock up on the natural versions too.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Not only does Hydrogen Peroxide make an effective mouth rinse, but it is great for cleaning minor scratches. It will also act as a natural bleach too.
Cotton Swabs and Cotton Balls
If you have ointments such as a homemade antibacterial ointment to apply to a minor wound, you’ll need these on hand. Not only that but they’re great for applying essential oils if you don’t have a roller ball and for a ton of other uses.
Toothbrushes and toothpaste
Did you know that much of your health can be directly tied to how healthy your mouth is?
For instance, certain conditions in your mouth can cause you to have a higher heart attack risk. This means that you’ll want to make sure that you have he emergency preparedness items to take care of your teeth and mouth.
Keep extra toothbrushes, toothpaste, a good homemade toothpaste recipe and a DIY mouthwash recipe on hand so that you can handle whatever may come along for your mouth.
Dry Skin Lotion
If you’re having to work to feed your family, to clean up debris and what not, your hands are going to get raw and rough pretty quickly.
Keeping a few bottles of hand cream or a homemade healing lotion recipe handy will help.
Soap
In any emergency, you run the risk of inviting harmful bacteria into your life if you can’t stay clean. Storing bar soap is best, but once that runs out, you’ll need to have the ability to make your own.
This means that you’ll want to keep a few homemade soap recipes on hand as well as one for a DIY hand soap and homemade body wash. We even keep a homemade castile soap recipe in our emergency prep binder just in case.
This can also mean finding new ways to use the soaps you currently use such as these ways to use Fels Naptha soap.
Feminine Napkins
Just because an emergency happens, that doesn’t mean the Mother Nature will stop visiting the ladies. Because of this, it is incredibly important to keep feminine napkins in your emergency preparedness items.
If you don’t want to store all disposables, consider making the switch to cloth pads. There are several fantastic companies that you can buy cloth pads from that will last and work well. If a cloth pad isn’t your thing, a menstrual cup such as the Diva Cup may be.
Razors, razor blades and shave cream
Shaving supplies will always be handy. Razor blades especially will be since they can be used for more than just shaving (chopping herbs, etc) if needed.
Making sure that you have razors, blades and a good homemade shave cream recipe on hand will make any emergency easier to deal with.
Toilet paper
‘Nuff said.
Paper Towels
You’ll need a way to clean up messes so keeping a stockpile of paper towels on hand is just plain smart.
Even better, swap the disposable paper towels for unpaper towels. Not only will you save money buying them, but they will last much longer
Laundry Detergent
You’ll need to clean your clothing so make sure that you keep a few bottles of your favorite laundry detergent in your emergency preparedness supplies too.
Or learn to make homemade powdered laundry detergent or homemade liquid laundry detergent.
Disinfectant Spray
Germs and other harmful organisms are your enemy in an emergency which makes a good disinfectant one of the most important emergency preparedness items you can have.
Either store a few cans of Lysol disinfectant spray or make your own homemade disinfectant spray.
Powdered milk
Have kids? You’ll want to store milk in your emergency supplies. They are little bodies that are still growing and will need the calcium.
NIDO is one of the better powdered milk options as they offer a toddler formula that is the exact same but has added vitamins.
Gardening Tools
Depending on how long an emergency goes on for, you may end up needing to plant a garden in order to feed your family. In order to do this, you will need the correct gardening tools to plant with.
These could include, but are not limited to:
- Rototiller
- Water storage barrels
- Shovels
- Spades
- Rakes
- Raised Garden Beds
- Organic Potting Soil
- Manure or another Organic Fertilizer Recipe
- Compost Bin
- Compost Tumbler
- Manual Lawn Mower to allow you to pick up grass clippings for compost easily
Eggs
Did you know that eggs can be preserved to be shelf stable for 6-9 months when stored correctly? Most people don’t, but since they’re a great source of protein, you should consider storing them.
If you don’t want to preserve them in shell, storing powdered eggs or pickled eggs are other great options.
Diapers
Whether or not you have a baby, you’ll want to store both disposable diapers and cloth diapers. Doing so will allow you to help others or barter with them if needed.
Keeping other diapering items such as supplies needed to make homemade baby wipes and homemade diaper rash cream is smart as well.
Infant Formula
Diapers aren’t the only baby item you should stock. Infant formula can be incredibly valuable too.
Having a few unexpired cans in your emergency preparedness items will allow you to help a mother who has a hungry tiny one or if nothing else, to trade for something that you need.
To save on this if you don’t have an infant, look for different baby coupons that are available. You can also take this one step farther by requesting free baby samples to keep on hand as well.
Flour
Flour is a staple in most recipes which means that you need to have plenty stored in your emergency preparedness items.. When stored correctly, flour will last for years.
If you have the extra room, it’s not a bad idea to store hard wheat and a grain mill as well.
Manual kitchen tools
If the power is out, how are you going to mix or chop something? Your mixer and food processor won’t work.
This is why you need to keep manual kitchen tools such as a potato masher, mandolin chopper, and an egg beater in your emergency preparedness items.strike
Sewing supplies
What happens if there is an emergency, you rip your pants and Walmart isn’t open to get a replacement? You’ll need to sew them.
At the very least, keep sewing needles, sewing thread and a good pair of sewing scissors in your supplies.
Crochet and knitting supplies
For the same reason as sewing, keeping crochet and knitting supplies on hand is smart. Crochet hooks, knitting needles, and yarn can all be used to create everything from dishcloths to clothing and blankets.
If you don’t know how to crochet or knit, you can take crochet lessons online for a fairly reasonable price.
Generator
When the power goes out, there’s nothing more reliable than having a generator to help keep your fridge, freezer and even your lights working.
Gas generators are cheapest and by far the most common. If you buy a gas generator, you will also want to buy a gas can, a few gallons of gasoline and a bottle of Stabil to treat the gasoline so it’s stable to store.
Solar generators are higher end and of course, work without relying on gasoline. They are, however, far more expensive.
Baking soda
Baking soda is needed not only for cooking and baking, but for cleaning as well. Make sure you store it. When stored correctly, it will keep for years.
Plastic Bags
Plastic bags, such as the type you get from the grocery store, have numerous uses in an emergency situation. They can be used for everything from protecting clothes and shoes to disposing of waste.
This also includes bags such as freezer bags and regular storage bags.
Trash bags
This one should be common sense, but you have to put your waste somewhere in an emergency so that you avoid getting sick. Stock both 13-gallon trash bags and 33-gallon bags.
You may also want to consider what you will do with your trash in if there was a true emergency.
5-gallon buckets
A 5-gallon bucket in an emergency can be your best friend. They can do everything from haul water to a makeshift toilet.
If you’re planning on storing food in them, be absolutely certain that you get food grade 5-gallon buckets. Never store food in a bucket that isn’t food grade due to the chemicals that are in the plastic that a non-food grade bucket is made of.
Beans
Beans are high in fiber and high in protein which is why you hear so many people that prepare for emergencies talk about them.
In addition, they will store for years when kept cool and dry. Dry beans are incredibly cheap which makes it easy to keep a few pounds in your food storage.
Rice
See beans.
Tuna
Tuna is another high protein food that is incredibly cheap if you buy it at the right time. Follow the grocery store sale cycles and stock up when it drops below $0.75 per can.
Or, if you shop at Aldi, it is one of the top 50 things you should buy at Aldi.
If you’re worried about expiration, tuna will last 2-5 years after it’s best buy date as long as the can is intact with no dents or rust and it has been stored in a room temperature environment.
Canned Chicken
You can’t live on tuna everyday though so be sure to add a few cans of canned chicken to your emergency preparedness items as well. We stock both commercially canned chicken and home canned.
Home canned chicken can last upwards of 15 years and commercially canned will last 2-5 years past its best buy date.
School supplies
Whether you homeschool kids or not, having pens, paper and the like on hand in your emergency preparedness items isn’t a bad idea.
You’ll never know when you need to write an actual letter. To stock up cheap, wait for back to school sales to start.
Hand tools
Along the same lines as the manual kitchen tools, having hand tools in your emergency preparedness items is needed too.
This would include things such as a hand saw, level, screwdrivers, wrenches and even a hand drill. You can usually get really decent deals on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace.
Dark Glass Spray Bottles
If you’re going to be making homemade cleaner recipes, you’ll need dark glass spray bottles to store them in.
Light can destroy the properties of a homemade cleaner so the bottle needs to be a dark blue or amber color.
If your cleaners have essential oils in them, you’ll need to use glass. Essential oils can degrade plastic and those toxins can leach into your cleaner causing it to not work as well.
Solar Charger
Take a look at the most recent natural disaster or extended power outage in your area. How many people were without a way to contact their family because of a dead battery?
Having a solar charger allows you to keep not only your phone charged, but your tablets and e-readers as well. If you have kids, those tablets and e-readers will be invaluable in keeping them occupied.
NOAA emergency weather radio
Video did indeed kill the radio star, but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t have an emergency weather radio in your emergency preparedness items.
You will want one that receives both AM/FM signals and NOAA weather channels. If you get one that runs on batteries, make sure that it also has a hand crank or solar option too.
Fire Extinguisher
Whether you’re an emergency prepper or not; no home should be without a fire extinguisher. It’s as simple as that.
Mylar Bags and Oxygen Absorbers
If you’re planning on storing dry food goods in your emergency preparedness items, make sure that you keep mylar bags and oxygen absorbers.
You’ll need to do some research to determine the appropriate size of O2 absorber that you need for your bags. Mylar sealed dry goods can last for years since oxygen that causes spoilage is removed.
Dishpan
A lot of folks that prepare for emergencies, also plan for the chance that they will have to leave their home or “bug out.” If this is the case, you’ll want to have a way to not only wash yourself, but to wash your cooking and eating utensils.
Keeping an old school dishpan in your emergency preparedness items is great for your home. For the chance that you might have to leave, a collapsible sink is a good choice.
Oil lamps with plenty of fuel and extra wicks
While flashlights and candles are great ways to prepare for a power outage, they will only be convenient for a few days. After that, you’ll want to have another source of light.
Oil lamps put off quite a bit of light and use very little fuel in the long run. Just be sure to store plenty of extra lamp oil and extra wicks in your emergency preparedness items too.
Other emergency preparedness items you may want to store
Exhausted yet? I sure am after writing an almost 6,000 word post! Here are a few more items you might want to consider for your emegency prep items.
Peanut Butter
Yummy protein!
Sugar
Even your basic loaf of homemade white bread takes sugar so making sure you have a few pounds on hand is smart. If you’re diabetic, consider storing Splenda or some other sugar replacement.
Granola Bars and Kid friendly snacks
This one is especially important if you have kids. Having snacks for them to have as a treat can give them a sense of normalcy. That normalcy will be very important to keeping them calm.
Lard/Shortening
Of all the cooking oils you could store, lard or shortening has the longest shelf life. It’s also very easy to learn how to render fat into lard yourself so you can skip paying for it.
Salt
Salt was once used as a currency and in a true SHTF situation, it may be again. Aside from that, your body needs sodium. At around $6.00 for a 25 lb bag, there’s not rally much of a reason not to store it.
Both salt and sugar will keep indefinitely provided they are kept dry and free of critters.
Ziploc Bags
I’ve already mentioned this, but having freezer and storage bags on hand will be incredibly useful during an emergency.
Zip ties
Zip ties are handy for quite a few things up to but not including helping to secure a tarp if you need a quick shelter. Having zip ties in multiple sizes on hand is always a good idea.
Rope and Paracord
For the same reason that having zip ties on hand is important, having rope or paracord on hand is smart too. It can be used for everything from securing items to makeshift shoe laces.
Manual Can Opener
I know I’ve already mentioned manual kitchen tools, but I wanted to mention a manual can opener separately. It is one that can easily be forgotten about.
It is also one that will infuriate you the most if you forget it.
Work Gloves
Working around the garden and your house could be really hard on your hands if you’re not used to it. This could lead to cuts and cracks on your hands if you’re not careful to protect them.
Having a good pair of work gloves is key to protecting your hands.
Nails and screws
Many folks never realize just how important a simple nail or screw can be to their daily life. Let them need one and not have one though and it suddenly becomes very apparent.
Because of this, it never hurts to pick up a box or two of nails and a box or so of screws. If you do, make sure you also have a good screwdriver set and a hammer.
Axe to cut firewood if needed
If you will be using a wood stove to provide heat for your family, you will need to ensure you have a way to pget wood in case your regular supplier is not able to.
In this case, having a hand axe is a great option. Just be sure you have permission before you go chopping down any trees.
Good quality knife
Having a sharp knife iws always a bonus in an y emergency situation. You may need to cut rope, filet a fish or even defend yourself.
If you’re looking for a good quality knife that is budget friendly, MoraKniv makes great knives that all run at rally great prices. They’re Swiss made knives, full tang and come super sharp right out of the package.
Good quality work boots
Have you ever tried to do manual labor in sneakers? It kind of sucks. Instead, pick up a pair of good quality work boots to wear when you’re working.
My husband swears by THESE. They are the only work boots he will wear.
Nitrile or Vinyl Gloves
Have a first aid kit? Make sure it has a box of nitrile or vinyl gloves with it as well. They will protect your hands from bodily fluids or even chemicals.
Steve uses them daily to protect his hands when he’s fueling his truck. He has Eczema on his hands and diesel irritates it badly.
Off-Grid Washing Machine
Power goes out, how are you washing your clothing? By hand over a rock is truly back breaking! Instead, pick up an off-grid washing machine!
Hand crank washing machines such as THIS one work incredibly well on small loads and allow you to keep your clothes clean at times when you otherwise might not be able to.
Clothesline & Clothespins
Along with the off-grid washing machine, you’ll need a way to dry your clothing. You could do this by stringing clothesline between two trees or you could take it a step farther and install a larger clothesline.
No matter which you choose to do, don’t forget to grab clothespins or you won’t be able to hang your clothes to dry!
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