The little things you may need one day that may not be available at any price, do you have them, can you get them?

[Biggkidd]

Just think about all the preps you do have. Then about what's missing. I recently found a hole in my preps in the form of stronger reading glasses. Simple item right. But without them you may not be able to stitch up your child's or grand child's cut or solder that tiny wire that controls the inverter that powers your house. So I ordered a half dozen pair of the ones I wear now and the next couple stronger types.
I know we all try and get and store all the items we have thought of but what about the stuff we haven't. I'm not really talking about big ticket items here. I'm more talking about the little things you can still buy today for a couple bucks.
Stuff like
Reading glasses
Buttons zippers thread and needles ELASTIC
fasteners of all types
caulk
toilet wax seal and new valve maybe a faucet or two and pipe & fittings
A PDR and a herbal PDR
books on wild edibles and medicinal plants
magnifying glass
wire terminals & connectors, wire itself
spare breakers and fuses

You guys see what I'm getting at

So what are you missing in your preps that you can easily get now but not be able to get at all after SHTF?

 

[zoomzoom]

You mentioned caulk (which is a good idea).
In my experience, caulk doesn't last too much longer than the expiration date on the bottom of the tube. I "think" different types of caulk have different shelf lives so consider that.

Along the same lines as caulk, consider some expanding foam in the can as well as some sort of flex seal. Again, watch the shelf life.

Besides those sealers, consider some foam seal by the roll. Go to Amazon and in the search, enter "1/2 foam rod by the roll" to get ideas.

A wide range of fuses and breakers is a good idea. Besides having the wide range of options, focus in on things you would really need it for and get extras of that size. E.g. My 12v inverters use several 50A 12V fuses. Would hate to lose that power source for lack of spare fuses if/when they blow.

 

[Sourdough]

I recently purchased two canes. Today $9.95
Shoes that slip on. No lacing.

Think anything you might need if injured of weakened, regardless of your current age. If your pushing 60 y/o start thinking things, you might need as you age. I recently bought soecial can openers for old people as they weaken.

I just bought a wind-up pocket watch, that has the easiest to read face.

 

[Biggkidd]

I recently purchased two canes. Today $9.95
Shoes that slip on. No lacing.

Think anything you might need if injured of weakened, regardless of your current age. If your pushing 60 y/o start thinking things, you might need as you age. I recently bought soecial can openers for old people as they weaken.

I just bought a wind-up pocket watch, that has the easiest to read face.

Got a link?

 

[Biggkidd]

You mentioned caulk (which is a good idea).
In my experience, caulk doesn't last too much longer than the expiration date on the bottom of the tube. I "think" different types of caulk have different shelf lives so consider that.

Along the same lines as caulk, consider some expanding foam in the can as well as some sort of flex seal. Again, watch the shelf life.

Besides those sealers, consider some foam seal by the roll. Go to Amazon and in the search, enter "1/2 foam rod by the roll" to get ideas.

A wide range of fuses and breakers is a good idea. Besides having the wide range of options, focus in on things you would really need it for and get extras of that size. E.g. My 12v inverters use several 50A 12V fuses. Would hate to lose that power source for lack of spare fuses if/when they blow.

I bought a case of spray foam a couple years ago and kept it stored inside it all went bad before I used it. I was NOT happy about that. Caulk seems to last a lot longer if kept in a basement type setting though.

 

[Morgan101]

When I first started prepping I went through the house room by room thinking "if we has to bug out what would be the most important things we would need?" This was my criteria when building bug out bags, inch bags, long term prepping supplies and gear. Bathroom, bedroom, kitchen, garage were IMHO the most important. Another factor is getting things that will be difficult or impossible to get if most manufacturing is shut down. Things you cannot make on your own.

I will add to the list Biggkidd already started.

Bathroom
Toothbrushes
Tooth paste
Combs
Hairbrushes
Bar soap
Shampoo
OTC Meds
Peroxide
Alcohol
Multi Vitamins

Bedroom

Blankets
Sheets
Pillows
Pillow cases
Clothing - everything from the skin out and multiple sizes. If SHTF it would be highly likely you will lose weight.
Shoes - all types, sturdy for working or for walking. Something comfortable for down time. Shoes may be the hardest things to replace if SHTF. Don't forget laces and Shoe-Goo.

Kitchen

Pots and pans
Dishes - plates, bowls, glasses
Silverware
Cooking Utensils i.e spatulas, wooden spoons, strainers, mixing bowls
Good knives - all sizes
Hand held can opener x 2
Bottle opener - some of the older members will remember when we called it a church key
Food - we are all well aware, but what about spices?

Garage

This is where I would review tools. A good axe; several saws; hammers; nails; screwdrivers; screws; a few shovels. Make sure the toolbox you would take if you had to grab and go is complete.

Most of these items have no shelf life, and will last forever. Add a few each time you go to the store.

 

[backlash]

There are so many thing we use regularly that we just take for granted or never even think about.
Some are just for creature comfort and other things that keep us from being miserable.
We have a pressure switch for the well pump. They don't cost much but I don't have a spare. If mine fails I have no water.
I could get it to work for a while but if it was burnt up it would be a problem.
Nobody can have everything they will need so barter supplies are going to be vital to life.

 

[dademoss]

I have a couple of Self Winding wristwatches and an 8 day wall clock, if I need to keep track of what time it is.

 

[Sourdough]

Got a link?

The brand is "GOTHAM" and there is a thread someplace on this forum reference that subject. They are often on very good sale. Amazon.com also sells them. NOTE: I for sure wanted the machinal (Wind-up) with easy read face. Very happy with my choice.

 

[Solar Geek]

Think anything you might need if injured of weakened, regardless of your current age. If your pushing 60 y/o start thinking things, you might need as you age. I recently bought soecial can openers for old people as they weaken.

I just bought a wind-up pocket watch, that has the easiest to read face.

About 20 years ago, just after 9/11, we purchased really simple wind up clocks (with alarms!) for 5 bedrooms. I have them safely packed away.
We also bought after that time but not recently as we replenish as it is rotated:

-Cast iron hanging dutch oven and tri-pod to cook outside if necessary and no gas for grill;
-extra down waterproof winter jackets all sizes when stores had huge sales;
-multitudinous (love that word!) dried meals, foods, additions to foods (dried milk and such) and appropriate containers to hold them - now they would cost 5x or more as much;
-extra outdoor "tick/bug" resistant clothing again of all sizes - esp. to wear over jeans/sweaters because the ticks in WI seem to be around every day except -20F with snow!;
-Bandaids! Wraps for wounds. More than you think you will need by 2x
-Crutches, and plan to get a walker.

Everything we have bought we tried to think ahead after seeing inlaws and my Mom age poorly and be very ill prepared (despite MIL ran a hospital for 7 years and is a nurse!)

Planning to buy more gardening tools (mine are fine but they do break more than in the past).

SEEDS! Baggies to hold the saved seeds
Markers of every type to make it easy to find what you have bought and squirreled away.

 

[Caribou]

The wife gets tired of blankets etc. She no longer argues with me, though she would prefer to toss them away. I put them in zippered heavy plastic bags and stash them under the bed.

Plenty of oil and oil filters for the vehicles and permanent air filters all around. We have volcanoes in my neighborhood so the air filters are a volcano prep. Now they are also convenient in times of scarcity and inflation.

 

[jazzy]

stainless nail clipper
folding cane and extra cane tip
hair clips, elastic hair ties
disposable emery boards
tweezers with magnifier and regular tweezer with different tips
hand fans, old fashioned folding or the round twist ones that can slip in pocket
wont believe how important these things can be, lol
kitchen scissors, nice and sturdy
duct tape

 

[Hardcalibres]

Top of my list has always been boots/socks.

If all your boots/socks are worn out/gone, then your activities would be severely compromised.

You need to make sure that whatever type you store are shelf stable - so that means simple construction with as little in the way of modern synthetic multilayer soles and glues as possible. Store socks with some way of killing any bugs that may eat wool.

 

[Sourdough]

Someplace on here I have a thread justifying a super duty sleeping bag, even if it never gets cold where you are........you might not be there.

 

[Morgan101]

We were very fortunate to have inherited a lot of medical equipment from my in-laws when they passed. Two wheel chairs, walkers, canes, crutches.

Everything that has been mentioned is all good sound advice. None of it will break the bank, and most of it has no shelf life, and will last forever.

 

[Morgan101]

Someplace on here I have a thread justifying a super duty sleeping bag, even if it never gets cold where you are........you might not be there.

And stuff does happen!! People in Texas never thought they would be without power when that megastorm hit in 2021. Nobody is immune from Mother Nature.

 

[Hardcalibres]

Someplace on here I have a thread justifying a super duty sleeping bag, even if it never gets cold where you are........you might not be there.

......and the insulating capability of both down and synthetic bags degrades over time (as they lose loft).

So a bag capable of keeping you warm in a very much colder environment, will still be performing adequately decades after you buy it.

Best way to store them is hanging loose in a closet rather than in the compression sack.

 

[angie_nrs]

Don't forget your pets! I have stocked up on collars, leashes, cables, emergency pet meds, extra beds/crates, etc. If was on sale, I bought it b/c I know we'll always have dogs.

I also make sure to have 3% hydrogen peroxide on hand, along with a syringe and dosage chart for dogs to use as an emetic if they should eat something they aren't supposed to. I just had an incident where I needed that information and didn't have it right on hand and had to look it up. If there was an internet outage, I would have had to see if I could have gotten a hold of a vet and probably incurred an after hours service call. I now have that information written on my pet file that I keep as well as inside my med cabinet.

 

[Woody]

One thing that bothered me after moving, was the lack of ‘stuff’ to fix other stuff with.

You are in a place for years, you have boxes of ‘stuff’ and leftover parts. That wooden box with assorted nails, screws, bolts, nuts, little pieces of whatever. Those old plumbing parts you replaced, and just put the old ones in the barn in that other box of random plumbing crap. Scrap pieces of wood in the other pile, pieces of electrical projects, pieces of scrap metal in that pile. Old vehicle parts and accessories from a dozen different models and brands.… You get the picture.

Same with material to fix clothing, a window, doorlatch… There was always enough crap around to where I could find something to fix about anything, or at least to make it functional.

Go to hang the coat on the hall tree, the hook swings.. Missing about a #8, brass, pan head screw. First thought… Hit the box, there is at least something in there that will suffice to fix it with, if not 3 or 4 of the exact ones you are looking for! After moving… I have a 3” drywall screw, closest thing I can find to fit the description of a small screw.

Small leak by the chimney on the roof. No problem, hit the barn, grab a few pieces of flashing, roofing nails and the 5 gallon pail of roofing tar, head on up and fix it. After moving… I have some duct tape and a 3” drywall screw.

It takes a long time and a lot of projects to accumulate a good selection of crap. You can’t just go to the store and buy a lot of stuff and call it good.

 

[Magpie]

Matches, ordinary non-rechargeable batteries, candles (of which are hard to buy in the UK I hear) and wind up torches
I'm just wondering if is there a way of including a 'file' section on the form, so we could add it to the list. Then folks, especially newbies, could go direct rather than trawling through threads, and we could double-check it every so often for inspiration.
I'm not tech minded, obviously or maybe it exists already?

 

[UrbanHunter]

Gardening and building tools and supplies,

Gardening would include normal tools and seeds and books.

Building supplies, especially the stuff you need to make repairs after a disaster, things to seal up broken windows and roofs, plus an assortment of hand tools, hammers, saws, screwdrivers, and if you can find it - a hand operated drill. You would also need to plan for nails and fasteners up to 3" long.... I don't know if you would need the longer "spikes", but having a few couldn't hurt....

 

[Magpie]

I asked my OH for a few more - 'Shovels or spades. To hide the bodies'

 

[Pearl]

Jazzy mentioned this in another thread, WORK GLOVES!

 

[havasu]

Tarps, thick mil plastic sheets, 2x4" sticks of lumber, and no less than 5/8" sheets of plywood. I could build a long term room, board up windows, secure broken doors, fix holes in roof, etc.

 

[zoomzoom]

How about some spare fuels? Gas, Diesel, Propane...
For gas & diesel, last time I bought it I paid under $2/gallon. This fuel crisis hasn't bothered me at all... yet.
I keep at least 10 20lb tanks and 4 100lb tanks at the ready.

 

[Morgan101]

Plastic bags of all sizes; ziplock up 55 gal. drum liners. Kitty litter or large bags of lime for waste disposal.

I know Magpie has mentioned matches, but do not turn your nose up at the lowly paper book matches. They are dirt cheap, light as a feather, and take up very little space. You could even improve their water resistance by melting wax and coating the heads. Keep them dry and you will be fine.

I actually have what I call a firebox/area where I keep everything. This is an offshoot/secondary benefit of my passion for good cigars. In the same cabinet as my humidor I have matches of all types (literally 1000's) lighters, both butane and fluid, refillable and disposable. Extra lighter fluid, and flints. Extra butane canisters. There is even an electric lighter that can be recharged, and some 9 hour candles. It is one of my go-to areas if I have to grab and go.

 

[angie_nrs]

Just think about all the preps you do have. Then about what's missing. I recently found a hole in my preps in the form of stronger reading glasses. Simple item right. But without them you may not be able to stitch up your child's or grand child's cut or solder that tiny wire that controls the inverter that powers your house. So I ordered a half dozen pair of the ones I wear now and the next couple stronger types.

Yes, and even if you don't need them now, eventually, you probably will. Dollar tree has all kinds from +1 up to +2 and even higher. I have several stocked b/c for $1.25, why not? I also keep them in the basement where we would go to shelter short term for a storm, or heaven forbid, a nuke b/c I know I will be reading.

One little trick I learned is that at dollar tree, they have the small sticker on the lens that says what magnification the glasses are. Instead of throwing that sticker away, remove it from the lens and stick it to the fat part of the arm near the hinge. That way you don't have to guess the magnification of any pair of glasses and nobody even sees it there if they're not looking for it.

 

[Biggkidd]

Here's another little something I would be willing to bet most of you don't have a way to handle. I did three tires today by hand.

Changing tires on the rims.

You need a couple tire bars, one of each type and a bead breaker minimum. A bubble balancer wouldn't hurt any either along with an assortment of weights. I made my bead breaker out of scrap steel I had laying around a few years ago also some valve stems and patches. Tubes might not be a bad idea either.

 

[UrbanHunter]

Here's another little something I would be willing to bet most of you don't have a way to handle. I did three tires today by hand.

Changing tires on the rims.

You need a couple tire bars, one of each type and a bead breaker minimum. A bubble balancer wouldn't hurt any either along with an assortment of weights. I made my bead breaker out of scrap steel I had laying around a few years ago also some valve stems and patches. Tubes might not be a bad idea either.

I'm right there with you, hand soap is helpful with tubeless tires too...

 

[Southernsurvivalist]

Here's another little something I would be willing to bet most of you don't have a way to handle. I did three tires today by hand.

Changing tires on the rims.

You need a couple tire bars, one of each type and a bead breaker minimum. A bubble balancer wouldn't hurt any either along with an assortment of weights. I made my bead breaker out of scrap steel I had laying around a few years ago also some valve stems and patches. Tubes might not be a bad idea either.

I have one I bought from harbor freight for $20, it was a no box return.