25 Survival Items You Forgot to Buy
Most preppers have already covered the basics, including making sure that they have enough food, water, a first-aid kit, and various tools, but there are other important items that you may be forgetting about. I’ll share with you a few that often get overlooked so that you’re able to establish a complete survival kit. Here are 25 survival items that you forgot to buy.
25 Survival Items You Forgot to Buy
1. Duct Tape
Duct tape is one of the most versatile household items on the planet. It’s convenient to have for a quick repair, or used to help create something like a splint or shelter. This may be one of the most major survival items you forgot to buy.
2. Dust Masks
When doctors and other medical services are no longer available, it will be critical to have dust masks in order for your family to keep from breathing in dust, smoke, or fumes. The NIOSH N95 Standard mask even provides some protection from inhaling smoke and may provide some help during a nuclear fallout situation.
3. Paper Plates/Cups/Paper Towels
While you have the food covered for an emergency situation, that doesn’t mean that your family has to eat like animals. Don’t forget to buy cheap paper plates that keep you from using valuable soap and water used when cleaning dishes.
4. Portable Toilet/Emergency Washing Unit
Your toilet may only flush so many times after a major disaster. Pretty soon it could be useless, and if you’re forced to bug-out, you’ll be glad that you purchased a portable toilet. You could consider making a portable toilet unit like this one: Linda’s Make It Your Own. Or consider purchasing one: LugaLoo
You should also consider purchasing or making an emergency washing unit. Here is a homemade one: Emergency Washing Bucket. I purchased a Lavario, about a year ago, it will do blue jeans and sheets!! Check it out: Lavario Washing Unit.
5.Candles/Matches/Solar Lights
Most preppers stock up on flashlights and gobs of batteries, but in a major disaster scenario, those batteries will only last so long. Be sure to have candles and matches for backup as well. I prefer solar lights over candles, but I realize candles are cheap. You may want to consider buying solar lights for your yard so you can bring them inside your home when needed. I love having the extra lighting outside as well for security. I finally decided to purchase these this week for security in my backyard: Solar LED Yard Lights
6. Sewing Kit
There may come a day that you can’t just go out and buy a new pair of jeans because your current ones have a huge hole in the knees. A sewing kit and basic sewing skills will go a long way in repairing your family’s clothing.
7. Hand Sanitizer/Vinegar
Keeping your hands clean is always important, whether you are dealing with an emergency or not. There may come a time when you don’t have soap or running water that’s available, but your stockpile of hand sanitizer is still capable of handling the job. Vinegar is another great item, it can be used for cooking, baking, cleaning, killing weeds, and so much more.
8. Tarps
Tarps are great to keep your supplies dry, to use as sun cover as you’re working throughout the day, and also build a shelter so that your family can escape the elements at night.
9. Mylar Blankets
Mylar blankets do an awesome job of preserving body heat during an emergency situation. Most of them are also durable and waterproof.
10. WD40
Imagine how many obnoxious squeaky doors we’d have to deal in a world without WD-40. This handy-dandy lubricant can work on an endless number of repair and maintenance projects, so I’d stock up on a few cans if I were you.
11. Baby Wipes
A lot of people don’t use baby wipes on a daily basis. It’s probably because they don’t have any babies. Yet baby wipes provide a way for you and your family to freshen up when a hot shower is no longer an option for you. Just so you know, if those baby wipes dry out after a year or so, no worries. Just add water to the container when you open it.
12. Baking Soda
Baking soda is an ingredient that can be used for more than just baking. It can also be used as a cleaner and deodorizer.
13. Bug/Animal Repellent/Sunscreen
After a major disaster, sanitation is one of the first things that gets tossed out the window. This means there will be more critters and bugs roaming around. Be sure to have extra packages and spray canisters of both bug and animal repellent. Don’t forget sunscreen to protect your skin from the sun!
14. Diapers/Formula
When it comes to prepping, you have to consider every one of your family members’ needs. If you have an infant, you’ll want to have a heavy stockpile of diapers and formula, pacifiers, and other essential items. Kay reminded me about evaporated milk diluted 50% with water for a substitute for the baby formula they use to use about 40 years ago.
15. Floss
You may have your toothpaste and toothbrush situation covered, but flossing is extremely important to keep up on for your oral health.
16. Paracord
Paracord is another absolute must for every prepper. You may think it’s a thin piece of rope, but it’s extremely strong and can hold an incredible amount of weight. It’s not only for climbing, but it will work as a tourniquet, fishing line, building snares and booby traps. Here are more ways that you can use paracord in a survival situation.
17. Axe
How else do you plan on obtaining firewood? An axe with a couple of extra handles is a must. It also wouldn’t be a bad idea to buy yourself a saw as well.
18. Zip Ties
Zip ties work great on several things, including building a shelter, repairing clothing, used as handcuffs, or making snares. Zip Ties/Cable Ties
19. Pantyhose
Pantyhose can be used other than for leggings. You can use them for filtering water, fishing, dehydrating food, and many more. Check out these 20 survival uses for pantyhose.
20. Mesh Strainer
Don’t forget to have a mesh strainer that you can use to strain fats, oils, and herbs from your food.
21. Condiments
How bored would you be with your meals when you don’t have any ketchup, mustard, mayo, ranch, or hot sauce? Stocking up on these condiments in little packets is a must, in my opinion.
22. Cast Iron Cookware
Having to cook over a fire will take a toll on your regular cookware. Invest in some cast iron cookware that’s extremely durable and will last you forever.
23. Board Games and Toys
Chances may be that your children’s iPads and electronics will no longer work. Keep your kids distracted during a crisis by stocking up on board games and toys that don’t rely on batteries. This is also for mom and dad’s sanity so that they can focus on solutions for what they’re dealing with.
24. Playing Cards
Even grownups can get bored sometimes. Especially if they don’t have their phones to look at every few minutes. Grab a pack of playing cards to help pass the time.
25. Survival Books
Most preppers aren’t experts in every area when it comes to survival. Having a few good survival books will have tips you may need, and also provide you with information on plants and herbs that are safe for you to eat. This keeps you from guessing. I’m sure you have many survival books, but in case you missed mine: “Prepare Your Family For Survival” by Linda Loosli
25 Survival Items You Forgot to Buy
Final Word
This is by no means an exhaustive list of survival items that you may have forgotten to buy, but these are some of the most common ones that are missed. If you are an experienced prepper, what are some other survival items that the average prepper oftentimes forgets? What survival items you forgot to buy would you add to this list? May God Bless this world, Linda.
Other Content to Check Out:
100 Items to Store for Survival
What a great list! Thank you Linda. I would add sunscreen to the list. I bought a huge bottle from Walmart in SPF50. I also keep one on a shelf for everyone as you walk into the garage so it’s easy to remember and put on before going outside to work in the yard.
A caution on storing baby formula. I just had to toss what I’d bought as it expires very quickly – about six months. I got it almost free with coupons and couldn’t resist. But now I remind any of my children with infants to make sure to have several months worth on hand once they stop nursing. You can store evaporated milk for infants and dilute it 50%. That is what a relative who couldn’t afford formula did 40 years ago with her twins before WIC programs. That was common back in the day when I was a baby too.
Hi Kay, oh my gosh, great tip on the baby formula. I’m going to add the 40-year-old formula on the post, thank you!!! I’m going to add sunscreen as well. Thank you!! Linda
Ohh . . . I forgot insect repellant. I put that on the shelf going outside too. The county does a great job spraying for mosquitoes but you can’t always count on that and sometimes we still get them if there has been standing water somewhere.
Hi Kay, I had insect repellant. Bug/animal repellant, I added sunscreen to that section, thank you!!! Linda
Thanks for this great list, Linda! My 22 yr old son is moving into his first apt in 2 weeks so we’ve been shopping,lol. I offered to get him ‘things’ , so he said cleaning supplies, pots and pans, and groceries. Well, as he put it, ” fill his frig”. Oh, I think this old worrier can do a bit more than that…your list worked well to add to my list, like a flashlight, baking soda (and powder), coffee filters. What is amusing is that he’s Very Used to me having doubles of everything in our pantry and he Ok’d me to do for whatever I think best. I would add Vinegar to your list as it can be used to sanitize/clean. I already had duct tape and a tarp for him on my list but I doubt he realizes I put these on my list because I’m a prepper. I see him asking for groceries/cleaning supplies as a Great Way of making sure he has at least a 30 day supply of foods. And extra essential things for cleaning! He’s also very lucky that his apt has a large side by side refrig. I was a bit worried it might just have a small frig, even smaller freezer. Even tho the frig has the ice maker/filtered water on it, I’m going to buy him a case of bottled water (I will tell him he might not like the taste of city water) , oh, and 3 gals of spring water, just in case he buys a plant. Heehee. Oh, the coffee filters that I forgot on my list? He bought a coffee maker and coffee already but neither of us remembered the filters. He would remember me showing him how to strain water thru these for emergencies. I consider this my opportunity to start my son with ‘just in case’ supplies.
Hi Wendy, oh my gosh, it’s so exciting when they get their first apartment. A full-size frig is awesome, for sure. It really is a blessing we are preppers or prepared mamas, actually. We know what they will want but also what they will need. need. I will add vinegar, thank you!! It’s sad when they start a new chapter in their life but we have taught them to be independent. When I say sad, we will miss seeing them every single day, but it’s critical to them let them fly with their own wings. I wish you both well! Life is so good! Linda
OK, I forgot pantyhose. I didn’t realize they’d be so helpful, but of course, they are. I remember sprouting seeds with pantyhose over the gallon jar mouth back when I was sprouting seeds. They are great for filtering anything that’s large enough to get caught in the mesh. It’s amazing what things you forget.
Hi Debbie, it’s so great when we can recycle items we have stored! I love the trick about sprouting seeds with the pantyhose over the gallon jar! Love it! Linda
Linda, we are gathered on the “family bed,” each of us reading from our laptops or phone…
Granddaughter, 12, is on Epic and Grandson-the-comic, 14, is reading Magnus Chase. We’ve already read scriptures as a family and said our prayers together. Grampa is studying about a heavy-duty winch and how to re-wire it.
I looked up from your list and out of the blue said, Honey, you have paracord, don’t you? And zipties, right? Well I have pantyhose….
“What? Are you guys planning on robbing a bank?”
That’s my boy!
I’m happy to report that we really haven’t forgotten your items, just where we put them!
What I AM remembering is to keep a sense of humor as we slide down the slippery slope these days.
And to be grateful for so many blessings including YOU and all of your hard work and encouragement. Virtual Hugs from S. Oregon, Shirley
Hi Shirley, oh my gosh, you made my day!!! Oh, how I have memories of the “family bed” when my girls were younger and then the grandkids. I got the giggles over “What? Are you guys planning on robbing a bank?” That’s my boy! I LOVE that comment!! I totally agree with you, we must keep a sense of humor right now, and I love to laugh or giggle!! I’m sending virtual hugs right back to you!! Life is so good! Thank you for your kind words, Linda
I guess one good thing is that everyone should have plenty of dust masks now!
Hi Maleah, yes!! We should all lots of have dust masks!! LOL! Linda