13 Things You’ll Regret Not Having When A Disaster Hits
Even if you’re well on your way to establishing a stockpile of supplies to hold you over during a major emergency, there may be one or two things that you could be forgetting. While you probably have most of the biggies covered, you’d be sorry if you forgot to have some that didn’t seem as important then.
Sometimes, you must consider your most basic needs to ensure you have all your bases covered, which is what most of these items are. These are 13 things you’ll regret not having when a disaster hits.
13 Things You’ll Regret Not Having When A Disaster Hits
1. Soap
Proper sanitation is one of the first things to follow a major disaster. Without soap to keep everyone clean, particularly your hands, it will only be a matter of time before you get sick.
If you don’t have the right medicine or even the convenience of being able to go to your doctor so they can fill out a prescription for you, your situation could wind up deadly. When stocking up on soap, you try to purchase an antibacterial supply.
2. Hand Sanitizer
No matter how much soap you have set aside, eventually, your stockpile will come to an end. You will want an abundance of hand sanitizer as one of your emergency items, so your soap supply won’t diminish too quickly. We quickly realize that this is one of those things you’ll regret not having when a disaster hits.
3. Bleach
Bleach is probably the cheapest and one of the most effective ways to disinfect contaminated water and sanitize your surroundings. Be sure to stock up on this one as much as you can.
Remember to store the variety without any scent/fragrance, or it will carry over to the flavor of the water, and it may not be as tolerable to your body either. Please only store what you can use within six months. A reader, Chuck, told me about this product. This was a cartwheel moment for me: 6 x Steramine Quaternary Sanitizing Tablets (they last for ten years)
In case you missed this post, Bleach: Everything You Need to Know
4. Toilet Paper/Kleenex Tissues
If it came down to it, your family could survive without toilet paper, but would you want to? This is why it only makes sense to create a huge stockpile of toilet paper that you don’t touch until an emergency. And don’t forget Kleenex. I have so many allergies that I must always stock these.
5. Feminine Products/Handkerchiefs/Bandanas
For those of you with a family with several females living in your home, you’ll be under much more pressure to ensure they stay fresh and clean with a stockpile of tampons or sanitary pads. They never go bad and don’t take up that much space when stored. Don’t be afraid to make homemade ones; you may need them. In case you missed this post, How to Make Reusable Menstrual Pads
In case you missed this post, 25 Reasons To Store Bandanas For Survival
6. Painkillers
Suffering a headache without pain relief is painful, but it is doable. Yet, what about if you suffer from a toothache or serious injury? It’s not so easy. Be sure to get several pain relievers because they each have special uses.
You also don’t have to worry about the expiration date on the bottles once they’re past the date. They never really go bad; they lessen in strength over time. While at it, stock up on other proper medical supplies and OTC medicines.
7. Can Openers
A majority of the food that you’ve stockpiled for emergencies probably comes in a can. Removing the contents without a manual can opener would be much harder. To be safe, keep more than one of them around in your home. Again, please stock more than one can opener; you never know when that favorite one will break. Can Openers
8. Tools
Having basic tools along with screws, nails, and adhesives will be crucial if you’re forced out of your home and you need to build a shelter for your family. Following a post-collapse, it will take many hardware materials to rebuild and give you something you can barter.
9. Matches and Lighters
Unless you’re skilled at making fires using another method, you will regret not having plenty of matches and lighters set aside for a disaster scenario. Starting a fire can be difficult as it is, especially if your knowledge is limited in that department.
You will need to be able to make a fire for your cooking and lighting purposes. It doesn’t hurt to have the matches in waterproof containers in case an emergency occurs during a storm. That’s also why flashlights and a large stash of batteries would be a must-have.
10. Ammo
Without ammo, it will be pretty tricky for you to hunt, and your hunting rifles will be completely useless. One thing to keep in mind is that you can never have too much ammo, especially following a major disaster. If you’re in a situation where you don’t want to give away your location, stocking up on bowstrings and arrows may also be something that you should consider.
11. Alcohol
Even if you have never touched a lick of booze in your life, it would be smart for you to have it on you if ever you have a disaster. Some people use it to calm their nerves to help them relax, but alcohol can also be used to help disinfect wounds. It also holds value and would give you another bargaining item that you could use to trade with people for almost anything. This is another item you’ll regret not having after a disaster.
12. Entertainment
When you’re left with a useless mobile device in your pocket following an unforeseen disaster, you will wish you had another form of entertainment to help you pass the time. For some people, it will only take a short time before they experience withdrawals and a case of the jitters if they aren’t able to check their email or their social media.
Ensure you have plenty of books, board games, playing cards, pencils, and paper pads to keep you busy. While you may not need to be entertained, you’ll regret not having these things for your family.
13. Valuable Skills
You could have every survival item that should be included in your stockpile, but if you don’t have the skills that accompany them, your family probably won’t make it. Hunting, fishing, gardening, foraging, husbandry, welding, and carpentry are valuable skills you could find beneficial. Your skills could be yet another bargaining chip that you could barter with. Survival skills are another area that you may need to brush up on and practice. This is one of my top posts, 30 Pioneer Skills We Cannot Lose
13 Things You’ll Regret Not Having When A Disaster Hits
Final Word
Hopefully, you and I will never experience an unforeseen emergency in our lifetime, but there’s always that slim possibility. You will regret not having these items if that day were to come and no one shows up to help your family.
Of course, sufficient food and water are critical, and that should go without saying if you are prepared. A camp stove, plenty of fuel, and enough warm clothing are also some things that you shouldn’t forget. What are some things you’ll regret not having when a disaster hits? May God bless this world, Linda.
On the bleach:
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/04/30/a-major-chlorine-shortage-is-set-to-spoil-swimming-pool-fun-this-summer.html
Hi Matt, thank you for sharing this link. We must be prepared now. Linda
Ammo is and always will be an investment. Regardless of wether or not SHTF. It’s at peak now of course. That was inevitable.
IF and that is an IF it comes down and becomes available again and at decent prices BUY IT CHEAP STACK IT DEEP.
I’ve still got 06 from WW2 that I shoot. It ain’t going bad. Store it in ammo cans. Protect that investment. Next time you buy something and it’s got a moisture absorber in it throw that in the ammo can. Again protect your investment.
Ammo is not covered by any kind of insurance available. Right now it far outvalues the gun itself. Put it in the safe or cabinet.
Ammo amounts are understated much like water and food. Yes you need let’s say 1K rounds for your rifle according to gurus to survive the great upcoming whatever apocalypse. Ok great number but more likely is what we are going through now with unrest and politics so you need to train and practice for a year or more and possibly train others like children so you can triple that number. Administrations can last up to 8 years so how much more you need now?
Like Linda said you either got it or ya don’t and that’s an expensive club.
Hi Matt, great comment! Life is good when you plan ahead and get the “stuff” you MUST have. I Love your comment! Linda
The difficult thing about storing bleach is the expiration date is only 6 months for full strength. Just got this off google: “Bleach can expire. After a shelf life of six months, bleach starts to degrade. Even in its original bottle, bleach becomes 20 percent less effective as each year goes by.”
I used to store at least 6 bottles but now store just a few plus disinfectant and the chlorine powder calcium hypochlorite you get at pool supply stores to treat water. You have to know how to use it (not hard) so google it’s use to purify water. The good news is it’s cheap and a tiny bit goes a long way – about $15-$20 for a container that will purify a lot of water. Linda it would be a great article on how to use it.
Hi Kay, I just added that to the post. I’m aware of the six-month shelf-life of bleach, but many people are not. Thanks for the reminder. I love it! Linda
We could all learn to make lye soap. I’m lucky that I do know how. And have the ingredients to make it. You can even make lye from hardwood ash. It’s all on the internet. I do want to buy a couple of more pounds of lye for if and when.
I’m thinking of making some family cloths for if and when the toilet tissue runs out. I have a lot of odds and ends of fabric, and a lot of old towels. I have made reusable menstrual pads. I don’t need them, but they’d be a good bargaining item. I will be adding several other items mentioned. Alcohol, and hydrogen peroxide.
Now would be a good time to restock on beans and rice and such. They are back on the shelf. They were out for so long that we ran out. I just bought 8 pounds, but will be buying more. I was pretty shocked that we ran out. I thought we had more than we did. But it was t near enough. OK we had enough to last until they got more on the shelves. Over a years worth.
Please everyone, check your food stock.
Hi Deborah, I totally agree with you. Please check your stock, and re-stock where needed. We need reminders to keep us on track sometimes. I have a lot of family cloth, we may need them. Hopefully not, but hey, we will have them if we need them. I love our group because we can say, hey check your beans and rice, they are back on the shelves! Life is good! Linda
Handkerchiefs are handy items; not only for blowing your nose, but for use as bandages, feminine pads, cloth strainers, dust cloths, bandannas, and for personal hygiene,, to name a few.
Recommend having a stack of them.
Hi Nancy, thank you for the reminder for having a stack of handkerchiefs! There really are so many ways to use them. I’m adding this to the list, thank you!!! Linda
https://www.unitypoint.org/blankchildrens/article.aspx?id=68ac1797-834f-409c-947b-4df322b04380
Is it really necessary to have different types of soap? It is definitely more convenient to have hand sanitizers, when away from water.
Something else I find interesting in these types of articles, that are full of great information:
Where to store all of these products?
Bugging in, provides some extra space, compared to loosing home and starting over somewhere else does. Somewhere else won’t have enough space to keep all the tools and bolts and such. Better to have that second location already built.
“Store only what you eat”
I understand why experts say this.
But I also understand it is cheaper and takes up less space, and easier to store: rice and beans! If a true disaster occurs, people will eat anything! Just don’t forget to stock water (cheaper) or other fluids to cook each in. And you can barter with rice and beans too.
Thanks for the reminders, and time put into these articles!
Hi Midge, I love to stock Dr. Bronner’s soap because it’s a concentrate, I think it’s critical we stock different things so we have whatever we need to use or barter with. Great comment! Linda
Linda, I’m not sure if you wrote this or I read it somewhere else, but I thought it is worth considering. Feminine products like tampons /Tampax are good for nosebleeds and pads are sterile, so they would be good for bandages…different size pads for different size wounds. Just need to have good tape to go with it.
tampax, not Tampa! Autocorrect is not my friend!
Hi Beth, I fixed it! I totally understand the autocorrect!! LOL! Linda
Hi Beth, I did not write that but I love hearing it. It makes sense. I have talked about using menstrual pads for bandages with tape, but let’s stock whatever we can afford and have for different uses. Linda
Linda,
Regarding bleach, never use scented or colored bleach to disinfect water you plan to drink or cook with. Those additives can be toxic.
About feminine hygiene, there are also moon cups/diva cups and homemade sanitary napkins.
Get a bidet and you can forget about worrying about lack of TP. There are kits to convert standard toilets into bidets. Then all you have to worry about is running out of water.
Hi Ray, I agree, life is good if we do not have to depend on paper products! Great reminder on the unscented bleach! Great comment! Linda
Thsse are all good ones and these a couple we need to double down on. One other thing I’ve been stocking up on is coffee. Its such a comfort item and it would be a good bargaining item.
Hi Jerilea, oh yeah coffee will be a huge item to stock up on! Linda
In a severe SHTF, skills are perhaps the most vital–and often neglected–prep. Especially in reference to a group. Medical for instance, with no doctor coming, and when first aid won’t suffice. Can one perform a needed appendectomy? It’s learnable and doable. Breech birth? (Women will get pregnant, of course) Does one understand abdominal manipulation, or can perform a Cesarean delivery? (Also doable, if prepared) Can one deal with fractures, beyond simple splints? (Setting bones, tractions, fixations–casts) Not to mention veterinary issues, i.e. blocked croop, rectal impactions, suturing wounds. Or how about making activated charcoal for water filtration. Or making biofuel for that old diesel tractor you found? Sorry, the list is virtually endless, but in SHTF, the more we’ve absorbed the better. SHTF isn’t just about Bushcraft and gardening, so we need to never stop learning. Thank you for your articles, and your skills suggestion was great.
Hi Leam, oh, how I LOVE LOVE LOVE your comment! You are so right the list is endless for skills. It’s interesting you mentioned so many because they are all things that WILL happen, not all at once, but we could all be put in a position to deal with any one of those situations. We never stop learning! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for this wonderful comment. Linda
One of the best “skills” I have learned is how to reload (AKA handload) ammunition. I got into it in the early 90’s. It’s a big investment but once you have the tools to do it ammunition can be much cheaper. The problem right now is that components (primers, powder) are next to impossible to get. Another good skill (I would call myself a beginner) is casting your own bullets. So my advice here is do some research and see if it is something you might enjoy. Also save your brass casings (except .22 long rifle brass – it cannot be reloaded) and save your scrap lead. It may be valuable in a SHTF.
Hi Tom, oh I love hearing this! I used to have a neighbor across the street that reload ammo. He showed me how he did, but he had all the equipment. He’s moved to a care center, I learned so much from him. Great comment, Linda
Guess what? 🙂 (http:)//22lrreloader.com/
Hi Leam, thank you!! Linda
I don’t think that we are anywhere near the end of the Covid Pandemic. My wife and I are in the over 65 age group with most of the pre-existing health problems. For us sanitizing and disinfecting is very important.
I would like to recommend a product known as Steramine. It is a tablet that is mixed with water to produce a broad spectrum bactericidal and sporidical bleach alternative.
Unlike bleach Steramine is non-toxic,non-corrosive and does not irritate the skin.
Steramine quaternary tablets are used in many industries to sanitize and disinfect
non-porous surfaces such as glassware,utinsiles,counter tops,tables,food dispensing
equipment and toys.
The good news is that Steramine has a 10 year shelf and is inexpensive when compared
to the cost of restocking you bleach supply ever year-6 months.There is one down side
and that is that Steramine can not be used to purify drinking water.
Your ideas and recommendations are always so complete and accurate.I’m reluctant to
add anything.Thank you for your good work.
Hi Chuck, oh I LOVE LOVE LOVE your comment. I do a lot of research but you may read about something I haven’t heard about. I’m all over this product, this is what I need to stock up on, thank you so much!!!!!! This would open up the shelf-life we all really need for a bleach alternative. I Love it! Linda
Hi Chuck, oh my gosh, this is a cartwheel moment for me! I’m adding this link to the post, https://amzn.to/2QM7uLG THANK YOU, Linda
Thanks!
Hi Mark, you are welcome! Linda
Regarding Steramine – It needs to be noted that this is great or seems to be great for surface disinfecting. The difference here is that it cannot be used to sterilize water!! Per the label, it is not to be taken internally. But, chlorine bleach says pretty much the same!! I guess that really means don’t drink from the bleach bottle!!!
Hi Leanne, that’s for sure never drink from the bleach container! Wow, hopefully people read the labels. Great comment, Linda
This post is important to some, not to others. But it would be for me if shared by others, esp. new to storing foods, etc.
I decided to not cook and use my canned goods and other foods to see just how long I’d last not paying the grocery a visit. You know I freeze loaf bread, buns.
I use nido milk.
Today I chose canned green peas and the can was puffed a little. BB date dec, 2015..so I wasn’t upset losing that can. Next up; July, 2013.. Yeah, I opened it, it was great color and taste.
My advise is pay no attention to the brand, BB date.
I just ate chicken and dumplins BB date 2013 and I was surprised they taste just great.
Judge every can one at a time; not by the case, which I can’t do anyhow since I have so many cases bought so many dates and so many brands in the same case.
I also think a good idea to read this link if not shared here already.
https://x.com/catsscareme2021/status/1923749473911472274
I’ve cleaned one freezer and ready for more ground beef. Special price if buying 30 1 lb. vac- sealed frozen at once.
I plan on buying one frozen, thawing, and using to test the taste before investing in rubber.
Well, back to chopping up my bradford pear I lost a third of Wednesday night.
Hi JayJay, oh my gosh, this is awful, I had not heard it was mandatory, thanks for the link. YIKES! I’m sorry to hear you lost a Bradford Pear tree, so sad!! Great tip on the cans, every case is different that’s for sure. Wow, I don’t want to buy any meat now. Linda