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.
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