Today, I have 125 preparedness items you need to stock as your budget allows. You may be better prepared in some areas than others. That’s okay, this list is to help you think about what you have now and what you may need in the future. Let’s be clear: these preparedness items will primarily be used at home, although you should also consider items you may want to have in your car and at your office. I wanted to update this list from a few years ago, as numerous challenges face us each day.
I understand that many people may head to the hills if a disaster strikes or an unforeseen emergency directly affects their family. I won’t be heading for the mountains, as that would make me a target for the people up there who are looking to take advantage of others or who lack common sense. At our age, we’ve pretty well decided to shelter in place unless required to evacuate.
Would you like the world to go back to eating at the dinner table as a family? With zero electronics, phones turned off, and people communicating with one another face-to-face. As we put our family emergency plan together, we need to teach our kids and grandkids to be attentive, aware of their surroundings, and apply the skills they’ve been trained in emergencies.
Some of the kids can help fix the meals with some help. Our offspring also need to “clear the table” and wash the dishes or load and unload the dishwasher together as a family. I view it as learning to be kind to one another and learning to work together as a team, all things that are important during survival situations.
Preparedness Items
Food Storage/Stock The Pantry/Freezer
A critical aspect of any disaster or emergency is having sufficient food to maintain energy and cognitive function. The list below is a minimum inventory of things that will help maintain a healthy and nourishing environment for those you love. Some are non-perishable food items that you should consider as staples to build meals around, and others require special storage considerations to prevent spoilage.
- Flour/Wheat: If you have these, you can make bread or bread-based meal products. Of course, the wheat has a longer shelf life.
- Oil is used in many recipes and for cooking. Some varieties are more shelf-stable than others, requiring some homework on your part.
- Salt: We all need salt in our diets to stay healthy, not just to flavor our food.
- Honey: a great sweetener with a reasonably long shelf life. If it crystallizes, heat it.
- Sugar: Many recipes call for sugar, particularly pastries and other desserts. Ingredients kids love to see.
- Spices: In an emergency, meals can often be bland. The right spices can make a real difference.
- Butter: another common recipe item that can be used as a cooking oil, too.
- Instant milk: if you lose your power, you’ll want a supply of instant milk as a substitute for fresh milk. Has a decent shelf life for storage.
- Yeast: needed when making bread-based foods so they rise properly. Works best when fresh, so I keep mine in the freezer.
- Brown sugar: In addition to regular sugar, some recipes call for brown sugar.
- Canned meats are an excellent addition to your long-term storage, providing a valuable source of protein.
- Canned fruits: canned fruits make it possible to enjoy our favorite fruits all year long.
- Canned vegetables: great additions to salads, soups, stews, and more.
- Canned tomatoes: We love to make Italian and Mexican meals all the time. Tomatoes are a key ingredient in almost all of them.
- Beans/Rice/Pasta: superb long-term storage items with so many meal options.
- Pet food: we can’t forget our furry friends; they need help in emergencies, too.
- Seeds: Preferably organic, non-GMO, or heritage seeds. To truly feel comfortable with your preparedness plan, make the most of your property and grow your own food. There’s nothing like knowing how your veggies have been grown regarding pesticides and fertilizers.
- Infant Formula: Try to obtain a sufficient supply for your storage inventory as soon as possible. The formula is available in both powder and liquid forms.
Water
- 4 gallons of water per person per day: You need water for hydration, cooking, cleaning, and personal sanitation. Can’t survive without it!
- Water purifiers: we can’t trust all our water sources. Be sure to have a way to filter and purify.
- WaterBricks: one of the best water storage products I use. Stack easily, not too heavy, and can be stored under your bed.
- 50-gallon water barrels with a pump are a very popular water storage option. They require a pump to extract the water, but they work great.
- High-Capacity Water Tank: We have 160-gallon and 250-gallon tanks in the garage. We use Water Preserver so we don’t have to change it often.
- Water Preserver: allows you to drain and replace the water every 5 years; it must be used.
Preserving our Bounty
- Quart mason jars: both Ball and Kerr make good products. I like using wide-mouth jars.
- Pint mason jars: some things will be easier to store in smaller containers.
- 1/2-pint mason jars work well for making jams and jellies.
- Mason jar lids and rings (thanks, Harriet): these have been hard to find. I’d shy away from lesser-known manufacturers.
- Water Bath Canner: My Food Preserver Mainstay. We’ve canned thousands of jars of fruits and veggies over the years.
- Pressure Canner: especially suitable for canning meats. It’s incredible how quickly they process the food.
- Bottle lifter: Protect your hands when pulling the bottles from the hot liquids.
Fuel/Emergency Stoves/Matches
- Butane Stove with Fuel: I used one of these for several months while waiting for my gas stove to be installed. Very pleased with how well it worked.
- Butane Fuel: The stove cannot run without some fuel. Be sure to set aside a designated storage area away from your home.
- Dutch Ovens (Note that these cute, colored ceramic Dutch ovens are not suitable for outdoor use): I use mine frequently to cook a wide variety of dishes. Be sure to get one with a lip on the lid to effectively hold the briquettes.
- Sun Oven: a great backup option for cooking in the event of a power loss. As the name suggests, you do need the sun to make them work.
- Camp Chef Stove/Oven Combination: not only ideal for camping but also a reliable backup option if your stove fails or power is lost.
- Propane Tanks: Most camp stoves utilize propane, making it a readily available and reliable fuel source.
- Briquettes (without starter fluid): can be used in your BBQ, grill, and Dutch oven.
- Buckets with Gamma Lids to store briquettes: I use these for all my carbon fuel options. I have them color-coded so I can track inventory.
- Cut Clean Wood: as mentioned, I have a bunch cut into small pieces and stored in buckets. Great for starting fires and cooking as well.
- Matches/Fire Starter/Butane Starters: need a way to get those fires started. Have some waterproof containers just in case of rain.
First Aid/Medical Book/Home Remedies/Personal Items
- Linda’s First Aid Kit List: a comprehensive list you should print out. Don’t forget the importance of various sizes of bandages, gauze, hand sanitizer, masks (including dust masks), moist towelettes, and other essential items.
- Medical Handbook “Survival Medical Handbook”
- My Book, “Prepare Your Family For Survival”
- Our Friend, Raymond Dean White, “Bugging In”
- Prescription Medications
- Change of clothes for all family members
- Warm blankets and sleeping bags
- Extra contact lenses and all necessary solutions
- Plastic sheeting to cover you and your supplies
Laundry
- Laundry Soap/Detergent: We at least need to clean our underwear in an emergency. One of the reasons we need ample water supplies.
- Laundry Buckets: We need somewhere to wash and then rinse the clothes.
- Laundry Hampers: a place to store and protect the clothes until it’s time to wash them.
- Clothesline: That trusty dryer may not be working in a disaster situation. Have a place to hang the clothes to dry them out. Our ancestors did!
- Clothespins: Buy good-quality clothespins; you may be using them for a while.
- Emergency Laundry Buckets
Sanitation Supplies
- Toilet Paper: You can make your own “personal rags”, but I’d sure prefer good old TP.
- Hand Towels: paper or cloth work well.
- Shower Curtain: We all appreciate privacy.
- Garbage Can: We can’t burn all our rubbish.
- Lotion: If you’re forced outside, your skin can dry out quickly. And don’t forget some for protection from the sun.
- Shampoo: makes you feel even cleaner.
- Conditioner: Maybe not the most important, but maybe more so with the ladies of the house.
- Hand Soap: fights bacteria from various sources. A good two-minute washing habit is a good one to have.
- Shaving Cream: You can go a few days without shaving, but you’ll feel better and have a lower chance of disease with a clean shave.
- Shaving tools: We offer both single-blade and multi-blade varieties.
- Menstrual Pads: That time of the month comes whether we’re ready or not; it’s better to be prepared.
- Menstrual Tampons: The most preferred method for most women.
- Diapers/Cloth or Disposable Ones: If you have little ones, these are crucial.
- Toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, and other personal hygiene items
Emergency Toilet
Kitchen Supplies
These are all pretty self-explanatory. Having a good supply of each item will make surviving the emergency so much easier.
- Paper Towels
- Hand Towels
- Wash Rags
- Hot Pads
- Garbage Can
- Stand Mixer
- Hand Mixer
- Can opener: don’t forget to have a manual one, the power goes out more than we’d like to admit.
- Toaster
- Dishes/cups/glasses/silverware
- Various cooking/baking pans
- Wheat grinder
- Bosch Bread Mixer
- Bottle opener (thank you, Wendy)
- French Press (thank you, Patti)
- Candles/Oil lamps with oil (thank you, Patti)
Emergency Vehicle Supplies
Sewing Supplies
- Sewing Machine: Knowing how to sew seems to have become a lost art. Having the machine won’t help much if you don’t know how to use it.
- Treadle Sewing Machine: You can use this one with “foot power” when the power goes out.
- Bobbins
- Thread
- Needles
- Scissors
- Seam Ripper
- Needle threader
Garden Tools
As mentioned above, having a garden and learning how to grow much of your own food is a key component of a strong self-sufficiency plan. Make having a garden a key part of your family emergency plan.
- Shovel with a sharp point to dig holes.
- Square shovel to move dirt and debris
- Hand clippers
- Lawnmower
- Garden Tiller
- Lawn Edger
- Spade
- Hoses
- Garden sprayer
- Hoes
- Picks/Axe
- Water Key
- Smaller garden tools
- Rakes
- Snow shovel
Tools/Building Materials
Whether it’s to build your own shelter, repair that storage shed, or make your shelter-in-place homestead safer, having the right tools and the skills to use them as intended is critical. You don’t have to get them all at once. Start now and build up your tool chest as you can afford to do so.
- Screwdriver (various ones)
- Drills
- Wrenches
- Saws
- Scrap wood
- Levels
- Hammers
- Pliers
- Power nailers
- Tiling tools
- Ladders
- Spackling tools
- Paintbrushes
- Paint trays
- Paint drop cloths
- Work gloves (thank you, Patti)
- Flashlights, headlamps, batteries, solar flashlights, and lanterns
- Duct tape
- Bungee Cords
Knowledge and Skills (my favorite thing)
The world has numerous offerings to help us become the best we can be, and that includes being as well-prepared as possible. Now is the time to refine the skills you’ve learned in the past and to acquire new, valuable skills that may save your life.
- Books
- Internet
- Library
- Podcasts
- Documentaries
- Classes
- Movies
- Venues
What are some other things I may need to be adequately prepared?
Here are some additional items to consider when putting your emergency plan together:
- Copies of important documents like insurance policies, birth certificates, property titles, settlement papers, trusts and wills, contact information, critical medical records, bank information, passports, identification papers like social security cards, employment contracts, and other documents you feel are essential.
- Communication options like cell phones and chargers, walkie-talkies, hand crank radios, whistles, and possibly a ham radio
FAQs About Preparedness Items
How long do emergency food supplies last?
Most freeze-dried foods can last up to 25 years if stored properly in a cool, dry place.
How do I store water for long-term use?
Use BPA-free containers, add water preservative drops, and store in a dark, cool area. Rotate every 6–12 months.
What’s the most overlooked preparedness item?
Many forget manual tools (like can openers) and backup power sources for phones or radios.
How can I start prepping on a budget?
Buy one or two extra non-perishable items during each grocery trip, it adds up over time.
Final Word
If you have any preparedness items to add to this list, please comment, and I will add them ASAP. Thanks again for being prepared for the unexpected. May God bless this world, Linda
Copyright pictures: Kitchen Utensils: AdobeStock_184536668 by Merces Fittipaldi, Ingredients for Making Bread Depositphotos_246192340_S
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