Going beyond the basics of family preparedness, this article explores unusual items you might not have considered. From creative uses for household items to surprising food options, these unusual items for stocking up will help you feel more prepared for any emergency.
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Disaster preparedness is all about being resourceful and thinking ahead for your family’s well-being. You’ve likely compiled a list of essential supplies. We’ve talked about to start your food storage pantry. You’ve read about the critical importance of storing water. But what about those unexpected items that can make a big difference in a stressful situation? These suggestions will take your preparedness to the next level and help you feel more confident and prepared to face any challenge that comes your way.
Table of contents
Unique Prepper Items
Food
- Dried prunes. Dietary changes and stress might affect your digestive system. We have four kids, and one of the quickest ways to clear them out is to have them eat a few prunes.
- Vacuum-sealed Cheetos in a jar. Cheetos make me happy. What food makes you happy?
- Popcorn is a filling and a fun snack to bring out for a little taste of comfort for the kids, especially if you pop it on the stovetop or over a fire (not microwaved). You can grind it into cornmeal. I’ve even had success with soaking it and cooking it slow and low like you would dried beans. It was not the best that way, but it was certainly edible.
- Jalapenos. I have them dried, freeze-dried, pickled, and canned! I love spicy foods and can’t bear the thought of eating bland rice and beans in a future worst-case scenario.
Comfort Items
- A huge amount of coffee makes life pleasant and safer. How many people do you know who are nice before their first cup of morning coffee?
- If you must evacuate, bring a few things to help maintain your routine. That could be books to read for bedtime, a board game, chargers for their electronics, favorite music, a blanket or pillow… Whatever part of your family routine matters most, try to preserve it. If you keep some predictable routine, your kids will not feel as scared or frightened during disasters, power outages, or bad weather.
- My Bible because when things go wrong, nothing brings me comfort like reading scripture.
- Chewing gum. What’s more normal than chewing gum? Plus, it can help you stay awake.
Medical and First Aid
- Activated charcoal is commonly prescribed at the emergency room to absorb toxins in the stomach. During a SHTF scenario, there will be an increase in food poisoning, arsenic, adverse reactions/celiac, etc.
- Meat tenderizer to rub on ant bites. It works miracles.
- Small tin of Vicks VapoRub. Triple use: Medicinal use per the label. Mixed with tinder, it is an excellent fuel for starting fires, even in the rain. Swabbed under the nose, it covers unpleasant smells like spilled sewage or dead bodies.
- Knee-high (and some full-length) pantyhose. Possible uses include: (1) straining debris from water before sending it through the purifier; (2) using sterilized ones as you would cheesecloth to strain cooled bacon fat or make cheese (#2 was untested!); (3) tie strips around the garden fence and tomato cages to keep critters away; and (4) slip it over a leg or knee injury and unroll it over a gauze pad for an instant, flexible compression bandage that doesn’t stick and doesn’t show dirt as fast as white tape and gauze.
- Gloves – all kinds of gloves. Many of us have a pair or two of work gloves for adult family members, and of course gloves / mittens for cold weather. Consider adding work gloves for elementary and middle school kids, bags of cheap gloves with rubber-coated palms (in more than one size, and some double-coated), Mechanix gloves, gardening gloves, dish-washing gloves, nitrile gloves, and even fingerless work gloves.
- Thieves essential oil helps fight germs, including cold and flu germs.
- Contraceptives. ‘Nuf said.
Household Items
- A sewing repair kit. Clothing needs to last as long as possible; it may be hard to replace.
- An Altoids tin with a small plastic container of denatured alcohol to make a small, portable stove.
- Binder clips can be used for numerous things. Keeping bags clipped down, clipping items to clotheslines, hanging items to dry, hooking tarps together, and more!
- “Sillcock keys” or “4-way keys.” Outside of fast food restaurants and gas stations are water spigots that don’t have a traditional handle. This prevents unauthorized people (read “homeless”) from using the water for drinking, bathing, etc. The water can only be turned on with a sillcock key. Having one of these in your bug out bag may help provide you with a water source that others won’t be able to access.
- CASH. When there is no power, we need to have CASH. For those stores that are open, many can help you if you pay with cash because they won’t be able to run credit or debit cards.
- I have an entire 5-gallon bucket dedicated to just hair doodads: hair brushes, combs, barrettes, bobby pins, and hair ponies. There are five girls here, and we all have tons of hair. I can’t stand having hair in my face when I’m trying to get stuff done!!!
- Paracord (made in the USA, and available in many colors). If you’re dropped in the middle of the jungle, it’s the one thing you want. Snares, fishing line, stashing a food cache, rappelling down a cliff, bivouacking above the forest floor. It makes it easier to build a lean-to or create a shelter. It has a zillion and one uses. Just about anywhere in the world, you can make something sharp, i.e. a blade. But it’s hard to create a rope that will support your weight. Paracord rules!
- Super Glue is useful for repair tasks and as a stopgap if you’re out of bandages.
- Dental floss can substitute for thread, fishing lines, snares, and lashing small items.
Our Favorite Overlooked Items From Reader Comments
These are some of our favorite ideas from YOU, our readers!
- Vicks or Mentholatum is also good to have on hand for athlete’s foot. (Jan)
- Paper clips have a plethora of uses, such as repairing broken zippers. (James B.)
- Drawing salve draws out infections and splinters and boils, too. (Teri R.)
- Diapers in both kids and adult sizes. If you have to hole up in the crawlspace to wait out a tornado or have to sit in a car for hours due to an evacuation, you really don’t want to worry about getting to a washroom. (Olga N.)
- Chains and padlocks to temporarily secure things. When you need to go into the store or the bathroom, for example. (Edie)
- Expanding on the chain and lock, it can also be used as a weapon, such as a ball and chain, or as a flail. (Gregg) Survival Mom comment: There are many, many locations where having a self-defense weapon of any kind isn’t allowed. Great Britain comes to mind. Knowing how to quickly improvise a self-defense weapon could be a lifesaver.
- Cheetos also make great fire starters. (Lisa)
- Another improvised weapon is a sock and lock, sock and rock, and sock and pool ball. (Rick)
- Safety glasses for those who do not wear regular eyeglasses. A serious eye injury is something few can overcome. They are best avoided, for example hot cooking grease pops into eye, insect contact, etc. (King John IV)
- The little corded retractors people usually wear on a badges and ID’s work great as keepers for gloves and mittens, especially for kids. Replace the badge snap with a small Keychain carabiner or other type clip to attach to the gloves loops. You can even use two retractor and clip or sew one to each arm of your coat, and your gloves can be worn with the retractor cable extended. If you have to remove a glove, the retractor keeps it on your coat. (Bemused Beserker)
- Musical supplies: Reeds for sax, clarinet, etc.; guitar strings & picks; Violin/fiddle/cello rosin. (Mr. Gray)
Pro Tip About What Preppers Forget
- When storing cash, consider different denominations. No point in revealing a $20 dollar bill when a $5 bill will do.
FAQ
Unusual items can provide multiple uses in an emergency situation. For example, pantyhose can be used to strain debris from water or as a make-shift bandage.
Preppers often forget everyday essentials (toiletries), boredom busters (games), and comfort items (stuffed animals). Don’t neglect these for a well-rounded preparedness plan!
There are many unique prepper items on this list that are inexpensive. Binder clips, cash in small denominations, and dental floss are all affordable options. Read this article for ways to save money for prepping.
Related Unusual and Overlooked Items Content
- 110+ Unusual Items You’ll Want for Your Glove Box
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- 14 Overlooked Items for Your EMP Prepping
- Surprising Non-Uses for Your Vacuum Sealer
Final Thoughts
That’s it! We hope this article gave you some surprising ideas for your family’s emergency planning. These unique prepper items, from handy household items to interesting food options, can give you a boost of comfort and resourcefulness during a tough time. Remember, being prepared is more than just the basics. By adding a few of these extras, you’ll feel more confident facing whatever comes your way!
Please add your own favorite unusual items for stocking up on in the comments as well!
Another use for the Vick’s or Mentholatum is for athlete’s foot. Rub on and cover with a clean sock at night. Two or three nights and it is gone! Also, if using for congestion, you can rub it on the soles of your feet instead of or as well as your chest. Seems to work better!
Some people swear that Vick’s on the soles of the feet can stop a cough.
I like to store paper clips. I’ve found so many uses for them over the years. I always keep one on me to fix broken pants zippers/
Another thing that works really well on athletes foot is bag balm. I saw it work in two weeks to eradicate it.
Please remember safety precautions around little ones. Vicks etc. is great stuff, but it is highly poisonous. Many parents don’t know how toxic it is if ingested. Keep it out of reach of any little ones, safe and secure.
Drawing salve…draws out infections and splinters and boils too
Thanks, Survival Mom – this is a great list of items to keep around! I keep a few vasoline-soaked cotton balls in an Altoids tin that I then duct-tape closed. I use these as a quick way to start a fire, if I happen to be stuck with wet matches and have to use the old firestarter. Generally gets the fire going quick!
I own three Land Shark instant shelters; with a family of 6, I’d like to eventually have one for each of us. Right now, my kids are small enough that they can probably fit two or three of them in one bag (they are really spacious).
Most importantly, this product WORKS! This is a military-grade piece of survival gear that can mean the difference between life and death, literally, in a wilderness survival situation. I can not recommend this product highly enough!
Thanks for the great info you put out on your posts! Keep up the great work!
Great list. There are certainly a few things I’m going to look into adding to my preps. I’ve been meaning to add nylons because I read wearing them under your socks helps prevent blisters and they add some warmth. Now I just have more reasons to add them 🙂
Sounds gross but diapers, both kids’ and adults. If you have to hole up in crawlspace to wait out a tornado or have to sit in a car for hours due to an evacuation, you really don’t want to worry about getting to a washroom.
Chain & padlocks…..another good idea in an Evacuation scenario….to temporarily secure things.
When you need to go into the store or the bathroom, for example.
That’s a great addition to the list!
In the comments section, about the chain and lock- can also be used as a weapon.(ball and chain, or as a flail_
Gregg, I don’t think I ever would have thought of that. Thanks for the suggestion! There are many, many locations where having a self-defense weapon of any kind isn’t allowed. Great Britain comes to mind. Knowing how to quickly improvise a self-defense weapon could be a life saver.
extra wood and nails to cover your windows, plastic sheeting especially the thick kind has lots of uses, nylons that fit everyone to wear under clothes in winter, coconut oil not just for cooking has TONS of uses, in addition to cast iron cookware invest in some good sturdy cooking utensils, knives and a sharpener, many people still forget a few spare quality can openers, canning supplies especially extra lids, collapsing water jug, if fuel is available don’t forget extras for your vehicle battery oil fuses antifreeze etc, quality hand tools and shovel as well as lots of nails and screws, blankets, sewing supplies, quality shears
Lots of things depend on if you plan to bug in or out. Personally with 4 kids im staying home as long as I can.
For people who live in cold regions that gets lots of snow, a pair of snowshoes in your car or just to have. Walking through 3 feet of snow drifts is not only NOT fun, but it’s dangerous for you and kids. Keeps your feet & clothing dry.
Dont forget the most important items!
Tampons and Pads! not only to help out with women’s items, but for medical as well! pads wont stick to the skin, and cover a wound very nicely. a tampon doesn’t allow anything to pass. so fill a bottle with water, stick a tampon in the top, then turn the bottle upside down. the water that drips out will be filtered, and ready to be boiled for drinking!
Be sure to add empty plastic soda bottles and milk jugs. they are great for holding small items and carrying liquids, if cut in half they can overlap and make a good storage area for items, also the large jugs can be cut to make a small shovel! they can also be re-purposed to grow plants in!
@Kamiko: the tampon used for filtering water: you MUST use an ORGANIC COTTON one if you want to avoid toxins. Even then, some only have the outside covering in organic cotton. Otherwise, you are just filtering water with toxic materials…….
Great idea, though!
i forgot to add a pickle jug with a toilet seat, is great for a make shift toilet to help out disabled folks use the potty!, line with a garbage bag, and some kitty litter!
dont forget to add medications to your arsenal!
i have a ton of coloring books, puzzle books, and magazines. these are great to be read,a nd when finish, can be used for toilet paper, and tinder for lighting a fire!
dont forget to save some dryer lint and a lighter for starting a fire!
A 5 gal plastic bucket, a pool noodle cut to fit the rim, a roll of tissue on the bucket handle. Redneck toilet. Even rig a shower curtain for privacy.
Okay so does anyone else noticed in the picture the canned banana? Canned banana?????? Where did you find this? Melissa
I don’t see any banana and I haven’t heard of canned bananas being sold commercially, but there are some recipes online for canning your own!
another use of tampons… they were originally invented to be used as dressings for bullet wounds.
Vinegar has a ton of uses from cooking, medicinal, and as a mild sanitizer. If you store Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar with the “mother”, you will have the means to make more as well.
Cheetos also make a great fire starter.
One thing I almost never see on these type blogs, are wire coat hangers. I found out about these in the military. I use them for loads of things. BTW great list!
Buy your coffee in green, unroasted form. They keep literally for years that way, and you can roast a needed quantity in a frying pan the night before you need to use them. Freshly roasted beans need to outgas 12 hours to develop that wonderful flavor.
in reply to the lock and chain for a weapon: sock and lock; sock and rock; sock and pool ball (8 ball etc.) wasp spray over pepper spray. pepper spray is a mist (you will get some on you) wasp spray is a stream, shoots 15′
@Rick: you have to be careful using the items (wasp and pepper sprays): you can be sued for using them, especially if you blind the perp. (they can actually blind someone)
Musical supplies:
Reeds for sax, clarinet, etc.
Guitar strings & picks
Violin/fiddle/cello rosin
You get the idea.
Distilled water gallon jugs are much sturdier than regular water jugs. Save them or ask someone who uses distilled water to save for you. Can be used many ways besides water storage.
As long as they aren’t made from the milky white plastic used for gallon milk jugs. That plastic breaks down really quickly.
Safety pins! Not the cheap ones from the dollar store (although those are great to have, too), but heavy duty diaper pins, kilt pins, blanket pins.
An item I use daily are rubber bands. When I open a food package (cheese, hot dogs, marshmallows, mashed potato flakes in a bag etc.) I close the package securely and then wrap a rubber band around it. The rubber band keeps the contents fresh, dry and won’t spill out. Not to mention in a bugout bag will keep your hair out of your eyes besides not taking up much space.
Someone mentioned coloring books, Pinterest has tons of coloring pages for adults and kids, also wood matches are great, try dollar tree or a grocery store in the bbq section.
Good idea and you can print out coloring pages online for free.
Love your articles, Lisa! Just saw a post on having a can of cheep coffee grounds. Sprinkle on puke, etc. to soak up liquids and absorb odors.
I have never heard of doing this, but it’s a great idea!
Those little corded retractors people usually wear on a badges and ID’s, work great as keepers for gloves and mittens, especially for kids. Replace the badge snap with a small Keychain carabiner or other type clip to attach to the gloves loops. You can even use two retractor and clip or sew one to each arm of your coat, and your gloves can be worn withe retractor cable extended. If you have to remove a glove, the retractor keeps it on your coat, and handy to use. Doing this to my Grandkids’ coats, they’re able to hang on to their gloves/mittens.
That’s a great idea! Thanks!
Plastic Ammo Cans (found at Walmart and Harbor Freight Tools), Make great containers for storing Disaster Specific supplies. They’re waterproof within reason. Paintable/markerable for quick recognition. I’ve one specific for Blackouts, with several battery and hand cranked Flashlights, extra batteries, candles and so on.
Another is set up as a Grab-n-Go First Aid kit. They stack neatly, in a closet or pantry shelf.
we have several safety glasses for those who do not wear regular eyeglasses.
an serious eye injury is something few can overcome. they are best avoided.
(ex: hot cooking grease pops into eye, insect contact, etc.)
also, for those who need vision correction…extra eyeglasses.
depending upon which is running a “special”, we order from
zenni or goggles4u. my last pair cost $13 including shipping.
Ammunition. Even if you don’t have a firearm. In a SHTF situation, it’s an excellent barter currency. Go for the most common calibers, like 9mm or .223. Most people won’t take in trade what they can’t use, and in an emergency without an end in sight, cash is nothing but expensive tinder.
@Matt Schlosser: You run a SERIOUS risk bartering ammo!
Even if they believe you don’t have a firearm, they just might raid you anyway, or kill you just to get what you do have…..NEVER tell ANYONE you have ammo or firearms!!! EVER.