15 Things Preppers Forget

As preppers, most of our efforts tend to focus on bullets, beans, and barrels of water. However, there are several easy things that preppers forget to do that could help them be more prepared.

Here are 15 Things that Preppers Forget:

Clothing
Off-grid cooking
Utility cart
Spare parts
Building materials
Sewing materials
Spare glasses
Vehicle maintenance
Personal health
Special dietary/health needs
Entertainment
Renewable power
Off-grid security
Tools
Income Diversification

While some of these aren’t what many would consider “core preps”, they go a long way towards making your preps more well-rounded. The more well-rounded you are, the more likely you are to be prepared for what comes your way, even if it isn’t what you were anticipating.

Clothing

The first thing that many preppers overlook or forget is their clothing. It’s important to have the correct seasonal clothing along with attire that is suitable for manual labor.

I, for example, live in an area that mainly has to deal with extremely hot temperatures in the summer. However, there are times when our winters can get dangerously cold. Because of this, I do my best to have clothing that’s suitable for hot weather as well as things I can wear to keep me warm.

Many disasters, especially ones that result in long-term survival situations, will require you to perform manual labor. You may need to make repairs to your home, clear roadways, or do any number of tasks. Because of this, it’s a good idea to have things like work gloves, rain gear, and other articles of clothing that can stand up to abuse and help protect you.

You should also inspect the clothing that you wear daily to make sure that it’s in good shape. If your socks and underwear resemble a block of Swiss cheese more than they do clothes, it is probably time to buy some new ones.

Probably the most important article of clothing to keep in good shape is your shoes. They are essential for protecting your feet, and as we all know, if your feet aren’t working, you aren’t working. What you wear daily should be free of damage and excessive wear. In addition, you should also have boots that you can use for hiking or working along with cold-weather footwear to protect you in the winter.

Off-Grid Cooking

The next thing that a lot of preppers forget is having multiple ways to cook off-grid. Some people buy a camp stove like this one and a few bottles of fuel and think they’re all set. However, relying on one cooking method can be very dangerous.

For starters, things like camp stoves run on a finite fuel source, usually propane or butane. You will eventually run out of fuel, no matter how much you have stored. Also, that stove could become damaged, rendering it useless. Things like rocket stoves will burn natural materials and can be built cheaply using concrete blocks or bricks. You can also buy rocket stoves like this one by Ecozoom.

Another problem that many preppers have is that they don’t have ways to cook indoors safely. You may need to cook indoors due to inclement weather or security concerns. You don’t want the smell of food all over the neighborhood when you are the only person with food to eat.

Utility Cart

Another thing that preppers forget is a good utility cart. This can be something that you buy from a hardware store or build yourself. You can even upgrade a traditional red wagon by giving it some better wheels and higher walls. This will allow it to go over rougher terrain without spilling everything inside.

Utility carts have several uses during a survival situation. Probably the most important one is that it will give you a way to transport water. Water is very heavy, so being able to roll it from Point A to Point B is essential, especially if you have to move it over a long distance.

You could also use a utility cart to move other essential items if you needed to bug out on foot. There is a very good reason that you see many homeless people with shopping carts. You can only carry so much in a backpack before you run out of room. Having some sort of cart will allow you to carry more of your gear with you.

Spare Parts

If we were to experience some sort of long-term disaster, we can be certain that something that we rely on will break down. Because of this, every prepper should make sure that they have spare parts for their most important equipment.

One example of this would be a generator. In addition to having ample fuel, you should also store other things like oil, air filters, and a spare carburetor. For firearms, having spare recoil springs, extractors, and magazines would be a good start. You can read more about which spare parts you should keep for your guns by clicking here.

Building Materials

Another thing that preppers forget to do is gather building materials such as lumber, nails, and screws. Weather events and other circumstances can damage your home or other structures on your property. Having building materials will allow you to board up windows before danger reaches you or make repairs afterward.

Another good thing about having building materials is that they can be used to create physical barriers. Barriers will make it more difficult for unwanted visitors to reach certain areas or can help you funnel them to a location that gives you the greatest advantage possible.

Sewing Materials

Sewing materials are another commonly-overlooked prep. They’ll help you make repairs to clothing and other things like sleeping bags and backpacks.

When collecting sewing materials, you should have several kinds of thread. Regular thread can be used to mend tears in clothing, while heavier stuff can be used on canvas or nylon. You will also want a variety of sewing needles. Trying to make a repair in a holster using a tiny needle will result in nothing but pain and frustration.

It’s also a good idea to have some spare fabric. This can be accomplished by cutting patches from old clothing rather than throwing them away. Again, having variety is important.

Spare Glasses

You wouldn’t know it by watching my Youtube Channel, but I wear glasses daily. Although my eyesight isn’t as bad as some peoples’, I do need them while driving and they make everyday life much easier.

If you’re a prepper who wears glasses or contacts, you need to have at least one spare pair of glasses. It would be even better to have a spare pair of regular glasses as well as some prescription safety glasses. The safety glasses will give you a little more protection while doing manual labor or using firearms.

Vehicle Maintenance

Another thing that preppers forget is to keep up with their vehicle maintenance. It’s something that many people put on the back burner, myself included. However, doing that could cause us big problems during an emergency.

The last thing that you want is to have your car break down during a bugout or when you’re trying to meet up with your family. Keeping up with things like oil changes and your tires will go a long way to making sure that you have a vehicle you can depend on.

It’s also a good idea to keep your fuel tank at least half full. This will ensure that you’ll be able to cover at least some distance but get to a gas station.

Personal Health

Your car or truck isn’t the only thing you need to take care of. You should also be keeping up with your personal health. If you’re in a survival situation, poor health will make the whole ordeal much worse and could prevent you from doing what it takes to make it out alive.

Doing simple things like getting checkups and dealing with issues early on will help ensure that you are in as good of shape as possible. Don’t let health concerns drag on, as that will only prolong your misery and could allow them to get worse over time.

You should also take care of your body in other ways by eating well and exercising.

Special Health Needs

One thing that is rarely mentioned in survival videos or blogs is taking care of people who have special health needs. This could be someone with a chronic health issue or it could be someone like an infant.

Infants, for example, have very specific dietary requirements. Up to a certain age, they must be fed either breast milk or formula. Because of this, you should make sure that you have plenty of formula stored away, even if you primarily breastfeed your child. Many situations can result in a mother being unable to produce milk, so having some formula set aside is a good idea.

Infants aren’t the only people who may have special health or dietary needs. If you or someone else in your group has something like diabetes or a gluten allergy, then your food storage should reflect this. You should also have an emergency supply of any essential medications if possible. This may be difficult or impossible in some cases, but try to do the best that you can.

In addition, if you or a loved one requires a CPAP machine, be sure to have a way to run it if the power goes out. Many people choose a gas generator for this task. However, many solar generators are capable of powering one for at least one night, some for more, and will never run out of fuel, as long as you have sunlight. They can also be kept in the house, right next to the bed.

Entertainment

Another thing that preppers forget or overlook is having ways to entertain themselves and others. While things like sports equipment and board games aren’t necessary for physical survival, psychological health will be a big factor in a disaster, especially if it lasts long-term.

In addition to having things like footballs, basketballs, and board games, you should also have a decent-sized library to keep everyone occupied. If you’re like me and prefer nonfiction, be sure to have some fiction books as well. They can be a good escape from reality and may suit the tastes of other people in your group.

Renewable Power

Gas generators are probably the most popular way to create power during an emergency. However, they do have some significant drawbacks. They’re noisy and must be kept outside. Bringing one into your home will result in carbon monoxide poisoning and could even start a fire.

The biggest drawback to traditional gas generators is that they rely on fuel to operate. Unfortunately, no matter how much fuel you have stored, if an event lasts long enough, you will eventually run out. Because of this, every prepper should have a renewable power source.

The most popular way to create renewable energy is solar generators. They are essentially a large battery bank hooked to an inverter that you can connect to a set of solar panels. Unless you live in an area that gets little sunlight or is dark for a significant portion of the year, they are an excellent way to power essential devices.

If you have a solar generator you should strongly consider getting some rechargeable batteries to go with it. The batteries that I use are made by Eneloop and you can find them by clicking here. Having rechargeable AA and AAA batteries will allow you to power many common devices such as flashlights and radios for a very long time.

Off-Grid Security

Another thing that preppers forget is having ways to secure your home and property off-grid. Many modern security tools require electricity and computer networks to operate. Being able to maintain security without those things will give you an edge if someone targets your home.

While off-grid security doesn’t rely on the power grid or networks, it can still use modern technology. Some examples of this are battery-operated motion sensors and solar security lights. Battery-operated motion sensors, when combined with rechargeable batteries and a solar generator, can help keep the perimeter of your property secure long-term. Solar-powered motion lights are easy to find and are fairly affordable.

Magnetic door and window alarms are a good budget option. Multipacks usually cost around 15 or 20 dollars and are easy to install and use.

Tools

It’s also a good idea for preppers to have a well-stocked toolbox. Having basic items such as hammers, screwdrivers, adjustable wrenches, and saws will allow you to fix small things around your house and repair your home during or after a disaster.

While most of your efforts should be centered on getting traditional hand tools, it’s also a good idea to have some cordless power tools as well. They will allow you to make repairs or build barricades much faster than hand tools. If you have a way to generate power, they should run for a very long time.

Income Diversification

Another thing that many preppers forget to do is diversify their income. Relying on just one stream of income is dangerous, especially during times of economic uncertainty. Having some sort of side hustle is a good way to strengthen your financial security as well as have more to put towards preps or paying down debts.

In today’s world, having multiple income streams is also a good way to reduce the effects of inflation on your life. Many people deal with inflation by cutting back. However, if you’re able to find ways to cut back and earn more money, then you’ll be in a far better position to weather the storm with as little impact on you and your family as possible.