20 Useful Items to Get Before the Stores are Empty

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20 Useful Items to Get Before the Stores are Empty

Imagine life without Walmart, Amazon or any other store. You wouldn’t be able to buy the little things that make the world go round or your life function in general. You never really understand how important a shoestring is until you’re trying to walk and your shoe keeps falling off. Little things. Cheap things. They matter. They are the things that will ensure your survival after SHTF.

Head to the dollar store or get online and buy them in bulk. Don’t be afraid to visit secondhand stores for some of this stuff. It doesn’t need to be pretty. It needs to be functional. There’s no reason to spend a bunch of money when you can buy this stuff for a buck or two. Use your budget to buy food and high-ticket items.

Also, just as a side note, when you are spending money on anything related to survival, you want it to serve multiple purposes. Not only is it a waste of money to buy one-hit-wonders, but it’s also a waste of space.

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Aluminum Foil

Buy a lot! Seriously, you will run through the tin foil. The uses are endless but check out why you want to have it on hand.

Make a solar oven
Cook in coals
Fishing lure

A protective bandage
Ground cover
Fire reflector

Window covering to trap in heat or block the heat
Signal mirror
Insulation when wrapped around a jar or bottle to keep food hot or cold

Sharpen blades
Emergency candle

Baking Soda

The common kitchen staple is easily one of the most important things you can put in your stockpile. It has SO many uses beyond the kitchen.

Bee sting pain reliever when made into a paste
Cleaning agent
Toothpaste

Odor absorber—imagine no sanitation
Deodorant
Fire extinguisher

Heartburn relief
Handwarmer (here's the recipe)
Hand soap

Bungee Cords

These are a little more than a dollar, but buy in bulk and you can save money. Bungee cords are a critical item to have.

Shelter construction
Tourniquet

Split support
Traps
A makeshift pack, use a blanket and a bungee

Hang food in trees
Secure gear to a sled, cart, bike and so one
Vehicle repair

Keep a door closed
Cordage

Coffee Filters

Head to the dollar store and buy these. It doesn’t matter what brand or what coffee maker they fit, you want them.

Water filtration
Tinder
Wound dressing

Seed starting
Tea bag
Sun protector, add to the back of a hat or cover your ears

Absorbent pads aka paper towel
Toilet paper

Dental Floss

Good oral hygiene will save you a lot of trouble, but dental floss can be used for many other things.

Fishing line
Sewing a tent, shirt or sock
In a pinch, could be used as suture material

Make snares
Emergency cordage, can be made stronger by braiding several strands
Tie gear together

Use to put together a bow drill
Clothesline

Duct Tape

Another prepping and survival favorite. There are easily a hundred different ways you could use duct tape. The saying if you can’t fix it, duct it is legit.

Cordage
Blister prevention
Gear repair

First aid
Sliver remover
Belt

Waterproofing your shoes or clothing
Mark trails
Make a bowl

Fire starting
Seal up your sleeves or pant legs to prevent bugs
Boot repair

Emergency split
Vehicle repair
Seal a slash in a tent

Mend a hole in a coat, pants and etc…

Glow Sticks

They aren’t just for kids! Buy in bulk and store in a dark closet for when you’ll need them.

Trail marking

Night light
Fishing bobber
Warning light for a hole in the ground or even a body of water

Lantern
Insect repellant

Pantyhose

They could be worn as a heat layer or used for a variety of other uses. Check thrift stores and the dollar stores and load up on these. Runs don’t matter.

Use as a water filter before or after boiling water you’ve collected
Great for a tourniquet
Can be used to carry gear

Wear over mouth and nose to keep out bugs, you can pull it over your head as well
Wear over ankles, calves over your pants to keep out ticks and other bugs
Compression bandage

Belt
Hair tie
Cordage

Paracord

This is a given. Everyone knows cordage is one of the most important items you’ll need in any stockpile.

Shelter building
Clothesline

Tourniquet
Fishing line
Make a fishing net

Belt
Snares
Fence repair

Shoe laces
First aid

Plastic Grocery Bags

If you live in a state you still get these for free with your groceries, you’re in luck. These little suckers can add up quick and they are so useful.

Waterproofing your boots, hat or around your legs
Makeshift shelter
Trash bag

Emergency shelter
Insulation
Collecting food

Ground cover
Emergency patch for clothes
Protecting phone or other electronics

Keep kindle wood dry

Plastic Wrap

While it’s great to use as intended in the kitchen to preserve food, it can also come in handy for many other things.

Waterproofing electronics

Bandage/bandage cover
Splint support
Waterproof foot covers

Sealant for leaking pipes
Window repair
Shelter repair

Cordage
Greenhouse
Solar oven

Solar still
Water collection

Whenever you’re browsing the dollar store, Temu or wherever, you’ll want to keep your eyes open for any great deals. Always think out of the box and get creative about the many ways you can use something.

Rubber Bands

You can buy these in bags of a hundred or more. It doesn’t hurt to have a few bags lying around.

Hold a bandage on
Tourniquet

Use as a grip on wooden tools
Hair tie—good luck getting it out but it’ll work in a pinch
Slingshot

Cordage
Clothing repair
Fishing gear

Keeping gear together

Safety Pins

Another very basic item you’ll walk by and not think twice about it until you need one.

Fish hook

Sewing needle
Clothing repair
First aid i.e pull a sliver, secure a bandage

Shelter building
Attaching gear to the outside of your back
Hang clothes to dry

Steel Wool

You probably have this in the garage, but you’ll want more.

Rodent deterrent when stuffed in little holes
Fire starter

Rust removal
Knife sharpener
Compass

Insulation around doors and windows
Water filter
Cleaning your cookware

Fishing lure

Super Glue

You can pick up three packs of single use super glue tubes at the dollar store. The single use tube are perfect. They are very small and will fit in your bug out bag, glovebox or first aid kit. You don’t need to worry about them drying out.

Wound closure (only use to close cuts that have been thoroughly cleaned out)

Blister preventer, put a drop on areas that are prone to blisters from friction
Quick band-aid to keep out dirt
Fix eyeglasses
Seal holes on shoes
Seal slices on tents, tarps
Create fishing lures by gluing stuff together

Tarps

Another self-explanatory piece of gear, but it can be used beyond the obvious. A good quality one is nice, but even some of the cheap, flimsy ones will prove useful.

Ground cover
Poncho
Emergency blanket
Solar still
Water collection
Drag a harvested animal back home
Household repairs i.e. roof, broken window or door
Stretcher
Sunshade
Hammock
Gathering wood

Trash Bags

You cannot have enough trash bags. The standard kitchen bags are good, but if you can swing it, buy some of the yard bags that are a little thicker and durable for big jobs. Garbage is going to happen and having bags to keep it tidy is crucial.