Perhaps you have taken care of the obvious survival kit items, and have a supply of food, water, weapons and medical supplies, but sometimes we can get so consumed with prepping that it is easy to overlook the little things. It’s the little things that will make your life less complicated during a major crisis. Even if you don’t use some items, they can make for excellent bartering material, or handy if you find yourself sheltering friends or family. Here are some more unusual ideas for items that could be useful to you, but you may not have thought of.
- Pencil Sharpener (great to use on sticks to create kindling for fire starting)
- Safety Goggles
- Cigarettes (even if you do not smoke, to trade)
- Hoyle’s Card Game Rule Book (and a deck of cards)
- Dice Game Rule Book (and dice)
- A Mini Portable Gaming Device (to keep entertained)
- Cloth Diapers
- Solar Shower
- Gummy Vitamins
- Pocket Chainsaw (light and easy to carry)
- Pregnancy/Midwife book and baby supplies
- Heavy Duty Mechanical Pencils and Lead
- Scarves, Wool socks, Gloves and Mittens – easy to forget these when it’s not winter
- USB hand crank charger / radio / flashlight (this little device is amazing!)
- Wind Up Clock
- Cargo and Tow straps
- Hand Axe
- Body Cleaning Wipes
- A Plastic Bathtub Stopper (to create a laundry or bath in sinks at places you may stop at)
- Magnesium Fire Starter
- Sewing Needles, Thread, Thimbles, and Pins
- Shoe Laces
- Duct tape (you can never have too much)
- A bike pump and a puncture repair kit (bikes may be very useful if fuel runs out)
- Forged Steel Screwdrivers and Hand Tools (plastic handles will eventually wear out)
- Mortar and Pestle
- Hair Bands
- Wall Hooks
- Eyedroppers
- Steel Measuring Cup with Engraved Markings
- Sharpies
- Dental Floss
- Blackboard and Chalk
- Sturdy Nail Clippers
- Candle Making Mould
- Comfort Foods
- Eyeglass Repair Kit
- Neem Oil and Tea Tree (antimicrobal, for lice and ringworm and wounds)
- Salt
- Mouse/rat traps
- Bird Seed (to attract wild birds for food)
- Feminine Products
- Fishing Line
- Safety Pins
- Clothes Pins
- Knitting or Crochet Needles and a book with basic instructions (and yarn)
- Aspirator
- Veggie Seeds (for trade or emergency)
- Canoe
- Powdered Lemon and Lime Juice for Vitamin C
- Leather Punch and Needles
- Hard Hat
- Straight Razor
- Dictionary and Encyclopedias (for homeschooling)
- Shoe Goo
- Flashlight Bulbs
- Sugar (to stop bleeding etc)
- Book on Tanning Hides
- Pure Silver Coins or Spoons (to purify water)
- Sturdy Hand Gardening Tools
- Extra Pairs of Prescription Eyeglasses
There could be many more unusual survival kit items of course. Feel free to drop some more suggestions in the comments below.
