You want to be more prepared. Tougher times are coming. I get it. I really do because I was there too. I had four kids under 13 at home who were depending on me to keep them fed, clothed, and with a roof over their heads. I was struggling on one full-time income with sporadic child support and any other way to make money that I legally could make. I was on SNAP for awhile just to keep my kids fed, but money was still really tight.

Life is better now, but tough times still happen and money still needs to be saved. Tougher times are coming still. With people not working now, events being canceled, school being canceled, and more, you may need to tighten up the purse strings for the coming months.

I believe there are certain things you should have on hand at all times. These things help you to be more prepared, save money, fix things, and generally make life a little easier. These are things you should have at home. I’m not talking bush or wilderness survival. I’m talking about home survival and preparedness.

I’m not going to explain why each item is on the list. This article would be way too long! Also, you may have things you would add to the list and that’s fine. Not everyone’s list will look the same. These are just things I don’t think I would want to be without and I don’t think you would want to be without them too!

100 Things You Should Have in Your Home and Your Preps

1. Manual Can Openers (multiples)

2. Scissors

3. Candles

4. Lighters

5. Oil Lamps (wicks and oil too!)

6. Screwdrivers

7. Hammers

8. Wrenches

9. Socket Set

10. Hand Saws and Powered Saws

11. Hand Drill and Powered Drill

12. Grain Mill and/or Grinder

13. Meat Grinder

14. Flashlights

15. Batteries of All Sizes and Shapes

16. Stainless Steel Kitchen Utensils (ones that can be used over a fire as well as a stove)

17. Wooden Spoons and Spatulas

18. Needles and Threads of all sizes and strengths

19. Hoes

20. Shovels and Spades

21. Rakes

22. Towels and Rags

23. Buckets of all sizes

24. Solar Lights

25. Matches (regular and long stick matches)

26. Blankets, Quilts, and Pillows

27. Soap of all kinds (body, dishes, laundry, and cleaning)

28. Cast Iron Skillets

29. Stainless Steel Pots

30. Bowls (preferably not plastic, but get what you can afford)

31. Canning Jars

32. Canning Lids and Rings

33. Fermentation Weights, Lids, & Airlocks

34. Pressure Canner

35. Water Bath Canning Pot

36. 16-quart (or larger) Stock Pot

37. Dehydrator

38. Hand Mixer and/or Egg Beaters

39. Coffee/Spice Grinder

40. Bread Pans

41. Good quality baking sheet pans

42. Paper, Pens, and Pencils

43. Battery Powered and Crank Powered Radios

44. Washing Plunger (for Laundry by Hand)

45. Weapons for Self-Defense and Hunting as well as Ammunition

46. Knives (all kinds)

47. Rope (including clothesline)

48. Twine

49. Paracord

50. Kitchen Scale (non-digital preferably)

51. Chainsaw (along with extra chains, spark plugs, oil, and fuel)

52. Nails and Screws of all sizes

53. Nuts and Washers of all sizes

54. Super Glue, Wood Glue, and Regular School Glue

55. Duct Tape, Regular Tape, Painting Tape, and Packing Tape

56. Clothes Pins

57. Paper Towels

58. Toilet Paper

59. Garbage Bags

60. First Aid Supplies

61. Camp Stove and/or a Grill

62. Good shoes that can be used for working and walking a lot

63. Good pair of boots to protect your feet from the elements

64. Hats, gloves, and scarves to keep you warm inside and outside the house

65. Socks (Good ones, preferably wool)

66. Work gloves that will actually protect your hands while letting you work

67. Hand pump and/or air compressor

68. Vise grips and Pliers

69. Scissors (Heavy Duty, Regular, and Sewing)

70. Reference Materials and Books

71. Measuring Tape and Rulers

72. Thermometers for Fevers and for Cooking

73. Measuring Cups and Spoons

74. Jumper Cables

75. Insect Repellent Spray and Citronella Candles

76. Sunscreen and Aloe Vera Gel

77. Pain Medications
78. Aluminum Foil

79. Wheelbarrow

80. Utility Cart

81. Brooms

82. Tarps and Tie Down Straps

83. Seeds for growing more food

84. Puzzles, Books, Toys, Cards, and Board Games

85. Pry Bar/Crow Bar (whatever you like to call it)

86. Bolt Cutters

87. Ladders and Step Stools

88. Gas Cans 

89. Water Containers (preferably about 5 gallons)

90. Water Filtration System that isn’t part of your existing water supply

91. Cookbooks

92. Food Buckets, Lids, Gamma Seal Lids, Mylar Bags, and Oxygen Absorbers

93. Sanitary Pads and Tampons

94. N95 Masks and Nitrile/Latex Gloves

95. Auxiliary Heat Sources (besides electricity)

96. Live Animal Traps 

97. Portable and/or Solar Chargers

98. Toothbrushes and Toothpaste

99. Coats and Jackets

100. Basic Clothing

Like I said before, everyone’s list will look a little different. You might also be looking through this list thinking there are far more than 100 things on it. You would be correct! I have a tendency to group things together because that’s how I think. 

What other things would you have on the list? Let me know in the comments!

Thanks for reading,
Erica

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