Whats Your Most Overlooked Prep Item and Why?

[TeaTimeTalisman]

I rarely see folks talking about manual can openers. So many rely on electric ones and forget they’ll be useless when the power’s down. What’s the one small item you think gets overlooked the most after the basics are covered?

 

[TeaTimeTalisman]

Matches and fire starters—folks stock up on candles but forget you need something to light 'em! Anyone else keep a spare flint tucked away just in case?

 

[BlueSkyWanderer]

What’s the one small item you think gets overlooked the most after the basics are covered?

Absolutely agree, matches and fire starters are easy to overlook—especially the waterproof kind. I actually keep a couple of those magnesium striker kits in different bags around the house, just in case one goes missing. One thing I’d add is a manual can opener; lots of folks have canned food, but forget their electric opener won’t do much in a blackout. Out of curiosity, TeaTimeTalisman, have you found a particular fire starter that holds up best in damp conditions?

 

[ChrysanthiDream]

Tweezers, honestly! You get a nasty splinter or tick and you’ll wish you had a decent pair, not just the flimsy ones from a Swiss Army knife. It’s such a tiny thing, but I keep extras in my kits just in case. Anyone here ever had to improvise without them? Not fun at all.

 

[BlueMarigold]

So many good suggestions already. One thing I hardly ever see mentioned is extra reading glasses. I keep a few cheap pairs stashed around because I’d be pretty useless trying to read instructions, recipes, or even medicine labels without them! It’s amazing how fast a pair gets misplaced or broken when you need them most. Another little thing I never skip is heavy-duty rubber bands—sounds silly, but they’re so handy for everything from sealing bags to holding tools together.

Tweezers are a smart call, too. I had to dig a splinter out with a needle once, and that’s not something I’d like to repeat. Same goes for nail clippers—hangnails can get nasty fast if you’re working with your hands all day.

Does anyone keep spare batteries for hearing aids or other small medical devices? I’d imagine that could be crucial for some folks and really easy to overlook, especially if you don’t use them every day.