What’s Your Most Overlooked Prep Item?

[PrepperLinda65]

Everyone talks about water, food, and medical supplies, but I rarely see folks mention extra glasses or contact lenses. If you rely on corrective lenses and something happens to your only pair, you’re in a world of trouble. I keep a backup pair sealed in a waterproof container in my go-bag, plus a repair kit and spare contacts with saline. Eyesight isn’t something you want to gamble on during an emergency.

Another thing that seems overlooked is manual can openers. I’ve lost count of how often someone has a stash of canned goods but no way to reliably open them without electricity, or their one opener is old and rusted out. I keep two decent ones on hand.

Curious what other

 

[TeaTimeTalisman]

One thing that hardly ever gets mentioned is dental care. If you’ve ever had a toothache, you know how miserable that can make you, and it’s even worse if you’re dealing with stress and limited resources. I always tuck away some temporary dental filling material (they sell it over the counter now), a couple of soft toothbrushes, floss, clove oil, and a dental mirror. I also throw in a pack of chewable toothbrushes for times when water’s scarce.

Another item folks overlook: sturdy gardening or work gloves. Even everyday tasks get riskier if you have

 

[BlueMarigold]

Wind-up clocks or battery-powered alarms almost never get mentioned, but they’re critical if you rely on devices for waking up or timing things (like bread rising or rotating garden irrigation). Phones can die or lose charge when power’s out. Having an old-school clock’s saved my bacon more than once

 

[MeadowWhisperer]

Another thing that seems overlooked is manual can openers. I’ve lost count of how often someone has a stash of canned goods but no way to reliably open them without electricity, or their one opener is old and rusted out.

Absolutely agree about manual can openers—I've actually put two in my kit, just in case one breaks or disappears. It's a simple thing but without it, a whole shelf of canned food becomes useless unless you fancy using a chisel (not recommended, ask me how I know). One thing I’d add: look for the heavy-duty types over the dollar store versions, which can bend or jam at the worst moments. Also, those old “church key” openers work for more than just bottles and cans, so I keep one of those tucked away too.

On a similar note, what about those little spare parts no one thinks about? Like extra screws or a tiny bottle of oil for the opener’s hinge