What’s Your Most Overlooked Prep Item?

[GarnetDusk]

We all stash food, water, and first aid, but I rarely see folks mention manual can openers or sewing kits. What’s that one item you think gets missed too often in most setups? Curious if there’s something I haven’t considered yet.

 

[BlueMarigold]

Hand-crank radios with weather alerts are almost always left out, but they’re a big one for me. When storms rolled through a few summers back and the power was out for days, that little radio was my lifeline for updates. I’ve seen lots of folks focus on food and water, which makes sense, but if you can’t get news or emergency info you might miss evacuation orders, weather warnings, or just basic reassurance when things are stressful.

Another thing: gloves! Good work gloves, not just gardening ones. Clearing debris or working with wood, you’ll be glad for thick, sturdy pairs. It’s not something I thought much about until after dealing with some rough scrap lumber, now I always stash extras in my kit.

GarnetDusk mentioned sewing kits and I agree—mending tents or clothes makes a big difference when you can’t just pop out to the store.

Anyone else ever actually had to use their overlooked items in a real situation? Curious what came in handy for you all.

 

[TeaTimeTalisman]

We all stash food, water, and first aid, but I rarely see folks mention manual can openers or sewing kits. What’s that one item you think gets missed too often in most setups? Curious if there’s something I haven’t considered yet.

Manual can openers are a real blind spot for lots of folks—mine sits right on the counter, just in case. One thing I rarely see mentioned is a stash of spare eyeglasses or reading glasses. If you rely on those and lose or break them during an emergency, it makes everything else a lot harder, from reading instructions to sewing a torn shirt like GarnetDusk mentioned. I keep a couple pairs tucked in different bags for exactly that reason. Funny how it’s the everyday things you can’t just improvise in a pinch!