This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I'll earn a small fee at no extra cost to you.*
When thinking about what to stockpile in case of a major collapse, it’s easy to get caught up in the big stuff and forget about all the little things. I’m talking about small items we use almost every single day and never think twice about until they’re gone. Things like soap, trash bags, toilet paper, and so forth. These things are inexpensive right now, but after the shit hits the fan they will be very valuable.
That’s why when you’re preparing for a disaster, you need to make sure you don’t forget all the little things. When the power is out and you don’t know when (or if) it will come back on, a simple toothbrush will be worth far more than smart phones, video games, and fancy flat screen televisions. The world will be turned on its head and what was once expensive will be cheap and what was once cheap will be expensive. And that is all the more reason you should stock up on the cheap stuff while you still can. If a total collapse never happens, you’ll be able to use this stuff anyway, so no harm done.
Now without further ado, here is my list of dirt-cheap items that will be worth their weight in gold after the SHTF.
1. Toilet paper is essential. You don’t even have to buy the good stuff. Anything will do after a major collapse; even the cheap stuff will be valuable.
2. Duct tape is so useful. Even the stuff at the dollar store will do for minor jobs around the house. Duct tape is a miracle worker in a survival situation.
3. Baking soda is a multipurpose tool you will want to have plenty of. It can be used to deodorize (think about the lack of sanitation), clean, brush your teeth, and of course, bake with.
4. Feminine hygiene products will be in huge demand. Stock up on them now when they don’t cost a fortune.
5. Toothbrushes can be purchased at any dollar store. Dental hygiene is going to be a big deal when you can’t run to the dentist to fix a cavity.
6. Kleenex will help keep your nose from getting raw while you battle colds that are bound to happen after a disaster. Kleenex can also help keep things a bit more sanitary. You don’t want to be wiping boogers and snot on your sleeves, especially if there’s no running water.
7. Socks are going to be critical for keeping your feet warm and dry, and they can prevent blisters. Buy extra packs of socks so your family’s feet will always be dry and comfortable.
8. Shoestrings are easily overlooked today, but when you are trying to walk a mile without your shoe tied because the lace broke, you are going to be in bad shape. Buy loads of cheap shoestrings in various sizes. You can always fix a shoe, but the laces are pretty much done when they break.
9. Plasticware and paper plates will help keep your area tidy, and they’ll save on water because you won’t need to wash dishes. You can burn the plates for heat after they are used.
10. Paper, pens, crayons and whatnot. We take these things for granted today and don’t think twice about finding a pencil around the house. But after a collapse, you will be responsible for educating any children you might have, and writing is going to be a big deal. You may also want to keep a journal. Historic times!
11. Candy, the hard candies mostly, will be a welcome treat. They can be used as incentives for grumpy kids and help keep your mouth wet on a hot day. Stock up on hard candy after Halloween.
12. Chap stick is going to be a big deal when you’re spending a lot of time outdoors. Some people will be willing to barter food and other valuables for your $1 tube of chap stick after a collapse.
13. Sandwich bags are also important. You will use these quite a bit to keep organized, pack lunches, keep matches dry, store leftover food, and so forth. In most cases, you can even wash and reuse them.
14. Soap in any form is going to be extremely valuable after a collapse. Buy the cheap stuff, bars or liquid, it doesn’t matter. People need to be able to clean themselves, their clothes, and their surroundings.
15. Hand sanitizer is also going to be very needed and valuable. You can buy a bottle for a buck. Have plenty to use around the house and barter with.
16. Trash bags should be purchased by the case if you can swing it. They’re only a couple bucks a box. After a disaster, you’ll be going through them like crazy. Not only will they help keep smells down, you can use them to make toilets as well.
17. Lotion will be a luxury as well as a necessity. Manual labor will lead to dry, chapped hands. Moisturizing them can prevent the dry, cracked skin that can be painful and eventually lead to sores that could put you at risk of infection.
18. Vitamins are going to be critical for maintaining your health when your diet is lacking raw fruits and veggies. You can load up on these in bulk or buy them at the dollar store. Have a variety of the important ones like vitamins A, C, D and E on hand.
19. Razors for the ladies and the guys. You can buy cheap, universal, disposable razors. Just because the world has gone to hell doesn’t mean you should give up every last nicety in life, like being clean-shaven. Razors will also come in handy if you need to shave around a wound.
20. Zip ties are about as important as duct tape. They can be used to hold a shelter together, hang items from trees, fix fences, and so on. Buy them in bulk; they only cost a few cents each.
21. Cans of Lysol will be very helpful in keeping your home relatively germ free. When you are battling the many germs and viruses that are running rampant, Lysol can help you fight back. It will also be very handy around the latrine or wherever you have set up your toilet. Bleach expires within 6 months, but Lysol will be fully effective for at least 2 years.
22. Matches and lighters are going to be sought after by everyone. Buy lots and lots of them because believe me, unless you’re an experienced outdoorsman, you don’t want to be stuck trying to build a fire by rubbing two sticks together.
23. Tylenol, Advil, and other painkillers will also be a big deal. They do weaken and lose potency over time, so make sure you are constantly updating your stockpile.
24. Ammunition may not seem cheap in the grand scheme of things, but it is cheaper than it will be down the road. Buy as much as you can now. You can never have too much ammunition.
25. Sunscreen will be very helpful on those days you will be spending outside. It does expire and weaken after a couple of years so always add new stock to your stash. Buy it on clearance at the end of the year to save even more money.
These items are just the little extras that are easily overlooked. Don’t forget about the more widely known things like first aid supplies, spices, and batteries. Remember, these things may be dirt cheap right now, but someday they could be as rare as gold.
like most sites I failed to see the long term items. No tools of any kind. No hunting items. No trapping items. Think of living off grid for years. What did your forefathers use. Then think of what you can now build.
I just saw that you would want to stock up on Lysol for germ disinfecting. I disagree with you. This would be better used as a fire starter or protection from others. Not a germ fighter. This product is so flammable that after you have sprayed your home with it even months later. It will cause your home to burn faster and hotter. Please try the Shaklee Germicide available in undiluted quart bottles or in diluted wipes packaging. They will last longer. Not flammable and easier on the environment. Plus, the germ fighting ability lasts after dried for 72 hours. Much better then the minute of germ fighting of Lysol or bleach.
Tip: The top of window glass on a vehicle is the best/easiest way to sharpen an edge!
After a real SHTF event (if it ever happens), there will likely be a population shrinkage. Some folks just won’t make it. But their durable goods (tools, clothing, firearms, etc.) will still be there, looted and traded among a smaller population. The things that will really be precious are things that are consumable or perishable. Medicines, food, even paper, will no longer be manufactured or distributed.
Dont forget meds, Diabetics ,blood pressure meds ,broad spectrum antibiotics ETC, Would be wise!
when the as you say SHTF all you realy need is ammo!
Sugar, honey, real coco powder, hard liquor, quality pemmican, white, jasmine, wild, Arborio and Basmati rice, vinegar, vanilla extract as well as other extracts and basically anything typically found in an alcohol suspension (including hundreds of herbal remedies and medications like cough medicine), soy sauce, bullion, powdered milk in nitrogen packed cans, corn syrup – basically all of these last forever properly stored. Buy large amounts extra, wait a while after shtf and the value of all will go up very high.
Also remember quality tools and similar items. Wooden axe and splitting maul handles break. Weld steel pipe to a bunch of heads now and you’ll have axes and splitting mauls forever. Welders need either wire or welding rod and neither will likely continue to be manufactured large scale so having a whole lot of it now is sure to be useful – similar to ammo in that regard, both for trade and personal use. Same thing with screws and nails. Remember also to have everything you need to build at least one non-flush toilet system of whatever type you favor. As far as ammo goes obviously you can never have too much of all popular calibers, however, don’t forget to stock numerous reloading kits for yourself and for trade. Also after shtf water purifiers like the Life Straw and similar will be in high demand.
Some basic skills will be worth their weight also. You don’t need a garden to learn how to can and to build a supply of home canned foods. Knowing how to patch a tire is a simple and high value skill, as is any automotive or building skill. Furthermore, for all you with shtf vehicles consider buying a couple/few junkers of the same year, make and model; you’ll eventually want parts. Gas filters, oil filters, air filters, motor oil, transmission fluid, windshield washer fluid – all items pretty much everyone will need.
Generally speaking when it comes to shtf think about everything you’d need if you wanted to live the rest of your life without utilities or services of any kind, without grocery stores, pharmacies, etc. If your plan is to trade, buy way too much of everything, but be sure you learn how to store things properly first. Also recognize that diesel fuel can be stored essentially forever when done properly (gasoline cannot) and diesel engines last many times as long as gasoline engines.
Ummmm coffe. Pretty sure that when shtf and people run out of coffee they would pay dearly for a cup of the stuff. Can’t go a block without a Starbucks in sight.
Yes I know it’s a luxury, but the article was titled 25 things that will be worth their weight in gold after SHTF.
Good point, I wouldn’t be surprised if coffee became a popular barter item.
Another item I would nominate for your list is Bag Balm. Simple hand lotion is okay for normal circumstances, but if you are working extensively in cold weather conditions outdoors, or have your hands/ears/face exposed sunlight for several days, there is nothing better for healing. It is an important first aid product.
The actually experiance of living off grid before tshtf. Priceless…
Toilet paper, duct tape, Baking Soda, Tooth brushes, extra socks, paper, pens, soap, sandwich bags, vitamins, zip ties, matches and ammunition are the only items mentioned that are needed! So much are not mentioned like an extra set of cloths, dehydrated foods, bottles of rubbing alcohol, A anti-fungal anti-bacterial like Blue Coat, bandages, A firearm for each, backpacks, vegetable seeds, flash lights and a battery operated radio plus extra batteries. These 23 would be a great start don’t you think because we may not be able to stay in out house and do you think the grocery store will stay open when it runs out of food???
Blue Jeans!!! I buy them at my local Salvation Army. They have them on sale often, but especially Black Friday, where they are all half off. Many of them are even new with the tags, and I buy them for $3 to $5 a pair. I buy women’s, men’s and children’s in all sizes. They will be very barterable.
One more thought on this subject, if you’ve got a hobby/skill that most other people don’t have, you won’t need so many barter items and you’ll never run out. EX. operating a still for potable water/alcohol, forging weapons and tools, shoe repair/leather work. gunsmithing, animal husbandry/veteraniarian, doctor/nurse/EMT of course, etc.
SALT: Critical for life and important for fish/meat preservation. Keep 25 lbs. per family member and another 200 lbs for trade.
Potable water and alcohol: Got a still and the knowledge to use it? You’ll be rich.
Seed: Corn, Pole Beans and Squash, the three sisters, can be grown together in a guild and provide complete nutrition. Add tomatoes, onion, peppers, herbs, greens, etc. for variety and vitamins/minerals.
Nail polish, mascara, eye liner, etc. will be in high demand.
Playing Cards
First Aid supplies – tweezers, irrigation syringes/needles, suture kits, alcohol (see above), etc.
Sewing Kits
Fishing supplies – especially hooks
The greater the variety of stuff you have, the greater the chance you’ll have something somebody needs who has what you need.
Worth there weight in GOLD. LOL I am not trading anything for gold. So gold wont be worth anything.
EXACTLY!!!
Gold will still be a valuable commodity even after shtf, even if not quite like it is today. You’d have to be an idiot to think that you’ll be just fine as long as you have plenty of precious metals to trade, but a small amount would still prove worthwhile to have on hand.
Fingernail clippers.