Being a prepper is not an easy title to have. Always being at the ready for any sort of situation that changes the way of life as we know it today requires a lot of time, talent, dedication, and a whole lot of responsibilities. Among all of the duties that you need to stay on top of as a 24/7 prepper is your SHTF list of supplies.
A SHTF supplies list is a list of items that you need to own and have equipped when s*** hits the fan. Whether that stuff hitting the fan is an economic collapse, breakdown of our government, nuclear war, or anything else, having the supplies and equipment that you absolutely need in order to survive is extremely important to how you’ll live out your life in a survival or apocalyptic situation.
Today, we’re going to be talking about 10 items that should be on anyone’s SHTF supply list and why you need to carry them.
We’ve got quite a lot to talk about, so without further ado, let’s jump right into things.
1. Toiler Paper & Paper Towel
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The first things you need to always have plenty of are toilet paper and paper towels. These are two household things that we often take for granted, and while they can be easy to overlook, they’re two similar things that will serve you extremely well in a survival scenario.
In regards to toilet paper, just think about how many times you use this on a daily basis. Your bowels and bladder are going to keep on a chugging even during the most dire setting, and as such, you need to have the necessary tools to clean up for their doings.
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Along with this, paper towels are a product that can be used for a wide array of different things. Between cleaning up messes, handling raw meat, cleaning wounds, and so much more, paper towels are one of those things that becomes invaluable in the prepper world when you find yourself really needing to call upon your skills for whatever reason.
2. Bags (Trash & Ziploc)
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Something else that’s important to keep with you are plastic bags — more specifically, heavy duty trash and Ziploc bags.
Heavy duty trash bags will be essential for gathering up trash and other waste for later disposal, and if you really need to, you can also use these for carrying other supplies that you don’t have room for elsewhere.
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As for the Ziploc bags, these can be used to store and house a variety of different things — including food, medical supplies, and more. Ziploc bags do a fantastic job at keeping its contents safe of any unwanted moisture or water, and just to make sure you can properly carry everything that needs proper storage, we recommend getting quite a few Ziploc bags in a variety of different shapes and sizes.
3. Shovels
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Of all the prepper tools that are out there, few are as useful or versatile as a quality shovel. We recommend picking up a folding entrenching shovel so it’s easy to take with you wherever you go, even if you bring one with you that isn’t able to fold, it’ll still be just as useful.
Shovels are great for digging holes and trenches, and you can use these for taking shelter in, going to the bathroom, and more. Plus, if you happen to find yourself in a situation where you need to enact self-defense, you can deliver a seriously powerful blow with a shovel as well.
Not to mention, a shovel can also come in handy if you come across some wildlife that’s within arm’s reach but you need something a bit more powerful to take it out with than just your hands.
4. Can Opener
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Canned food is going to be your best friend during a survival situation, and while canned food itself can be rather tasty and extremely beneficial to you and your group, it won’t do you any good if you don’t have proper means to open it.
Although not impossible to open canned food without a can opener, having one will make your life considerably easier than trying to wrestle a can open without it. Can openers are typically quite small and inexpensive, so do yourself a favor and pick one up so you don’t end up regretting it later on down the road.
5. Bar Soap
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Staying clean and hygienic is an important factor that often gets overlooked when times get tough, but if you don’t have anything to clean yourself or your tools, surviving will become a lot less enjoyable.
Bar soap is critical to any situation, as it can be used for basic washing of your body, cleaning utensils, prevent infections, and plenty more. Bar soap has gotten rather cheap over the years, and it’s quite easy to stock up on the stuff as well.
6. BIC Lighter
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Having access too fire will separate the men from the boys in the survivalist world, and while it is possible to create fire without help from lighters, having access to one will make your life quite a bit easier and more convenient.
BIC lighters will often get you quite a bit of use out of just a single one, and even if you’re confident in your ability to make fire without one, it’s also something that will become invaluable and greatly sought after by other survivalists if things get really, really bad.
Other people out there will likely trade you a multitude of things for access to a BIC lighter, so if you’re confident in your bartering skills and want to have access to great trades in the future, a BIC lighter will serve you well in these regards too.
7. Blankets
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If you’re in an area where it gets cold during certain parts of the day or year, a nice, warm blanket will be crucial to your survival. Blankets help to retain body heat that’s lost during colder temperatures, so wrapping a couple of these around you will allow your body to stay warm and healthy even during the most bitter nights.
Along with this, you can also fashion a blanket into a tourniquet of sorts if you find yourself in an emergency situation. A proper first aid kit will also be your go-to solution for wounds, cuts, infections, etc, but a blanket can work in a pinch if you need to stop excessive bleeding ASAP.
Final Thoughts
With that said, those are the top 7 things that we’d recommend putting on your SHTF list of supplies if they aren’t already on there. There are obviously other tools and products out there that will come in handy when you’re trying to fight for your life, but the 7 here are things that we’ve found to be the most useful/overlooked items that were worth talking about.
