You’ve got your canned goods, water jugs, and flashlights lined up. Check, check, and check.
But if that’s all you’re counting on, you might not be as ready as you think.
Let’s be honest—everyone talks about the big three:
- food,
- water,
- and shelter.
But after three years of helping families prepare for uncertain times, I’ve learned there are critical gaps most people miss until it’s too late.
These overlooked essentials separate the kind-of-ready from the truly prepared.
1. The Two-Bucket Bathroom System (Yes, We’re Going There)
I know, I know—not exactly dinner conversation. But staying sanitary when there’s no septic or running water is literally a matter of life and death. Poor waste disposal can take you out faster than hunger.
Here’s the strategy that works: separate buckets for liquid and solid waste.
Why keep them apart? Urine is mostly sterile and breaks down quickly when diluted with gray water (used dishwater, shower water, etc.).
Feces, on the other hand, is loaded with dangerous bacteria. Mix the two and you’ve created a wet, sludgy biohazard that’s way harder to manage.
What you need:
- Two 5-gallon buckets
- Clip-on toilet seat with airtight lids
- Heavy-duty 13-gallon plastic bags
- Absorbent carbon material (pine shavings, pellets, or peat moss)
- Sturdy nitrile gloves
- Separate bag for soiled toilet paper
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The process: Dilute urine with gray water and pour outdoors away from food plants. Cover solid waste with carbon material after each use, let it dry, double-bag it, and store in a pest-proof container.
This system is cheap, scalable, and sanitary when used properly. Don’t skip it.
2. Store Complete Meal Kits, Not Just Ingredients
We talk about stocking rice, beans, and pasta in bulk here on the channel—and those are important.
But when you’re tired, stressed, and dealing with an emergency situation, the last thing you want is staring at a pile of ingredients wondering what to make for dinner.
Create your own ready-to-cook meal kits now while you have time and brain power.
Simple examples:
- Rice + bouillon cube + canned chicken + seasoning packet
- Pasta + tomato powder + dried veggies + parmesan packet
- Oats + powdered milk + cinnamon + sugar + dried fruit
Pack each meal in a mason jar with pre-measured ingredients and simple instructions. Make a week’s worth, store them in a Rubbermaid bin, and test them a few times a month.
Check for taste, function, and—this is important—family morale. Are they saying “Yum!” or “Not again”? In a stressful situation, complete meals beat bland survival calories every time.
GET THE BOOK!
Food Prep Guide: A Plan for Money-Saving, Self-Sustaining Abundance in Hard Times is a book of strategies & tutorials that help you build a long-term pantry that sustains your family on a budget—even in the midst of rising food costs.
3. Fire Starters That Don’t Require an Axe
Sure, there might be plenty of trees around. But let’s make it easier on ourselves, shall we?
Corn cobs are my favorite fire starter hack.
After processing or eating fresh corn, dehydrate the cobs. They’re lightweight, burn hot, and last quite a while. Some folks soak them in kerosene for extra oomph.
Other options:
- Dryer lint stuffed in cotton rounds soaked with petroleum jelly
- Old candle stubs placed in egg cartons (instant fire bricks)
Stash a tub of ready-made fire starters and don’t rely on your ability to swing an axe in a moment’s notice. Trust me on this one.
4. Learn Food Preservation Skills Now
If your backup plan is “I’ll just eat from my stockpile,” that’s not a plan—that’s a countdown.
In a true emergency, assume you either don’t have power or it’s a precious commodity you need to conserve. You need to know how to can, dehydrate, and smoke meat without depending on a freezer.
We have plenty of resources to help in our shop.
We’ve also made it easy with hundreds of videos in our playlists covering canning recipes, dehydrating guides, and meals in jars.
Take advantage of our library—but finish reading this post first. We worked really hard on it!
5. Basic Soap Making from Ash and Fat
Many people stockpile soap, and that’s smart. But what happens when supplies run out?
Basic lye soap from ash and fat is a crucial long-term skill. I’m not an expert soap maker, but in an emergency, we don’t need pretty and scented—we just need clean.
Our ancestors made soap using ashes from fire pits, and so can we. There are important safety considerations, so I recommend checking out the PDF from the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs for proper techniques.
6. A Basic Sewing Kit That Actually Works
A broken zipper, missing button, or torn jeans can be annoying now. Later? It could be a serious problem.
Your prep sewing kit needs:
- Assorted needles (hand sewing and heavy-duty)
- Strong polyester thread (lasts longer than cotton)
- Safety pins and small scissors
- Thimble and seam ripper
- Extra buttons and zippers
- Heavy-duty patches (iron-on or sew-on)
- Dental floss (works for heavy canvas and leather)
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Learn these three critical skills:
- Basic stitching (back stitch or overcast stitch)
- Zipper repair or replacement
- Reinforcing wear zones (knees, elbows, shoulder straps)
Practice on old clothes now so you know how before you really need to.
7. Manual Backups for Digital Assets
Phones are a luxury. Paper equals survival.
Print and laminate maps of your region, favorite recipes, first aid tips, and anything else you might need in hard copy.
Those peel-and-stick laminating sheets work great—no fancy equipment needed.
Create a three-ring binder with your “greatest hits”—recipes, preservation tutorials, gardening info, first aid instructions, plant identification guides.
If you’re like me and have most of your knowledge stored digitally, this becomes your lifeline when the internet goes down.
8. Cast Iron: The Ultimate Emergency Cookware
Get yourself a cast iron skillet and Dutch oven. With those two pieces, you can cook anything you need to cook, and they’ll last for generations.
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Proper cast iron care:
- Clean while warm with hot water and stiff brush
- Use salt as gentle abrasive for stuck food
- Dry immediately (it rusts fast!)
- Season regularly by rubbing with oil and heating until it smokes
The more you use and season properly, the better it gets. It’s like having non-stick cookware that actually improves with age.
9. Prepare for Boredom (Seriously)
Everyone preps for food. Few people prep for morale breakdown.
When you’re stuck inside for weeks with no screens and seemingly nothing to do, that’s when things get rough.
Humans struggling with morale also struggle with motivation, sleep, decision-making, even appetite.
Create a boredom bag with:
- Playing cards or travel games (Uno, Phase 10, mini chess)
- Puzzle books (crosswords, Sudoku, word finds)
- Dice games (print out rules for Yahtzee, Farkle)
- Comfort snacks (hard candy, hot cocoa packets, gum)
- One special treat you never put in regular survival supplies
- A Bible (your ultimate lifeline)
Keep it compact, easy to grab, and full of lightweight mood boosters.
10. Read the Weather Without a Forecast
When power and internet are gone, clouds become your forecast.
If you’re growing food, using solar power, or air-drying laundry, weather prediction becomes critical.
Learn to recognize:
- Cumulonimbus: Tall anvil-shaped clouds = strong storms coming
- Cirrus: Wispy high clouds = weather change in 1-2 days
- Nimbostratus: Flat gray sheets = rain or snow likely
Watch for wind shifts: Sudden direction changes (especially from west/southwest) often mean a front is moving in.
Trust your body: Low pressure often triggers headaches, joint pain, and fatigue. Once you know how your body reacts, you’ll notice storms before they hit.
Keep a manual barometer or small solar weather station as backup.
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This is especially important if you have chronic conditions—knowing symptoms are weather-related makes them way easier to handle mentally.
Your Next Steps
Most people stop prepping at food storage, but as you can see, that’s really just the beginning. These overlooked skills and supplies separate the kind-of-ready from truly prepared.
Start with one or two areas that feel most urgent for your family. You don’t have to tackle everything at once—small, intentional steps add up to big preparedness wins!
