The "small stuff".

[Usingmyrights]

I got to thinking about preps today and was wondering about some of the odds and ends that people may forget. For example let's say you keep extra gas for the chainsaw to buck up firewood. Do you have 2 cycle oil and bar/chain lube? Sure you could try to make do with something else or turn to using saws and an ax, but I'd much rather spend a few extra dollars for the right oil. I guess this fall into the same group as extra wicks for amy oil lamps. So I guess the question is, what are some of the things needed to keep your preps going that you may not have on hand or have extra of?

[galee]

How about extra leathers for the hand water pump, extra parts for the tractor--when something needs repair or replacement on our equipment, DH buy the part he needs and 2 more for the shop shelf. This is usually small things--belts, hoses, lines, widgets.....Then there is replacement line for the clothes line--it will wear out eventually. There are a million things we could need--the only way to try to have it is to buy it to keep in stock for "just in case".

[Homesteader]

Can opener. Bottle opener. Nail clippers. Scissors. Extra tray liners for the dehydrator trays and something to cover the food in case they had to be used solar.

[houndlover]

I considered keeping parts and fuel for our powered equipment, but decided against it. For a short term shtf situation, we have fuel enough to survive, but for a long term, I figure to adapt and get on without - so for 21 years, we've kept horses and or mules, for pleasure, and in an emergency, power and transportation. We do have tarps stockpiled - those wear out and are so useful, and when they go on sale, we buy a few extra and keep them in their wrapping.

[fancy1]

Bicycle tubes and a hand pump.
Zip ties, asst sizes.
Chain files, gotta keep those chainsaws sharp!

[countryfied2011]

eye glasses repair kits...Dh accidently put his knee down on his glasses last night bent them a little and the pin came out. We were going to take them to Target Eye place but then I remembered that most drug stores sell the little kits. Picked up 2 for $2.00. Stuck one in the misc prep box.

[Danaus29]

I don't have any lamp wicks or extra oil for them. Could never find the wicks when we used the lamps for camping. Got extra oil once but those plastic bottles break pretty easy when they get old (which makes a real mess) so now I have no extra oil either.

Got lots of 2 cycle oil and bar oil. You can buy that by the gallon, and usually on clearance in late spring.

Things I need to stock more of;
sugar, we're always using it
flour
matches
a scissors sharpener
honing stone, got one, need a couple more
clothes line
cold weather gloves
socks, you can never have too many socks
stainless steel screws (sounds kind of stupid but they have come in handy)
tarps
hand sewing needles
iron on patches for clothing repair

Now I'm in the mood to go shopping. Don't have money to go but feel like shopping anyway.

[plowhand]

If you got blades, then you got to have files, and sharpening stones. You have to have the right ones for the job. It's hard to sharpen a hoof knife with a big mill bastard!

[Danaus29]

I think one of dh's better auction buys was a big box of files for a few dollars. All kinds of files there, more than he'll use in his lifetime.

[TripleD]

I dont want to get off your message here and it's a good one. When I saw the title I thought about the " little things " in Zombie Land , and the Twinkies are gone..... Please forgive me just had a rough week!

[Ann-NWIowa]

Clothes pins, safety pins, extra leather belt for treadle sewing machine, sewing machine oil, extra needles for machine, lots of extra canning lids & jars, extra sealing ring for canners. Extra/replacements for regularly used kitchen hand utensils such as can openers, whisks, knives etc. Good kitchen knives are an essential tool plus a way to sharpen them. Extra footwear which is impossible to produce at home. Extra work gloves -- several pairs.

[whodunit]

Shoelaces.

[Usingmyrights]

The extra gasket for the scanner is an a good one and probably often over looked.

[Mutti]

One of my best auction buys was several dozen hoe and shovel handles...auctioneer making jokes until I pointed out how much good new handles cost. Point to me! In reality,face it, you just can't store everything you'd ever need. I just don't worry. Try to keep a backup for important things but if things really did hit the fan our lifestyles will all go back a century or two.

[TheMartianChick]

Originally Posted by TripleD

I dont want to get off your message here and it's a good one. When I saw the title I thought about the " little things " in Zombie Land , and the Twinkies are gone..... Please forgive me just had a rough week!

Rule # 1 - Cardio

[al]

Extra preparation H.

[Ozarks Tom]

The old prepper saying "two is one, and one is none" is true, especially when Murphy is acting up.

Belts wear out, or break unexpectedly. Motors quit. Most everything we have that's powered has a manual backup. I couldn't turn the garden manually anymore, so we've got a spare motor and belts for our tiller. I converted our generator over to tri-fuel, and keep about 60 gallons of gas on hand, plus 220 gallons of propane.

We're starting to hit yard sales more, looking for old tools and other well built items.