10 Most Important Preppers Supplies To Get BEFORE The Next Crisis

By "Just In Case" Jack | Updated: 02/22/2024

Best Prepper Supplies stacked on a table - water container, medical pouch, seed vault, batteries, radioToday I’ve got something incredibly important to share…

A List Of The 10 Most Important Supplies To Get BEFORE The Next Crisis

Because it’s always wise to double-check you have everything before it’s too late.

TOPICS IN THIS LIST…    ↓(click to jump)
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Prepper Supplies Vs. Prepper Gear

Before we jump in, I want to introduce myself.

Hey, I’m Jack – Co-founder of SkilledSurvival & TheResilientLife

And I’ve been helping folks get more prepared since 2013.

NOTE: If you’d prefer to watch a video over reading watch my video below.

Otherwise continue past…

↓ 10 Prepper Supplies To Stockpile BEFORE The Next Crisis

Now, I want to distinguish between prepper supplies and gear.

In my mind, prepper gear includes items and tools you use over and over again in an emergency.

So, for instance, a water storage container is a tool you use to store water.

The container is prepper gear, while the water inside is the prepper supply.

So, prepper supplies are the items you use up in a crisis.

All the stuff you consume in an emergency.

Supplies are items you can trade with others, especially if you have extra when a real crisis hits.

So with that clarification out of the way, let’s hop right into the first prepper supply.

It’s one I’ve already mentioned; it’s water.

"Just In Case" Jacks Water Supplies

1. Water Stockpile

We all know water is critical.

That’s why you need a healthy stockpile of H2O.

If you’re new to preparing, you should start with a two-week water supply.

And the way you calculate this amount is,

“1 Gallon Per Person Per Day.”

Some “experts” claim a half-gallon per person is enough. But I don’t agree.

Why? Because you use water for more than just drinking.

You also need it for sanitation, clean-up, and cooking food.

And water is something I want a little more of than not enough.

Now, after a crisis begins and the taps are dry, you’ll start using up your water supplies, right?

And if you’re smart, you’ll immediately start looking for a new way to get more water—freshwater to replace your stockpile.

Some people have water wells; if that’s you, buy a solar pump or an emergency well hand pump.

That way, you can pump water out of your well, even if the power is out.

Another popular way to collect MORE water is via a rainwater collection system.

So, there are several strategies to get new freshwater after a crisis. But you need a nice long runway of water to start with.

And make sure you have water filtration gear.

Water is an essential prepper supply; everybody knows it, so learn to store water correctly without delay.

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"Just In Case" Jack's Food Prepper Supplies

2. Food Stockpile

The second major survival supply everyone needs is a lot of nonperishable food.

Now, there are several ways to go about food stockpiling. It’s an extremely broad and complicated topic.

But if you want to keep it simple, buy freeze-dried food (or survival food kits) from a reputable vendor.

I like freeze-dried food because it can sit on my shelf for 25-30 years.

I don’t have to worry about it!

One of my favorite suppliers is Valley Food Storage; it’s the freeze-dried food I bought.

I also made a large purchase from Legacy Food Storage as well.

Since I already have a lot of food, I watch for good deals on freeze-dried food.

When I see one, I add it to my stockpile.

And since I’m not eating this stuff unless I have to, I don’t worry too much about how it tastes.

I also don’t care if it’s not the healthiest food I’ve ever eaten.

I don’t want it to be trash or make me sick.

But in an emergency, any calorie’s going to taste amazing.

So I’m looking for a really good deal from a quality vendor.

That’s why I recommend you check out these two websites (Valley or Legacy) for deals that come around.

If you don’t have a stockpile of nonperishable foods, don’t wait for a deal; get some immediately!

If you delay, you could be without food when the next crisis hits.

Then, once you have two weeks’ worth, look for deals to expand your stockpile.

But getting your food stockpile in place is the number two prepper supply you need.

3. Medical Prepper Supplies

The third prepper supply you need to stock up on is medical supplies.

I recommend investing in a quality IFAK pouch or kit.

Because a medical pouch or kit itself is gear, but many items are medical supplies within the bag or pouch.

Consumables such as bandages, gauze, wraps, creams, and ointments are supplies.

You’ll use them once, and then eventually, you’ll need more.

But a tourniquet is a tool, so that would be prepper gear.

The bottom line is:

Over time, medical supplies will get used up in a crisis.

So it’s wise to buy extra of those items.

Also, you can trade medical supplies in a pinch, so it’s a great supply for bartering.

Because if somebody doesn’t have any medical supplies and you have extra, you could trade for more food or ammo.

If someone has a nasty cut and is worried about an infection, what’s a squirt of Neosporin worth?

So, it’s never a bad thing to have some extra medical supplies.

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Want a free 78 item prepper checklist?

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9mm pistol bullets on old wooden table.

4. Ammunition

The next prepper supply everybody should have in their home is ammo.

First off, you need to store it properly.

This is an investment, so treat it like an investment.

Put it in air-tight ammo containers with quality seals.

You should also add desiccants and ensure it’s somewhere that can’t flood but stays cool in the summer.

I also recommend you take the ammo out of their cardboard boxes.

Only THEN putting it into your sealed ammo boxes.

That way, you’re not introducing any moisture.

Why? Because cardboard contains trace amounts of moisture.

And if it sits inside a sealed container, the moisture will compromise the ammo over long periods.

So, store it right.

Get lots of it for whatever firearms you have.

Again, it’s another thing you could trade if you have more than you need.

stack of firewood

5. Fuel & Firewood Prepper Supplies

Next up on the list is fuel.

When I say “fuel,” I mean gasoline, diesel, kerosene, AND firewood.

You’ll use these energy stockpiles to care for your family in an emergency.

You need lots of firewood if you have a wood stove or you’re running a rocket stove for cooking.

Those are both prepper gear that requires firewood to operate.

And you don’t want to have to chop down the tree in your backyard to do so, at least right away.

All bets are off if things get really bad out there for years.

But for now, start with a decent stockpile of fuels and firewood to protect your family.

Especially if you live somewhere where it gets cold in the winter.

You may want to stock more, but if you plan to use wood for heating and cooking, keep a CORD of wood minimum at all times.

You’ll need a plan to keep warm in cooler climates.

Now, if you have a backup generator, you’ll need to store some fuel for it, especially when winter comes.

Just be aware gasoline has a fairly short shelf life.

You can add additives to the gasoline to help prolong it, or you can rotate it.

But you also have to think about where you’re storing it.

If you have a massive amount of gasoline, you don’t want to put them in your garage or basement.

But if you put it in a storage shed outside, it could get really hot out there, and there could be safety issues.

So you should think hard and long about the safest place to put it.

And you need to look into your local laws to see what’s legal.

The bottom line is:

You need a healthy fuel stockpile for your prepper supplies.

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Want a free 78 item prepper checklist?

Click here to instantly download this Complete Checklist PDF. No purchase necessary.

6. Heirloom Seeds

All right, the next prepper supply is seeds.

Every prepper should have some seeds on hand, specifically heirloom seeds.

You should store them in a sealed container.

And inside the container, put them into sealed Mylar packaging as well.

That way, they’re good for many years.

You want to prevent planting them in a crisis at all costs only to discover they’re a bunch of duds.

Several years ago, I bought these survival seeds online.

It’s a survival garden.

When you open it up, there are a bunch of individual seed packets.

Ideally, they come in Mylar pouches inside, and then keep them in a refrigerator to keep everything cold.

Everybody should invest in a few seeds; it’s cheap insurance.

But in a crisis, the payoff could be massive.

And if they’re heirloom seeds, you should learn the art of seed saving.

This technique is where you save some of the seeds during the harvest.

Then you use some of those seeds and plant them the following year.

If it works out, you could have a perpetual system of producing fruits and veggies and never run out.

7. Cash, Gold, Silver

Next on the list is money.

I’m talking cash, gold, and silver.

You should have some of that in your home.

Now, if you have a lot of gold and silver and we ever get to the point where you have to trade somebody a gold bar, I caution you, you’re putting it a target on your back.

If somebody knows you have a ton of gold, and they have firearms, and they’re not a nice guy, and they know you have gold…

Well, that’s a recipe for disaster.

They could “relieve” you of your gold in times of anarchy, especially in a serious, long-term crisis.

And by “relieve,” I mean to kill you and take it!

But you should have some gold, some silver coins just in case.

You need something physical that holds its value over time.

Something to trade with should time ever get THAT desperate.

Some people add gold to their financial portfolios as an inflationary hedge.

And I agree!

That’s why you may want to own some gold in your financial portfolios.

But you should also take ownership of physical metals in your home, some gold, silver coins, and cash.

I don’t know what the next disaster’s going to be.

But having gold, silver, and cash gives me options.

And having lots of options is a resilient way to live.

That’s the point.

It makes me more resilient as a human.

So, while I highly recommend having some physical gold and silver, I’ll let you decide how much.

If you’re worried, do a bit more; if you’re not as concerned, do a little.

But don’t do NOTHING!

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Want a free 78 item prepper checklist?

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empty toilet paper roll

8. Toilet Paper | Sanitary Wipes

The next pepper supply everybody should have in their home is a lot of toilet paper.

We learned this lesson recently after there was a run on toilet paper.

The fragile masses freaked out.

It’s crazy to think TP is the one item people thought,

“Oh no, I should have this,”

But here’s the deal, if you’re a real prepper, you don’t wait in lines.

You don’t freak out. You don’t go to the store in a crazy scenario like that.

I mean, there was a freaking pandemic breaking out, and everybody’s flooding the stores to get TP!

But crowded grocery stores are where you’re most likely to get sick.

What if the pandemic was even worse than it was?

What if the death rate and the mortality rate were extremely dangerous?

Are you going to risk your life for some TP?

No, thank you.

So, get TP ahead of time. Get it now.

Now’s the time to buy it, stockpile it, forget about it, and not touch it until the next crisis.

This stuff lasts long, especially if you keep it away from ANY moisture.

Make sure it doesn’t get wet so it won’t mold.

You can also do a rotation if you’d like, or you could buy some small TP wet tabs for your emergency TP stockpile.

They cost a little bit more but save a ton of space.

So those could be an option if you’re looking for a way to stockpile.

I also include baby wipes in this prepper supply category.

They can come in handy when you don’t want to use your water supply to clean up a little bit.

Use baby wipes to clean your face and hands and feel somewhat fresh without wasting water.

So TP and sanitary wipes are prepper supplies you should have in your home before the next crisis.

cigarette butts

9. Vices

Next up is what I call vices.

People want these things, especially if they’re no longer available.

The items they’ll have withdrawals without are vices because they’re addicting.

The first vice that comes to mind is cigarettes, and another is alcohol.

If you have these supplies in your home, you won’t have trouble trading them with desperate people.

It’s a fair trade,

“Hey, you really need a drink, you haven’t had one in a while? I’ll trade this shot for your nice boots.”

Or maybe you like to consume some of these vices, and you’re worried,

“Hey if things get really bad, I’m going to need this.”

For example:

When they put curfews and limits on alcohol stores around where I live, there was a huge run on alcohol.

So you know, people freak out when there are limits on vices.

So you want to get a nice supply of those items.

Prepper Checklist eBook Cover - with gas mask on a SHTF scenery background

Want a free 78 item prepper checklist?

Click here to instantly download this Complete Checklist PDF. No purchase necessary.

10. Batteries

The next prepper supply everybody should own is batteries.

Everyone owns a lot of devices that use batteries.

What’s cool is getting a solar charger, like some recharging using the sun.

Solar gear allows you can to recharge batteries.

USB BatteriesOr you can use what’s called a USB battery.

These USB batteries allow you to take the top off and plug it into any USB port.

Then it will recharge if you have a solar charger or an electrical outlet.

  • Or use just basic rechargeable batteries.
  • Or you can buy a lot of regular batteries as well.

Battery OrganizerAnd here’s a good way to organize them.

This organizer’s pretty sweet.

It makes it easy, and I don’t have batteries lying everywhere.

But having a good supply of batteries is wise to put in your prepper’s supply checklist.

Make sure you get some of those.

Final Thoughts

So those are the 10 things every house should own regarding prepper supplies before the next crisis.

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