When you think stockpile, do you think food? I know I do. There are some very important non-food items to stockpile too, that we shouldn’t forget.
FYI, some of these items might be something you can make yourself. For example, some people might make their own deodorant. Consequently, If you make something yourself, you may want to stockpile the items to make them.
What is FIFO?
You don’t want to eat bad food, obviously. For that reason, it’s a good idea to know what FIFO is, if you don’t already. It stands for First In First Out. Generally, this method is used on food, the oldest food gets eaten first.
When you come home from the grocery store, you place the new stuff in the back. This helps ensure that you don’t have food spoiling.
Non-food items need to be stored using the FIFO method also. Shampoo, soap, etc… all have expiration dates. Many of them MAY last past that date, but it’s still best to use the FIFO method.
Non-Food Items to Stockpile
- Shampoo
- Conditioner (if you use it)
- Soap Nuts or laundry detergent (or homemade laundry detergent recipe)
- Bar soap
- Toilet paper
- Cloth napkins & Unpaper towels (alternative to buying paper towels) If there is a water shortage, having real paper towels might also be a benefit.
- Lip Balm (Here’s my recipe to make your own)
- Sewing kits
- Suture Kit ( link to practice kit)
- Bug Repellent Spray and/or Roll-on bug Repellent for on-the-go.
- Ammunition
- Toothbrushes (Buy them in bulk)
- Toothpaste
- Office supplies (buy a kit)
- Batteries – Certainly, buy all the sizes you might need
- Outdoor solar lights/flashlights
- LED Lanterns/Solar Lanterns
- Candles – Emergency candles burn a long time.
- Lighters
- Matches – Strike anywhere if you can find them
- Hair ties – For the long-haired people, you know what it is…
- Medicine – for example, pain reliever, fever reducer, heartburn meds, cold, cough, allergy, etc…
- Deodorant
- Lotion because no one wants to be ashy, dry, and/or chapped!
- Sunscreen of course to avoid sunburns! Undoubtedly, my favorite brand is Blue lizard.
- Vinegar – It’s cheap and has many uses, especially cleaning.
- Peroxide is certainly good for many things. For instance, cleaning and first aid.
- Hand sanitizer
- Rubbing alcohol
- Garbage bags
- Bleach
- Castor Oil is great for first aid uses and for making all kinds of stuff. Check out the benefits of castor oil.
- Antibiotic Ointment
- Essential Oils
- Baby wipes – Make your own baby wipes with this recipe.
- Paper plates and utensils – good if there is a water shortage.
- Feminine Products
– think about including a menstrual cup too. - First-aid supplies
- Dish soap
– think about including a Non-Food Items Continued…
- Plastic zipper bags
- Vitamins
- Duct tape
- Rope – paracord, nylon string
- Activated charcoal indeed, can be used along with toothpaste and many other uses.
- Epsom salt is, of course, great in the garden and around the home.
- Colloidal silver
- Tarps are undoubtedly important in a disaster.
- Condoms – Certainly, you know what these are for.
- Pet first aid kit because no pet should be left behind!
- Pet Food
- Emergency dental kit because you never want to be in pain during an emergency situation!
- Heirloom seeds, in case you want to start a garden!
- Lamp oil, generally to be able to see when the night falls.
- Baking soda because it has many uses including cleaning.
- Bentonite clay because you can use it to make toothpaste.
- Medicine droppers, since these are used in many homemaking projects, and to dispense medicine.
- Washboard sink & Manual clothes wringer (for washing clothes with no electricity.)
- Cloth diapers
- Glue – (an assortment of glue-like super glue or wood glue, etc…)
- Nails and bolts
- Tools for projects are certainly important.
- Maps because you never know when you will need to bug out.
- Weather/emergency radio can help you keep track of the weather while there’s a storm nearby.
- Manicure/Pedicure Kit
- Cotton balls, cotton swabs
- Vaseline
- Dental Floss generally can be used for many things, not just flossing.
- Knife sharpener because what good is a knife if it’s dull?
- Emergency Toilet (bucket toilet)
- Garden tools – Surely you’ll want to have a garden.
- Diatomaceous Earth
- Mouse and Rat Traps – This is undoubtedly, a must in my book
- Other Pest traps
- Witch Hazel because it’s an antiseptic and can be used on hemorrhoids.
- Reusable plastic zipper bags.
- Fuel, like gas and propane to power your chain saw, generator, grill, etc…
- Aluminum Foil – Great for cooking potatoes in a fire, and many other uses!
What did I miss? Let me know in the comments!
I’d love To Know what you think!… Leave me a comment!
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This is the best list. Have a lot of freeze dried food bought about 5 or 6 years ago. Always stocking up on other things.
Thank you
Paulette
Thank you Gilda! I just updated this list recently. Glad to know my hard work is going to good use!
So glad to hear that you are prepared.
You’re welcome. God Bless!
Vaseline and cotton balls to start a fire. Vaseline has a lot of other uses, as well as skin protection.
I’ve used baking soda for shampoo several times.
A COFFEE POT, drip type or camping pot. I know the coffee itself might not last long. But I would need to gradually wean myself off of it. LOL
Squirt and/spray bottles for bidet use, conserving water, and more.
Debbie
Ah great stuff, thank Debbie! I look into trying to add these. Although I think I did add some to the new printable I just made.
Hi! I love your list! The only thing I disagree with, is the “not eating outdated food”. Rotation is super important, but dates on food is simply for companies to move product. Outdated food is good years later in many cases. The only thing the FDA requires dates on is infant formula. So much food is wasted Boyle knowing this.
Thank Laura, I changed the wording to say bad food…I agree especially in an emergency I would eat food that is past the use by date. However, I can’t suggest other people to do that. I’m sure some triple letter agency would have an issue with that and give me a giant fine!
Some containers could be added so things stay dry i.e. matches in zipper bag or metal can along with paper/personal products there are lots of options that can be stiffed well etc.
Just an FYI, lamp oil freezes. In my hunting shack here in Montana I went back to just plain old Kerosene.
Ah, good tip, thanks Mike.
I also have ziploc bags and heavy duty aluminum foil. And ptopane tanks filled. But very good informative list thank you!
Hey Lisa,
Great suggestions! I’ve added them to the list!
Thank you!
~Kristi
With everything going on this year, this list is perfect. we don’t have very much as far as non perishable foods. I started earlier this year stocking up. this list is really great, wish I could print it.
Hey Karen! So glad you liked it!
There is a print button in the share buttons. Looks like a printer! On the print page, you can click to delete almost any content that you don’t want to print. It’s kind of annoyingly slow, but it’s nice not to print images and unneeded kinds of stuff. Saving ink!