Pick up any preparedness book or visit any preparedness website and you are bound to be inundated with ideas for getting yourself ready for an unexpected disruptive event. After awhile, the eyes begin to glaze over as you realize that you are reading the same thing over and over again.
The good news is that if so many people are talking about something, it must be true, right? For obvious reasons, I am going to leave that one alone for now. Instead, I want to focus on the real life preps from regular folks who are walking the preppers walk. By that I mean ordinary citizens, not authors, not bloggers, and not individuals that are out to make a name for themselves.
I am referring to Backdoor Survival readers.
As those of you that have been following this website know, to enter most giveaways there is a giveaway question designed to make you think. Recently, the question asked was:
What is your favorite non-traditional prep? Be specific.
Some of the answers were indeed, great ideas and quite non-traditional. Others, while more commonplace, were preps that are often overlooked and worthy of repeating. With that in mind, today I share some of the very best non-traditional preps from Backdoor Survival readers.
The Best Non-Traditional Preps from Backdoor Survival Readers
1. Marbles! I use them in my wrist-rocket slingshot. They make great ammo, cost little, and are seen as a toy for children, so they are not as likely to be stolen or confiscated. In addition they are of a uniform size and weight.
2. I used sandbags to create a root cellar in my crawlspace. I could have used wood but didn’t want to attract bugs. Since it’s above ground, I added a vent off our AC unit in order to cool it. It took nearly 6 months for the ground temp to come down but its very reasonable now in the summer!
3. My prep that is not in the norm is my daughter’s blankets. I think that if something really happens, a little piece of home will be good for her. She has this specific type of blanket she likes.
4. A whiteboard and markers. My autistic son will need this to understand a change in his schedule.
5. Books on herb craft. I love using essential oils but if the SHTF then I would not have access to the oils after a while. So, I am growing herbs and learning how to use them fresh or dry.
6. Dr. Bonners Castile soap. Because it is one of those items that has multiple uses, you clean everything from yourself (hair, teeth & skin) to your house and laundry. Multi use items are my favorite things to store.
7. I have a couple of wind-up watches that don’t need batteries and a wind up alarm clock. When batteries run out and cell phones don’t work, there might be some comfort in still being able to tell time. A solar-powered watch would also work.
8. Journaling supplies. They will help me vent should the SHFT.
9. A kindle or iPad for storing prepping info. It would be impossible to store that many paper/hardback in a limited space.
10. Fabric in several types (flannel, cotton, wool etc.) plus patterns, scissors, needles, and thread! I also have a treadle sewing machine and yarn to knit/crochet sweaters and mittens and hats and socks.
11. Over the years I have purchased many bags of feed for my critters. I save all the bags (they are heavy duty) to use as “dirt bags” to fill with dirt to line the insides of the walls in my home. A bullet will go through a normal wall very easily. A wall of dirt that is from 1 1/2 feet thick to 4 feet thick, depending on how you place them, will make an excellent protector.
12. Plastic yogurt cups. They don’t have a top but I have saved them any way. They can be used to start seeds, as drinking cups, as candle holders, and many other things.
13. I have a treadle sewing machine and quilting supplies so that I have something to work on and that can be used.
14. I am the family historian. So if/when you see a safe box in my home, the treasures it holds are my family history (some of which I have written) and family pictures going back many generations. I have hard copies, copies on flash drives and CDs stored in different places and of course in my BOB. Knowing the stories of my ancestors will keep others occupied during those crises times when calm is needed. We do have heroes in our own families. They may not be superheroes, but heroes nonetheless.
15. My non-traditional prep is an extensive collection of games and kite making materials. Kids will take it fairly hard if something should happen.
16. My grandmother’s cookbooks. There are a lot of “from scratch” recipes and ways of doing things, right down to how to prepare a chicken from the coop to the table.
17. Carving tools.
18. My non-traditional item would be my essential oils kit. I know I can use these as alternatives for first-aid, hygiene, and stress relief.
19. Books on foraging and how to use herbs and essential oils.
20. My non traditional prep would be getting Lasik eye surgery done. In really bad conditions, eye glasses and definitely contact lenses will be non existent.
21. I have printed almost every “from scratch” recipe I could find. If SHTF I want to be able to make bread, biscuits and as many other comfort foods as I can.
22. Fire extinguishers.
23. Free samples of diapers, incontinence products, saw blades – anything that I can get. I figure that when SHTF, I can find non-traditional uses for these things. Plus, every penny saved can go towards the traditional preps.
24. Although you should not store drinking water in old milk bottles, I store water in them to refill the toilet tank for at least 3 days-till other arrangements can be set up.
25. My only non-traditional is the WonderBag that I made for cooking. I got the idea off of the internet and it looked intriguing. I’ve only cooked in it a couple of times but it works great.
26. I have been collecting board games & card games. Thrift stores have had a LOT in like new condition with all the pieces & instructions. Also jigsaw puzzles. When the “apps” go out along with the lights, we’ll need some R&R to recover from all the “new” hard work we’ll be doing.
27. I began collecting crossword and word search puzzles. I also buy pencils at the dollar store every time go.
28. One of my non-traditional preps has got to be the cloth diapers and accompanying accessories. We have several young adult children (still having kids) in my family and having learned when I was younger to have cloth diapers on hand will be a boon to the young mothers when they can’t get “plastic” diapers.
29. A French press for making coffee.
30. My non-traditional prep would have to be my walker. I can use a cane as well but my walker would allow me to go further and a bit faster plus it gives me a place to sit and rest when needed and it has a small basket for some additional gear.
31. I would have to say that our non-traditional prepping item would our distiller for water and making alcohol (for barter, of course!).
32. Travel books with lots of pictures, so you can travel in your armchair since there won’t be any more ways to travel. Also, a world map.
33. My faith and Bible!! Also theology books.
The Final Word
When I am asked where my ideas and knowledge comes from, I typically respond with “anywhere and everywhere”. Seriously, my knowledge and inspiration comes from a variety of sources: first hand experience, books, online forums and of course, Backdoor Survival readers.
The bottom line is not that I am smarter or more clever than everyone else. On the other hand, I have taken my passion for preparedness and made it an active part of my life. There is life on the other side and I want to be there to live it with gusto.
A special thank you to all of the readers that made this article possible. As always, make every day a prep day!
Enjoy your next adventure through common sense and thoughtful preparation!
Gaye
Gaye
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