When things are going along smoothly, how often do you find yourself running to the hardware store to pick up things to repair something that broke or was damaged by a child or (oops) by yourself? But what if something happens and a trip to the hardware store isn’t an option? What kinds of things should you consider stocking up on now, so that if you fall on hard times or hard times are brought to you through no fault of your own? If you need to take care of something, reinforce something, repair something, you need to have things on hand. The great thing is that many of these items are actually really cheap!
Plumbing
Let’s talk about plumbing items. What kinds of plumbing items do you need for hard times? Let’s start with the things that we face ourselves from time to time now.
Drain unclogger
Draino or something similar and a plastic snake (like this) – When we moved into our house about six months ago, we found our bathtub draining very slowly. My husband got down to fix it and he pulled a huge clot of hair (not ours) out of it. Sometimes, you can’t easily get at a clog like that. Having Draino or a plastic snake is the best thing that you could have on hand for dealing with the situation.
Teflon tape
Have a minor leak in a faucet or at a pipe junction? Teflon tape may be exactly what you need to fix the problem.
Flashlight 
As funny as it sounds, having a flashlight is a must-have for plumbing issues whether it’s just having to see under a dark sink or looking into a pipe itself.
Tools
Pipe Wrench – Having the ability to fix something down the line would require a pipe wrench. Having one on hand gives you potential options to fix or unclog items.
Hack Saw & Pipe Saw – Sometimes you need to cut a pipe either to fit it into place or to remove a section as a last resort.
Carpentry Issues or Repair
Fasteners
There are various sorts of fasteners that should be kept on hand such as various nails, screws, and drywall anchors. You’ll want various sizes and widths.
Small tools
Around here, we seem to have a hard time keeping small tools on hand with five children. Finding a phillips head screwdriver is really hard sometimes. We’ve started keeping a set of tools that the kids aren’t allowed to get into, so that they have their own and if they lose them, then they can replace them, but they don’t get to use ours. Here is a list of small tools that you’ll want to keep on hand.
- screwdriver – phillips head
- screwdriver – slotted
- level
- measuring tape
- pliers
- wire cutters
- needle nose pliers
- hammer
- hand saw
- ladder
- WD-40
Wood & Drywall 
Why would you want to store wood? Have a broken window? Cover it with wood until you can get it repaired. Need to hide something? Use 2×4’s and drywall to build a hidden room. Did a storm put a hole in your roof? Use a tarp and 2×4’s to keep the tarp in place.
Electrical Repair
Electrical tape
Keeps the current from live wires from zapping things or people.
Electrical Caps
Need to safely take care of the end of an electrical wire? You can use an electrical cap.
Wire strippers
Need to strip the insulated coating off of a wire to connect it to another one? These will help you.
Voltmeter
If you need to know whether or not electricity is getting through to a circuit, this will let you know not only whether it getting through, but also how much is getting through.
What About You?
Do you keep items like this on hand? Are there others items that you believe should be added to the list? I’d love to hear. Leave a comment and let us all know.
Remember, knowledge isn’t just knowing something. It’s living it!
There are links in this post. Some of the links may be affiliate links. Some of the links may not be. My promise to you is that I will only recommend the most economical version of the best quality of items to serve you. These are the items that I have bought for my own family. You can feel free to use my affiliate links, of which I will get a small amount in compensation, or you can choose to search out your products on your own.
Great post! We hvae a 4 year old that insists that he is a carpetner and a plumber so, we also have tools frequently go missing. We bought a toolbox that has a hole for a padlock and keep a protected set of tools in there for emergencies with the key “up high” nearby. We also have toolboxes in multiple spotsin the house and garage. I keep my eyes out at our salvage charity shop for boxes of nails, screws, and other doo-dads. Keeping these items labeled and well organized makes it easy to grab in an emergency.
I would add tarps and bungee cords to the list and store them together. These have come in so handy when we need to quickly throw them over something important when a sudden storm hits. They can be hung on an angle to create an emergency awning or spread over a hole in the roof as a temporary block. You coul even string them over a drapery rod or rope if you need an emergency privacy screen/curtain. They are great under a tent to prevent seepage or could be used as a rain poncho. So versatile and they take up no room at all.
I second Greendoor’s comment on tarps. Good to have a few, big and medium. Even old ones with a few holes in them can find a use.
A similar material to have stashed are sheep plastic “drop cloths”. They can, with the aid of the versitile duct tape, seal up a broken window and are easy to cut into whatever shape is needed.
I keep all the tools you listed, plus some more and a smattering of 2x4s and plywood — not just for emergency use, but for regular home DIY projects.
Excellent post! Greendoor and Mic have good additions. Here are a couple other suggestions: be sure to get good duct tape (learned the hard way to not buy the cheapest), Zip ties (get the heavy duty kind, different sizes),
Pingback: Stuff People Forget to Prep – Home Repair Supplies - Survival Patch
Pingback: Merry Christmas - A Year Without the Grocery Store