Yes, it does depend a lot on the magic you want to perform. I usually pick up candles whenever they are on sale. I seem to use a lot of them, and it always handy to have extras on hand in case the power goes out too. I also make candles two or three times a year, so that I have them ready when needed.
Some of the odder more popular herbs might be up your alley, if you make a lot of sachets or hand ground incenses/philters. The two that spring to mind are of course vervain and mullein. Most of the other popular 'witchy' herbs are spice cabinet fare, such as rosemary, basil, pepper, garlic, etc.
A couple of annointing oils I find handy to keep on hand. I use them a lot though, so it depends on if they are useful to you. I blend them all myself and keep the jars well labeled. I tend to pick up stick incense whenever I like the scent, although I don't use it for spells/rituals, just to make the place smell nice.
I keep scraps of fabric and napkins in my altar boxes. The napkins make for quick and easy bursts of color on the altar or anywhere they are needed. I try to keep two or three in each color, and then some specific ones I have found handy. I also keep a couple of heavy duty hankerchefs in my box with my mortar and pestle to help keep them clean. The fabric is for pouches, juju bags, poppets etc. Needle and thread are also called for, but they are handy around my house.
Other than that, the two herbs and candles occasionally, I would say you are better off building up a storehouse gradually. Then you only buy what you need, and you will have time to examine each thing you buy and figure out what its proper storage is, etc. There is very rarely occasion for emergency spell work. It takes a lot of planning and forethought. And on those few occasions when you need to whip something off *tonight* you simply use what you have to hand. A good Witch's proverb is tools do not the witch make.
FFF, Soseneda
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