Emergencies rarely give you a heads-up. Power flickers, roads close, phones die, and suddenly you’re on your own for a bit. The good news: a tight, realistic checklist covers most scenarios – storms, outages, wildfires, earthquakes, you name it. Below are 15 must-have items to stage at home. I’ve shuffled the order to match how people actually use this stuff in a crisis, and I’ve included practical tips so each item pulls real weight when it counts.
Pro tip: build out slowly and rotate supplies on your calendar. A small, well-thought kit beats a giant pile of expired stuff every time.
1) First-Aid Kit(s) You Actually Know How to Use
Have one big household kit and a smaller, grab-and-go pouch. Stock bandages, sterile gauze, antiseptic, tape, moleskin, burn gel, elastic wraps, tweezers, instant cold packs, a CPR barrier, a tourniquet, and a pressure dressing. Then take a “Stop the Bleed” or first-aid/CPR class so those supplies aren’t just expensive decorations. Add a small field guide and gloves to every kit.
2) Medications – Prescription and Over-the-Counter
Aim for at least a two-week buffer of critical prescriptions (talk to your pharmacist/doctor about early refills). Add OTC staples: pain relievers, antihistamines, anti-diarrheals, electrolyte packets, antacids, cough drops, and a thermometer. Keep a printed list of meds, doses, conditions, and physician contacts with the kit.
3) Food You’ll Actually Eat (No Cooking Is a Plus)
Canned soups/chili, ready-to-eat pouches, nut butters, protein bars, shelf-stable milk, and instant items you can heat with minimal fuel. Plan for at least 3 days; 14 is smarter. If your menu needs hot water, stage the means to heat it (butane stove, propane grill outdoors, or alcohol burner) and the fuel. Remember water cost: pasta burns water fast; retort pouches don’t.
4) Flashlights & Spare Batteries
Headlamps for hands-free chores, compact flashlights for pockets, lanterns for rooms. Standardize battery types when you can, and toss in a low-power “night light” lantern to stretch runtime. Store batteries in their packaging and keep one light at every bed.
5) Phone & Small-Electronics Chargers
Power banks (carry size) plus at least one bigger battery station for the house with AC outlets for a lamp, Wi-Fi router, or laptop. Keep a car charger in every vehicle. Coil a full set of cables (USB-C/Lightning/micro-USB) with each bank and label them.
6) Emergency Crank/NOAA Weather Radio
When cell networks hiccup, this is how you get official updates. Look for hand-crank + solar + battery options, SAME alert capability, and a USB-out port to trickle-charge a phone.
7) Cash (Small Bills, Quietly Stashed)
ATMs go down. Card readers freeze. Set aside enough small bills ($1s, $5s, $10s) to buy fuel, ice, water, or a motel room without overpaying. Hide it in a few places, not one. Rotate a couple times a year.
8) Paper Maps of Your Area
Power and data fail together more often than you think. Keep city/region maps in a zip bag with a Sharpie to mark detours, open hospitals, family rally points, and fuel stops. If you commute far, stash a second set in the car.
9) Masks/Respirators
Match mask to hazard: N95s for smoke and particulates, surgical masks for basic hygiene, reusable dust masks with replaceable filters for cleanup and ash. Store a size that fits kids (they’re not “small adults”) and keep extras for neighbors.
10) Wrench or Pliers to Shut Off Utilities
Know where your gas and water shutoffs are before you need them. Tape a clearly labeled wrench right to the gas meter and put step-by-step instructions in a zip bag nearby. Also handy: a basic tool roll (screwdrivers, utility knife, duct tape, zip ties).
11) Manual Can Opener
Get a sturdy, comfortable one and stash a second as backup. Test it now – this is not where you want a $3 special failing on day one of an outage.
12) Waste Disposal – Heavy Trash Bags (and a Human-Waste Plan)
Contractor-grade bags manage debris, wet clothing, and improvised waterproofing. For toilets during water outages, set up a lined 5-gallon bucket with a snap-on seat; add kitty litter or sawdust to control odor, plus bleach wipes and hand sanitizer. Hygiene keeps small problems from becoming big ones.
13) Entertainment to Keep Morale Up
Books, cards, puzzle books, downloaded shows, coloring supplies for kids, a compact board game. Boredom magnifies stress; planned distractions keep everyone calmer and more cooperative.
14) Supplies for Pets, Babies & Elderly Family
Think food, water, meds, comfort items, diapers, formula, wipes, puppy pads, leashes, kennels, calming aids, mobility gear, spare glasses/hearing-aid batteries. Add printed vet/doctor info and vaccination records. Pack a pet go-bag so you can evacuate fast.
15) Important Documents (Redundant, Waterproof, Grabbable)
Photo IDs, insurance policies, medical info, prescriptions, deeds/leases, vehicle titles, bank contacts, emergency numbers, and recent family photos. Store copies in a waterproof pouch, with encrypted digital backups on a USB drive and in the cloud. Keep a pared-down set in your go-bag.
Final Checks That Make These 15 Work Even Better
- Rotate & label: Use-by dates facing out; mark purchase dates with a Sharpie.
- Stage gear where you’ll use it: Flashlights by beds, wrench at the meter, radio in the kitchen.
- Practice: Try a no-power dinner. Shut off the main water to find out what breaks. Tune the NOAA radio now.
- Make a go-bag: A car/desk bag turns this home kit into a flexible plan when you’re not home.
Build it once, maintain it lightly, and you’ll be ahead of 90% of problems you’re likely to face. Prepared doesn’t have to mean paranoid – it means comfortable, capable, and calm when life gets loud.
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Image Credit: Survival World
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Mark grew up in the heart of Texas, where tornadoes and extreme weather were a part of life. His early experiences sparked a fascination with emergency preparedness and homesteading. A father of three, Mark is dedicated to teaching families how to be self-sufficient, with a focus on food storage, DIY projects, and energy independence. His writing empowers everyday people to take small steps toward greater self-reliance without feeling overwhelmed.
