After 9/11 and several major storms that knocked out power in our area, I knew my family needed to be better prepared. So I put together a home emergency kit - and I've been maintaining and refining it for over 20 years.
I know how overwhelming emergency preparedness can feel. The official checklists from sites like Ready.gov are thorough, but they can make it seem like you need a warehouse to be ready. The truth is, a practical home emergency kit doesn't have to be complicated or expensive. You can build one gradually, and it only needs to cover the basics for about three days.
In this post, I'll show you exactly what's in my emergency bin - the food, tools (affiliate), supplies, and extras I keep for my family of four. I'll also share tips for customizing your kit for kids, seniors, and pets, plus how I maintain it each year so nothing goes to waste.
This post contains affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through and decide to make a purchase.
Jump to:
Key Takeaways
- Create an easy emergency kit that covers three days' worth of supplies for your family.
- Focus on non-perishable food, tools (affiliate), and essentials such as water, first-aid supplies, and a manual can opener.
- Customize your kit by considering the needs of kids, seniors, and pets; include extra items like batteries and medications.
- Check and update your kit annually to ensure items are not expired, and clothing sizes are correct.
- Store your easy emergency kit in a cool, accessible location for quick access during emergencies.
How to make an emergency kit for the home
After 9/11 and some major storms in our area, I decided to create this easy emergency kit, which I have updated and added to over the years. This kit holds three days' worth of supplies. Note: I also have extra supplies, like a first-aid kit, in my car. This helps me figure out where to store the time in my small home. Also. I had a backpack (affiliate) with 1-2 days of clothes for each member of the family in it stored in the garage (affiliate). These clothes get updated over the years as my kids get older.
Food Items List for Your Emergency Kit
Here are the items I added to my emergency kit. I looked for items that last for more than 1 year, so I don't have to review the kit often. Like items that are canned and powdered. I also purchase food I can quickly prepare in a saucepan I keep inside the bin.
A detailed list of stuff for your emergency kit
Here is the list of items I have in my easy emergency kit. Be sure to have at least a week's worth of all these items. And, the more people in your home, the more likely you are to need more of these items.
- Paper towel roll
- Toilet paper
- Solar powered radio and their manuals
- Flashlights, candles
- Napkins, Plastic forks, knives, paper plates, and cups
- Matches
- Can opener and bottle opener
- Water gallon bottles (at least 3 large bottles)
- Canned food: Stored at least 3 days of supplies of food for all four members.
- Cash should be added to this area. You don't need to leave it there, but it needs to be pulled from wherever you do store it.
and their manuals
I like to have a variety of canned fruit, legumes (affiliate), pasta, soups, and vegetables.
- Powdered Milk/sometimes pineapple juice if I find it on sale.
- Small saucepan
- Salt (affiliate)/pepper (affiliate)
- Sugar
- Tea bags
- Band-aids
- Plastic bags
To save money, I created this emergency kit over time. There are some emergency items like flashlight headbands
for each person and a hand crank self-powered radio
so to distribute the cost of setting this kit up for our family. Every year, I go through the canned items and get rid of any food that is way past its expiration date. If it is only a few weeks past, I make a meal with it. If it is way older, I open it and empty the content, clean it out, and recycle the can.
That's pretty much it! Not too bad.
Additional Tips to Set Up Your Emergency Kit
If you are planning on making your own emergency kit, here are some additional tips:
- Pack food that your family would eat.
- For seniors, be sure to get extra supplies, including batteries for wheelchairs, oxygen, medication, food for service animals, and equipment manuals.
- Pack for kids. Be sure to have extra diapers, extra bibs, and other clothing.
- For your pets, keep extra food /snacks and even an extra leash in your emergency kit.
- If you pull smaller items from throughout the house to make a kit like this, zip-top bags work great for keeping everything organized.
Do you have an emergency kit? What do you store in your emergency kit that is unique? I would love to hear about it. Please leave a comment below.
Here are some emergency kits(affiliate) you can purchase on Amazon (affiliate) (affiliate) if you don't want to make your own customized kit.
Some things to add to your emergency kits.
First Aid Only OSHA-Compliant All-Purpose 100-Person Emergency First Aid
Buy Now →
Fire Escape Ladder, 2-Story Rope Ladder, Extends to 13-Feet, Anti-Slip Rungs
Buy Now →(affiliate)
Frequently Asked Questions About Home Emergency Kits
At a minimum, your kit should cover water (one gallon per person per day), non-perishable food for at least three days, a flashlight, batteries, a hand-crank or solar-powered radio, a manual can opener, basic first aid supplies, matches, paper products (plates, cups, napkins, toilet paper), plastic utensils, and some cash. I also keep a small saucepan in my bin so I can heat food if I have access to a fire pit or portable burner. Start with the essentials and add to it over time.
Most emergency preparedness experts recommend a minimum of three days' worth of supplies. That's what my kit covers. However, if you live in an area prone to extended power outages or severe weather, aiming for five to seven days is even better. The key is choosing food items with long shelf lives - canned goods, powdered milk, and dried legumes - so you don't have to rotate supplies too often.
I go through my emergency kit once a year. I check expiration dates on all canned and packaged food. If something is only a few weeks past its date, I'll use it in a meal and replace it. If it's well past the date, I empty the can, clean it, and recycle it. I also check batteries, update clothing sizes if kids have grown, and make sure flashlights and radios still work. Setting a recurring calendar reminder makes this easy to remember.
Canned fruits, vegetables, soups, and legumes typically last 2-5 years. Powdered milk, dried pasta, and rice can last even longer if stored properly. I specifically choose items with expiration dates at least a year out so I don't have to check the kit constantly. Avoid anything that requires refrigeration or has a short shelf life. I also stock food my family actually eats - an emergency situation is stressful enough without having to eat something nobody likes.
Store your emergency kit in a cool, dry, and easily accessible spot. I keep my main bin in a closet on the main floor of our home so it's quick to grab. Avoid attics (too hot) and basements that are prone to dampness. I also keep a separate backpack in the garage with 1-2 days of clothing for each family member in case we need to leave quickly. If you have a car emergency kit too, that provides an extra layer of backup.
I hope this post inspires you to create your own smaller home emergency kit for your family. Please visit my other posts below for more tips. Thanks for stopping by and may you never have to use these emergency kit items for an actual emergency. Peace to you!
Visit our other Emergency Preparedness posts.
AI helped me with the FAQ questions.
Hazel Thornton says
Since I don't live in an earthquake, tornado, or hurricane-prone area, my emergency kit is geared more towards staying home during a power outage. But your idea of making it more portable, with emergency clothes, paper and plastic ware, sauce pan (but what is your cooking heat source?), etc. is a good one. Not everyone has a pool or hot tub, but I do, so I also have a water filter in my emergency kit.
Sabrina says
Great point. Power outages are a great reason to make an emergency kit. The heat source could be a fire pit in the backyard or a portable camping propane burner. Water filter is a great idea too. Thanks for stopping by.
Jill Robson says
Great tip, looking for items that will last at least a year, having to check on these items too often would be a chore.