Create and organize a custom emergency kit
As organizers, we tend to like to know where things are. While we don’t believe in dwelling on worst-case scenarios, we do believe in being prepared. We spent time looking at disaster preparedness lists from trusted sources (this kind of search can really take over your evening…) and adapted them to a basic checklist that can be assembled quickly, easily maintained, and most important: customized to your unique household.
We are glad to share this free resource for anyone who wants to build an emergency kit. If you do this project, please send us photos of your kits on Instagram!
The Tartan DIY Emergency Kit Guide
This printable guide has everything you need to assemble a custom emergency kit for your household, including:
A step-by-step guide to assembling your own kit
How to select your outer containers
Checklists for essentials by category
Space for you to add custom items
Checklist for leaving your home for an extended time
Links to pre-made kits and other resources
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We’ve included links below to some of the items mentioned in the guide as well as some really great pre-made kits. We will update this list quarterly.
A note about the links in this post: The links in this post are often affiliate links, meaning Tartan will receive a very small commission if you purchase the item (at no cost to you). We only include products that meet our strict Tartan standards, and several links are not affiliates. These small commissions help offset our time to research and create this free resource and are much appreciated!
Outer Containers
There’s a very good chance you have a bin at home already that will be perfect for this. If you are getting ready to “retire” an old container or backpack, consider using that! If you need a new one though, get a quality option that will hold up to… you know, emergencies.
Pre-Made Kits
It’s not lazy, it’s efficient. Just be sure to check the contents against your own list so you have everything you need. The Preppi was suspiciously cute, so we bought one as a tester and were impressed. Nice design, but the contents are genuinely practical.
Essentials: Safety & First Aid Kits
The options are endless, and you should customize this to your own needs! Assemble a first aid kit from items you already own using our recommended checklist, or purchase a pre-made one from a reputable source. We’ve added some of the less common items here.
Tools & Gear
This collection is fairly basic items to protect you from the elements. I can only assume those rations taste horrible, but they do have a long shelf life.
Communication & Tech
One thing we highly recommend: if you pack an extra charging cable in your emergency kit, be sure the cord is extra long. You don’t want to be stuck hovering beside an outlet while your phone charges if you can avoid it.