Things You Should Pack At A Moment’s Notice

An emergency can manifest itself at any moment. Be it an evacuation or a visit to a far away funeral, an urgent need to leave the house can leave a person disoriented and confused. You may not think straight and might forget to pack important things. You may completely overlook vital items to have on your person and leave without them. This kind of situation will lead to frustration and headaches later on.

That is why we’ve compiled a list of some of the important stuff you should pack when leaving the house in a hurry. It is by no means a complete list, but hopefully covers the bases. If an urgent need to leave ever presents itself we hope you can consult this list to help you with your preparations.

Phone and Wallet

Let’s start off with the most basic of all items. It seems silly to mention these but you would be surprised just how much a person can overlook in frenzy. And indeed, your one means of communication and your means of payment are some things that should not be sitting on a desk at home while you try to catch your flight on time. Pro tip: Select one fixed spot for your phone and wallet so you’ll know where they are should an emergency take place.

Toothbrush

Something a lot of people – especially those not keen on brushing their teeth daily – do seem to forget to pack. It can be quite embarrassing to realize you have dirty teeth and no means to clean them immediately when you reach your destination. Sure you can buy a new one there but be honest; will you actually remember to until bedtime. Unlikely. And what if you’re in a situation where you can’t buy a new toothbrush? That will just be a bad time.

Undergarments And Socks

First few things that should go into the suitcase are your underwear and pairs of socks. These are high up on the importance spectrum and for good reason. You never know when you will need to go somewhere while away from home and having underwear handy at all times helps a great deal. No number of socks and underwear is enough when going away from home, and buying new ones might be out of the question. So this is something you definitely do not want to skimp out on.

Backup Clothes

If you’ve made an estimate about how long you’ll be away, increase it by a half and pack your clothes according to that. There is no guarantee that you’ll be back home by the time you think you ought to be. And having extra clothes will prove useful, especially in a situation where cleaning your dirty ones isn’t an option. The clothing item that should be highest in quantity are shirts, second only to undergarments and socks.

Some Cash

Who knows how long you’ll be out and where you might have to go. You’re not guaranteed to always have the option to pay by card out there. You might end up having to stop at remote locations where they only accept cash. Or you might need something urgently, like food, and your card might not work. If such a situation presents itself you will thank yourself for having some spare cash on hand.

Water And Snacks

Water should be a no-brainer here. If you’re going to be on the road for a long time, or don’t know what your ultimate destination will be, you should have water with you. Some snack don’t hurt either, as you may have no idea when you’ll be able to acquire food. If you have the space, gallons of water would be recommended, with bottles and cups to pour the water into.

Medication

If you can, grab some medicine on the way out. Painkillers and common antibiotics would be the most preferred sort of medicine to take along with you. And if you’re already prescribed medicine that you need to take every day this point gains even more importance. Never assume you’ll be able to buy more medicine in time for your daily dose.

Jackets / Sweaters

You can’t be sure if you’ll be exposed to the cold. And especially if you have children with you, pack warm clothes. A sweater and a jacket each can work wonders for peace of mind. And you’ve covered all temperature related problems that may arise when you’re away from home. Additionally, gloves and scarves can be helpful too if you have the time to pack them.

A Flashlight

If your emergency is more of an evacuation sort of thing, you may want to also consider packing a flashlight. You may have to sleep outdoors for who knows how long, and having a flashlight will be tremendous relief on your shoulders. Other emergency lights will also work of course.

Blankets

More suited for evacuation type emergencies but may also come in useful in other scenarios. Having your own blankets with you is a lifesaver when you’re away from home and ensures a comfortable sleep no matter where you are and in which condition. If you live in a colder climate it would be wise to pack multiple blankets and/or quilts.

Matches

Several match boxes or lighters can also be a game changer no matter where you’re going. The power to create fire is something you should always have tucked away neatly in your purse. Light, cooking, starting a campfire, all of these can be much easier with matches or lighters.

Toilet Paper

Lastly, toiler paper is also something having on hand can be useful. You never can know when you might need to answer nature’s call, and what if there’s no toilet paper out there. Having packed some you’ll always be ready for this most basic of biological needs until you can get back home.

Conclusion

And that concludes our short list of things to pack in an emergency. Might not look like stuff you’ll forget but trust us, it happens. While you wait to put this newfound knowledge to use why not read up on other helpful lists like Tips and Tricks to Organize Home Maintenance or How to Lose Weight Fast.