10 Preparedness Kits You Can Make Today

Preparedness kits can help us be ready for just about anything, as well as keep us as organized as possible.

Making your own kits is encouraged, but there’s nothing wrong with buying kits, either. I’ll explain how to make these kits yourself, and give you options to purchase a kit if you so choose.

You don’t need anything fancy to get these kits started. Look at what you have around the house, then make a list of items you want to acquire to make your kits even better and update in the future.

Here are 10 preparedness kits you can make today:

First aid kit

Supplies to make a basic first aid kit include:

• Gauze
• Bandaids
• Alcohol pads
• Tweezers
• Scissors
• Medical tape
• Antiseptic cream
• Medications; pain killers, antihistamines, etc., in pill, liquid and topical based on you and your children’s needs
• Pocket first aid guide

Here are a few places to purchase a first aid kit from:

• Surviveware First Aid Kits
• Keep Going First Aid Kits – Get 10% off by using my code: ROGUEPREP
• Refuge Medical

Blackout Kit

Supplies to make a blackout kit include:

• Lighters
• Matches
• Candles
• Flashlights/headlamps
• Batteries
• Glow sticks
• External batteries
• NOAA weather radio
• Batteries, rechargeable and disposable
• Foldable solar panel

Any and all of these supplies can also be strewn about the house in drawers or hanging on the wall to make access easy for all household members, then you locate the blackout kit for additional supplies.

In addition, have a few other kits or bins on hand that have morale items like crafts, board games, and other fun supplies for the whole family that are only brought out during a lights-out event.

Car Kit

Supplies for a car kit include:

• Flashlights with batteries stored outside of the flashlight
• Flares
• Food
• Water
• First aid kit
• Extra blankets
• Jetboil or other similar cooking systems
• Firestarters
• Extra clothing for the whole family
• Paper map
• Multitool
• Basic car maintenance tools
• Jump starter
• External battery chargers
• Foldable solar panel
• Foldable shovel
• Tarp
• Hand warmers
• Sillcock key
• Recovery kit
• Chains or kitty litter if you live in a place that gets snow

Hygiene Kit

Basic supplies for a hygiene kit include:

• Tissues
• Bandana(s) or microfiber cloths
• Camping toilet paper or compressed towels
• Menstrual cup, tampons, or pads
• Travel toothpaste
• Small toothbrush
• Hotel sized bar of soap or small tube of liquid soap
• Travel sized bottle of lotion
• Small, foldable hairbrush
• Hand sanitizer
• Rinseless soap
• Baby wipes
• Nail clippers
• Floss
• Shaving razor

Fire Starting Kit

Here are some supplies you may want to consider adding to your fire starting kit:

• Lighter(s)
• Matches
• Fire starters from places like, Black and white fire starters, QuickSurvive, or make your own.
• Tinder
• Jute twine
• Vaseline or beeswax (can use with the jute twine or cotton balls)
• Ferro rod and striker (if you have experience with it)
• Flint and steel (if you have experience with it)
• Char cloth (to use with flint and steel)

Cook Kit

Here are some supplies for a cook kit:

• Cooking set such as the Jetboil or Stanley or even a Solo Stove.
• Propane
• Fire starters and/or tinder
• Utensils
• Towel or bandana
• Dish soap

You can also buy a full kit like this one.

Get Home Bag

Make a get home bag for your vehicle, for the office, for long trips, to and from the grocery store, etc. Take a look at my ultimate get home bag guide to learn more about a get home bag and why you might want one.

Here are some supplies to consider:

• Phone charging cable and external battery 
• Ready to eat food
• Compass and map
• Tarp/emergency blanket/poncho
• Paracord
• Small fire starting kit
• Sillcock key
• Water purification straw/water purification bottle
• Flashlight/headlamp with extra batteries outside of the flashlight
• Water bottle(s)
• Small first aid kit
• Toilet paper/wipes/tissues
• Personal protection
• Gum/caffeine/hard candy
• Hat
• Comfortable shoes
• Baby/toddler/child supplies
• Pet supplies
• Clothes and hand warmers for colder weather

Bug Out Bag

Also called a 72 hour kit, a go bag, emergency kit, and dozens of other things. A bug out bag should be made for each person in the household. It should help you get through about 72 hours, but of course, you can make it to fit your exact needs. Don’t forget to make an emergency disaster plan. And be sure to check out my full bug out bag guide.

Here are some ideas for your bug out bag:

• Food, freeze-dried, MRE’s, ready to eat foods, etc.
• Water, water purification and water bottles
• Tools – Tools include: fixed blade knife, folding saw, axe, hatchet, multitool, backpacking hammer, sillcock key and so on.
• Shelter – Shelter could be: a lightweight tent, survival blankets, poncho, tarp(s).
• Cordage – 550 Paracord is the most popular type of cordage to have. It’s lightweight, durable and strong.
• Fire – Even in places with a burn ban, or even if fire isn’t ideal for security reasons, I’d still carry ways to make a fire. A simple fire kit would include matches, lighter(s) and lots of tinder.
• Cooking – A good cook set is important. I love the Bear Bowl as it folds down and you can bowl water in it AND cook in it! You could also get something like the Stanley cook set that also comes with two cups. Or maybe something like the Jetboil. Don’t forget a stove and butane.
• Maintenance – Maintenance items would include: sewing kit, gorilla tape (duct tape will also work), super glue, gloves, etc.
• Clothes – Extra underwear, extra socks (I’d actually have a few extra pairs of socks and make sure they’re comfortable socks), extra pair of pants and an extra shirt. Update clothes for seasons and growing kids.
• Navigation – I have a navigation kit that has a compass, map, notepad, pencil, small vibrant duct tape, chalk and ranger beads.
• Light – Flashlights, extra batteries, glow sticks, popup lanterns, solar lights; any kind of light source will be beneficial.
• First aid – Make your own or buy a quality kit.
• Hygiene – Baby wipes, toothbrush, floss, toilet paper, microfiber towel, bar soap, nail clippers, q-tips, etc.
• Misc – If you wear glasses, be sure to include an extra pair of glasses. You may want to consider an external battery charger with appropriate cables. Morale boosters such as gum, hard candy, books, bible, journal and pen, pictures, etc.

Homemade MRE

I don’t know if this is really a ‘kit’ but I definitely consider it its own entity to throw in bags, have in the car or just have at home for whenever. Take a look at this guide to make your own homemade MRE.

Here are some supplies to add to your homemade MRE:

• Tuna/Salmon/Chicken Creations
• Granola bars
• Protein/energy bars
• Peanut butter bars
• Chips
• Gold fish
• Fruit snacks
• Pace Ready Meals (though it tastes better warm, it can be eaten cold)
• Compleats Meals (lasts a couple years after expiration)
• Coffee
• Tea
• Utensils
• Napkins
• Hard candy
• Mint
• Gum
• Individual spam packets
• Condiment packets
• Wet wipes
• Seasonings
• Cracker packets
• Nutella packets
• Peanut butter packets
• Dehydrated or freeze-dried foods
• Individual packets of drink mixes such as gatorade or lemonade

Navigation Kit

Here are some supplies for your navigation kit:

• Compass
• Map
• Notepad
• Pencils and pens
• Small vibrant duct tape
• Chalk
• Ranger beads
• Glow sticks

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Choose one of these kits to make TODAY! You have all the supplies in your home to make at least one of these kits. Don’t worry about them being perfect, just get them started.

Then, either print out this list or write out a list of your own of what you would put in each of these kits. Work on them one at a time.

Some other kit ideas:

• Maintenance kit
• Hunting kit
• Fishing kit
• Water purification kit
• Shelter kit

The kit ideas are endless. Keep everything organized in handy kits!

Have fun!