Prepare your emergency kit: seven ideas to organize your emergency supplies

If a tornado, hurricane, earthquake, flood, or other disaster or emergency happened, would you have the basic emergency supplies you need? This may sound familiar. You have a box with batteries but the good ones are mixed with the old ones. Somewhere you have a collection of flashlights. However, when you try them, almost none of them work. The list could go on with things you probably have for emergency supplies, but just need to organize safely and easily.

But how do you find and organize the materials for an emergency kit for any situation? How do you find emergency supplies for disaster situations so they are organized and easy to reach when you need them? Use these seven points to get your emergency organization started in the right direction.

1. Find everyday items Do you worry about your budget when you think about gathering supplies? Breathe a sigh of relief because disaster or emergency supplies don’t have to be hard to find, expensive, or difficult to use. In fact, emergency supplies are basically many of the items you use on a regular basis. You can find them in a different form and store them differently to protect them. But mostly, you’ll be wearing the same kinds of things you wear all the time plus a few special items good for emergency situations.

2. Create multiple supply sets What if you couldn’t reach a set of emergency supplies? Consider creating two sets of emergency supplies. At least create a full set and a partial set to store in another location. If you can’t get to one set, you might be able to get to the other. If both are accessible, that just gives you extra supplies and you may be able to share them with others who are less prepared.

3. Start gathering what you already have Don’t start putting together your shopping list yet. Start organizing your emergency supply with items you already have around the house. For example, extra suitcases or backpacks, toiletries, and dry goods like paper towels, toilet paper, and garbage bags are probably already in your closets or shelves and just need to be organized in a designated place to become part of your emergency. equipment. Use suitcases or backpacks to store emergency supplies.

4. Use those Christmas extras Throughout the year and especially during the holidays, do you collect extra napkins, paper plates, or utensils that are stored in cabinets and closets? Instead of letting them go to waste, take them out and organize them in the emergency area. Using a pretty napkin or festive tablecloth during an emergency could be just the gift you need to help reduce stress levels.

5. Gather extra clothes Would you like a clean pair of socks or shirt during an emergency? Everyone in the family should organize a complete set of clothing for the emergency supply area. Make this a good time for everyone in the family to go through and clean out your closet. While doing this task, each person can gather an extra set of clothing to place in an emergency storage area.

6. Look for household items Have you considered the need for sanitation and cleaning during an emergency? Gather the cleaning supplies you already have on hand and organize them in your emergency supply area. Look around the house and garage for extra cleaners, garbage bags, tools to turn off the main breakers in the house, sponges, plastic sheeting and other items. Some of these items could be in your garden shed, in the trunk of the car, on the back of the shelf, under the kitchen sink, or in a corner of the hall closet.

7. Go shopping What happens after you go all over the house looking for supplies and need more? Well, now might be the time to go shopping. The good news is that you don’t have to spend a fortune just yet. When you find a product you need that is on sale, buy at least two or the recommended quantity according to your family situation or needs. Put the extras in the emergency kit. Look for items at thrift stores, yard sales, consignment stores, grocery outlets, through stores or online sites, or mail order catalogs, and even at the Army-Navy Surplus Store.

Always think about being prepared and you will start noticing supplies in many new places. When traveling, keep an eye out for outlet stores or even souvenir shops and outlet stores in new areas. Before you know it, you’ll have your emergency supplies organized and ready for an emergency or disaster situation.