Water gushing out of a pipe, electricity shuts off suddenly, a snow storm is happening outside, keeping you indoors for days. A lot can happen in your home. How prepared are you for it? Before you can even bring in the disaster and restoration services specialists to repair the damage, you must first prepare yourself in the event that an emergency happens.
Emergency Kit: The Basics
A disaster in your home could strike at anytime, which is why it’s important to have a kit set up and ready to go when you least expect it.
Here’s a list of items to have stowed away and how much each of them will cost. Bear in mind: this is simply an estimate! The actual cost of items will vary.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Flashlight | $20 |
| Batteries | $15 |
| Toilet paper | $10 for 12 rolls |
| Moist toilettes | $1.50 for 16 |
| Whistle | $5 |
| First Aid kit | $25 |
| Towels | $4 each |
| Blankets | $20 each |
| Total Cost | $100.50 |
Depending on the number of people living in your home, you may want to consider doubling up on some of these items to ensure there’s enough to go around.
This should give you an idea of what a home emergency kit should look like.
But your emergency kit shouldn’t stop there
Because you can never plan for an emergency, you should always stock up on these essentials:
- Non-perishable food;
- Water;
- Extra clothing;
- Kitchen accessories;
- Sleeping bags;
- Running shoes.
But you can never have too much in your emergency kit. After all, your kit should be designed to fit your family and lifestyle!
Take a look at this video for even more suggestions.
Storage solutions
You don’t have to renovate your laundry room or garage to store your supplies, but a little bit of organization is key. After all, you want to ensure your supplies are accessible for when you need them. Store your goods in air-tight containers, or pack them away in bags and put them on a shelf in the garage or basement.
Should there be a house fire in your home and you can’t reach for your emergency kit in the garage, it’s a wise idea to make two separate kits and leave one in the garage and the other in the laundry room (or another room in the house you see fit). This way, you’re always prepared for the unexpected.
The laundry room and garage are optimal places to store an emergency kit.
Need some assistance with organization? Consult our directory for our decluttering and organization specialists. They can help you create storage spaces in the parts of your home you need it most.
Maintain your kit
After you’ve organized your emergency kit, it’s time to keep it in good working order. After all, if an emergency arises, you want to make sure the kit is ready to help you! Here are a few pointers to remember:
- Canned foods should be kept in a dry place;
- Food should be sealed shut to extend shelf life;
- Change stored food and water every six months;
- Track expiration dates.
Keep a list of emergency numbers
Aside from keeping an emergency kit in your household, you should also devise a list of experts and phone numbers to call in case of an emergency. Use our directory to come up with a list of local service professionals you can reach out to when disaster strikes, including the following:
Keep these numbers close so you know who to call!
Household emergencies could happen at any moment. That’s why it’s important to keep an emergency kit on hand to prepare yourself. Once the situation has been rectified and everyone in your home is safe, reach out to a disaster and restoration expert to get your home back in order!
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