Emergency Preparedness: How to Create a Last-Minute Packing List for Peace of Mind

Have a disaster plan so that if you need to evacuate, you'll know exactly what to grab at the last minute

Have a go bag packed and ready to go at all times, but it's also helpful to make a packing list for last-minute items that can't be prepped ahead of time. David Pereiras/Shutterstock

During a trip to Venice, I purchased a painting that now hangs in my dining room and is one of my most treasured possessions. It’s the one item in that room I would prioritize saving if we were ever faced with an emergency evacuation. But it’s not easily packed in a bug-out bag, and since I enjoy it so much, I want it to always be on display.

While bug-out bags, or go-bags, are popular and many people have them, it’s essential to know that they may not include everything you‘ll need once you get to safety, such as prescription medications and medical equipment. This is why I created a last-minute packing list for my family that contains items like this painting and several other critical items that can be grabbed only at the last minute as you rush out the door. But before we get started, these are the criteria you’ll need to consider as you make your own last-minute packing list.

5 Questions to Determine Those Last-Minute Must-Haves

Is it irreplaceable? Family heirlooms, treasured photos, and mementos fall into this category. It’s doubtful I could ever replace my dining room painting, and you have your own treasures that fall into this category.

Does your life depend on it? Medical equipment such as a CPAP machine falls into this category, especially if you use it daily.

Is it in use daily? Your work laptop or homeschooling books can hardly be packed in a bug-out bag days or weeks ahead of time. Anything that falls in this category should be added to your last-minute list.

Does it have monetary value? Antiques, firearms, jewelry, and collectibles are items for your last-minute list.

Is it something you keep in a home safe? A heavy-duty safe tucked away in a closet may help deter criminals, but might not be enough to secure your valuables, cash, and documents in a prolonged emergency. Have a plan for quickly emptying out a safe. Anything you leave behind might not be there when you return.

Creating a Prioritized List

Once you’ve listed everything that can’t be packed ahead of time for an evacuation, rank them by priority. Which has the highest sentimental value? What documents must you have if everything else is destroyed? Which of your valuables has the highest priority?

Remember that as much as we love some of our prized possessions, none of them are worth losing a life for. So create an evacuation plan, make your last-minute packing list, and know that, ultimately, you may have no choice but to leave it all behind.

Cash. Every bug-out bag should contain some cash, but if you’ve stashed even more around the house, such as in the freezer or hidden in a cabinet, be sure to take it with you. A vacant home is a tempting target for criminals.

Medications. Add to your last-minute packing list any prescription medicine, over-the-counter drugs, and supplements you and your family members take regularly. If these require refrigeration, have a small ice chest and ice packs ready for that purpose.

Medical equipment. Wheelchairs, walkers, nebulizers, and diabetic meters can be challenging to replace in a crisis.

Firearms and ammunition. If you have a collection of firearms, consider how you might transport them and any ammunition out of the house. These can be heavy and awkward to move, and you don’t want to waste precious time ahead of an oncoming tornado!

Heirlooms and valuables. Inventory each room for items in this category. If they’re beloved pieces you enjoy displaying, add them to your last-minute packing list. Otherwise, consider other locations for storage.

Last-minute packing lists are for those possessions that are in daily use but are too precious to be left behind in a disaster. Aquila chrysaetos/Shutterstock

Family photos and albums. All too often, losing family photos hits particularly hard after a home is destroyed. Scan your most precious photos and save them to a thumb drive that can be kept in a bug-out bag or safe deposit box. Consider having high-quality copies made of your most treasured photos for display and storing the originals elsewhere.

A strongbox or portable safe. If these can easily be carried, they’re a logical place to store many items on this list. You'll want to add them to your last-minute packing list; sometimes, they are neither fire- nor floodproof.

Precious metals. Gold and silver coins and bars should all be added to your list.

Vital electronics. If you keep important personal and financial information on any of your computers, have a plan for quickly transferring that information to a cloud service or an external hard drive that can quickly be packed. Grabbing the laptop or desktop unit in an urgent emergency will be easier.

Comfort items. Most people have a favorite pillow that helps them get a good night’s sleep. Children may have a beloved blanket or stuffed animal that brings them comfort. Remember to pack some of these items in a chaotic and scary emergency for peace of mind. They'll require only a few moments to grab.

Family pets and their supplies. Take a few minutes to plan how you would quickly evacuate each of your pets. Will you need individual crates? Are they crate-trained? What about food, water, medications, leashes, litter, and veterinarian records? These will be required if you end up in a shelter that allows pets.

Food and water. An evacuation might mean hours in a traffic jam, so if there’s time, pack a cooler with water bottles, snacks, and simple foods for meals on the road.

Infant supplies. If a baby is in the house, you already have a packed diaper bag. At the last minute, add diapers, clothes, formula, and extras of anything else necessary for your baby’s care. This applies to toddlers as well. Add these to your last-minute packing list so you don’t end up with a highly agitated baby because you left something important behind.

Season-appropriate clothing and shoes. Rushing into a raging storm or winter weather wearing only pajamas and bare feet isn’t optimal. If you have time, add to your last-minute packing list sturdy shoes or boots, rain gear, winter coats, etc. A warm-weather evacuation probably won’t require this.

Camping equipment. If you might not reach a hotel or other safe lodging, adding a tent, sleeping bags, a cook stove, lanterns, and a few other supplies will provide shelter, lighting, and a way to cook food if that’s your only option.

Pack your pets and youngest members of the family first, both to keep them out from underfood and for your own peace of mind. Marina Malades/Shutterstock

Putting It All Together

Once you have your last-minute packing list in front of you and know your top priorities, plan to delegate. It’s best to have many hands working together to evacuate a dangerous situation.

Consider each person’s age, strength, mobility, and ability to handle a high-stress situation as you assign tasks. Who will empty the safes and transport the heaviest items to the car? Who will assemble medications and toiletries? Who will gather all of the pets and their supplies?

These delegated tasks should be added to your last-minute packing list, and each family member should know exactly what to do.

A furniture dolly or utility wagon can help transport more items at once. If you can’t evacuate an entire safe, place a pillowcase or other sturdy bag inside the safe—something that can be quickly filled with valuables and then easily transported to a vehicle.

It’s advantageous to pack your pets and the youngest members of the family into the car first. You don’t want them to be overlooked or underfoot in the flurry of rushing to get out of the house. Also, it will bring peace of mind to everyone knowing the “littles” are safe in their car seats, and the pets are crated and ready to go.

Each moment is precious when an emergency strikes and your home is no longer a safe refuge. When you have a last-minute packing list and tasks are delegated, you can act swiftly and effectively to save what matters most.