Some of the items on this list are basic essentials, but some of the things on this list may also surprise you. Think you have everything you need? Think again. You can check out the list below:

1- Sleeping bag: At night, a warm sleeping bag will allow you to sleep comfortably. Extra blankets are always a good idea. Use the power outage as an excuse to go camping in the living room with a loved one. It’s a memorable adventure, good for stories that will last for years.
2- Dehydrated food: Include a three-day supply for each person. The shelf life on some of these foods is 10 to 15 years, so you don’t need to worry about spoilage. Get the kind of dried foods where all you need to do is add water, and that don’t have long simmering times. They make some pretty good meals these days. Look for ones that have no preservatives or additives.
3- Water filter: During a power blackout, your water quality might be suspect, so some sort of water purification method should be considered. There are many filters on the market, and the Sawyer filters have worked well for me.
There are chemical water purification products that are easy for anyone to use – all you do is add them to water. I’ve used Polar Pure and Potable Aqua for years. Don’t leave out this preparedness step – clean water is critical.
Boiling water is probably the safest way to purify it. Once the water is brought to boiling (212 degrees) for a few minutes, everything that boiling temps can kill is completely dead. Boiling water for extended periods of time doesn’t make it hotter or cleaner.
4- Crank flashlight: Batteries wear out, so get a source of light that can be re-charged. You’ve got plenty of time when the electricity is out to keep the flashlight cranked up. Solar charged lighting tools or generators might be an option in some areas. There’s a lot of solar technology these days to power most all your needs for a few days.
5- Crank cell phone charger: I bought a simple crank charger for about $15. It will re-charge my cell phone and laptop, so communications can continue. Remember those scenes on TV when Hurricane Sandy wiped out the Jersey shore and folks were paying big bucks to charge their cell phones at a local store? Don’t be one of those people.

It doesn't matter if you live in an apartment or a house if you're new to prepping, this list provides a great starting point. Of course, there are always more supplies to consider, but it's important to stick with the essentials and then expand your stockpiling supplies as needed. The idea is to have what you wouldn't be able to live without post-collapse. For more supplies preppers who live in the city should stock up on check out Survival Common Sense.