There are several things you will need to get started, but if you have a 5 gallon bucket taking up space in your bathroom under the sink, pull that bad boy out because you'll be putting it to great use.

Build Your Own 5 Gallon Bucket Emergency Kit

In many cases, it’s better to create your own 5 gallon bucket emergency kit. First of all, it gives you a certain intimacy with your kit – you know exactly what’s in there because you were the one who researched it and put it in there! If you’ve put something in there that you don’t fully understand how to use, you can learn that skill long before the flood or earthquake event that could make last-minute skill acquisition impossible. Secondly, putting together your own kit means you can custom tailor it to what’s important to you, your family and your community. For example, in our family we have a lot of allergies – some that can kill one of us very quickly. That’s why an EpiPen is a critically important part of our emergency supply but might not be relevant at all for other families. Lastly, assembling your supplies yourself could save you money. You’ll be able to include many household materials you already have, and you can get a better deal on the items you do need to buy by cutting out the middleman.

If you want to read more about the this emergency kit, and how to tailor it to your specific needs, head over to the original post on Five Gallon Ideas. They're extremely creative and helpful.

There are so may options to choose from! I consider myself  relatively prepared for most situations, but this information was really good to have. The supplies that I found most helpful was the list for “Personal Hygiene”. I understand this may seem like a no-brainer to many of you, but I had never considered it before. Genius!

What Would You Add to Your Emergency Kit?

One thing I definitely want in my kit is condoms, but not for the reason you might be thinking. Condoms can be used to protect items from rain or moisture, and they can also work as a floating device. It may sound strange, but they're packaged concisely and are easy to fit in your kit! Also, depending on the severity of the disaster, having a small pocket calendar could be beneficial to keep track of the days.

Tell us what you'd like to add to your kit. We love receiving suggestions and learning new things!