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Prepper supplies: a home stockpile, one category at a time

By the Plain Prepper editors. Updated 2026-10-15.

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Quick answer

Start with Ready.gov's basic kit: water at one gallon per person per day, several days of non-perishable food, a hand crank or battery radio plus a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert, flashlights, a first aid kit, extra batteries, a whistle, dust masks, sanitation supplies, a wrench to shut off utilities, a manual can opener and phone chargers. Then scale it: a household of four planning for 14 days needs 56 gallons of water. Store it in labeled bins and rotate what expires.

The core list, by category

Category	Ready.gov basics	Our guide
Water	One gallon per person per day, for drinking and sanitation	Emergency water storage, water purification tablets
Food	Several days of non-perishable food and a manual can opener	Freeze dried food, MRE
Information	Battery or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert	Weather radios
Light and power	Flashlight, extra batteries, phone chargers and a backup battery	Flashlights, camping lantern, laptop power bank
Health	First aid kit, prescription and non-prescription medicines, glasses	Bug out bag list (first aid section)
Shelter in place	Dust masks, plastic sheeting, scissors and duct tape	Work knife for cutting sheeting
Sanitation	Moist towelettes, garbage bags, plastic ties, soap, sanitizer	Mylar bags and buckets for storage
Tools	Whistle, wrench or pliers to turn off utilities, local maps	Best multitool, Gerber multitool

Scale it to your household

Ready.gov's baseline is several days. Many households plan longer; the arithmetic is simple:

• Water: people x days x 1 gallon. Four people for 14 days is 56 gallons; for 3 days it is 12.
• Drinking alone: Ready.gov says a normally active person needs about three quarters of a gallon of fluid a day; the rest of the gallon covers sanitation.
• Heat: Ready.gov says water needs can double in very hot temperatures, and children, nursing mothers and sick people may need more.
• Food by calories: count calories, not servings. Mountain House lists 6,140 calories in its 24-serving Classic Bucket.
• Medicines: Ready.gov notes about half of Americans take a prescription medicine every day; plan for refills you might not get.

Additional supplies for real households

• Babies: formula, bottles, diapers, wipes and diaper rash cream.
• Pets: food and extra water.
• Money and papers: cash, plus copies of insurance policies, identification and bank records saved electronically or in a waterproof, portable container.
• Warmth: a sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person, a change of clothes and sturdy shoes.
• Fire: a fire extinguisher and matches in a waterproof container.
• Comfort: hygiene items, mess kits and paper goods, paper and pencil, and books or games for children.

All of these come from Ready.gov's additional supplies list.

How to store and organize prepper supplies

1. Bag, then bin: Ready.gov suggests storing items in airtight plastic bags and keeping the kit in one or two easy-to-carry containers, such as plastic bins or a duffel bag.
2. One place, known to all: keep it in a designated spot that every family member knows.
3. Cool and dry: canned food in a cool, dry place; boxed food in tightly closed plastic or metal containers.
4. Water in the dark: Ready.gov says to store commercially bottled water sealed in its original container in a cool, dark place.
5. Rotate: replace expired items and rethink your needs every year as the family changes.
6. Three locations: Ready.gov says to prepare supplies for home, work and cars; a work kit should cover sheltering at work for at least 24 hours.

Water rules worth memorizing

• Do not ration: Ready.gov says never ration drinking water unless authorities order it; drink what you need today and look for more tomorrow.
• Safe water first: drink water you know is clean before treating questionable water.
• Skip caffeine and alcohol: Ready.gov says they dehydrate the body and increase the need for water.
• Treat when needed: cloudy tap water or stream water can be used after treatment; see our water purification tablets and portable water filter guides.

Build it in stages

A stockpile does not need to be bought in one trip. Start with water and a radio, then three days of food and light, then first aid and sanitation, then extend each category toward two weeks. Use our bug out bag and bug out bag list guides for the portable kit, and our hurricane and tornado kit guides for hazard-specific additions.

What to look for when you buy

Questions people ask

What supplies should a prepper have?

Start with Ready.gov's basics: water, food, radio, flashlight, first aid kit, batteries, whistle, dust mask, sanitation supplies, utility wrench, can opener, maps and phone chargers.

How much water should I store?

One gallon per person per day; four people for 14 days is 56 gallons.

How should I store prepper supplies?

In airtight bags inside one or two portable bins, in a cool, dry place every family member knows.

How often should I check my supplies?

Replace expired items as needed and rethink your needs every year, as Ready.gov advises.

Sources

• Build A Kit, Ready.gov
• Water, Ready.gov
• WR400 Deluxe NOAA Weather Alert Radio, Midland
• Aquatabs 49mg Tablets, Aquatabs US
• Classic Meal Assortment Bucket, Mountain House

Sources checked 2026-10-15.