Bugging out is one of those topics that’s integrally tied into prepping. So last week, we talked about what I don’t put in my bug out bag and why. This week, I’m going to cover what goes in our bug out bag.
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Packing a “Generic” Bug Out Bag
Because of what I keep in my vehicle already, our Bug-Out- Bag contents really fall into four main categories: Clothing, Toiletries, Snacks, and Comfort items/activities. Let’s talk about each of these separately and how they worked with us when we bugged out.
Clothing for a Bug Out Bag
When we change our batteries in our fire alarms each year – usually at the change over from daylight savings time to standard time and vise versa, we also change out the clothing contents of our bug out bags. We try to have two seasonable outfits. Especially in the winter months, we go for layer-able clothes i.e. short sleeve t-shirt and a sweater. Even for the ten-year period of time that we girls only wore skirts, I insisted on only pants in bug-out-bags. We didn’t know exactly where we’d be and what our circumstances would be. It was better, just-in-case, to have our bases covered.
Don’t forget extra undergarments, socks, and at least one pair of pj’s. This honestly takes up the majority of our bug-out-bag stash.
Toiletries for a Bug Out Bag
We keep a quart-sized baggie with toiletries in each BOB. The toiletries are person-specific. For example, since (the very vast majority of the time) you’ll be coming home to what will be an intact home, we treat bugging out like packing for a 2-4 day vacation. If I’m on ‘vacation’ I’ll still want mousse for my hair. I’ll still definitely want my more feminine deodorant. I may want to put my hair up, so I’ll need a ponytail holder etc.
So as you pack a toiletry bag for each person, ask what they would need for 2-4 days of vacation. We find that Travel sizes of most things work REALLY well here. We don’t plan on living in the woods for 2 weeks or more, so we don’t need full-sized deodorants or toothpaste.
Here are some things that you *may* want to put in your toiletry bags. Use travel sizes where available.
- soap
- washcloth (I wrap one around an old pair of my glasses)
- shampoo
- conditioner
- comb or mini brush
- mousse
- hair bands
- deodorant
- toothpaste
- toothbrush
- floss
- Q-tips
- Wet Ones
- powder
- 2-4 compact disposable towels
We also keep a
- p-38 and/or p-51 can opener
- mini flashlight
- old pair of glasses
- whistle
- bootlaces
- tennis shoelaces
Snacks for a Bug out Bag
Because I keep a tote of snacks in the van and – in the case of us going to a hotel – I keep a Bug Out Box of Food to grab as we head out the door, I don’t keep too much food in our bug out bags for several reasons.
First off, we keep our bug out bags in our garage. I’ve learned my lesson about food in my garage. At one point – when I was young and foolish – I kept some sealed survival foods in our garage in a tote with fabric that I purchased for survival purposes. When we went to move, we discovered that some creature chewed through the sealed plastic tote and ATE THROUGH the fabric to get to the food. Yeah – not repeating that ever.
So now, in an easy-to-reach location in our house (near the door), we keep a fairly small box of gallon-sized bags of foods and drink mixes for each person. The foods – all of which are single-serving size include oatmeal packets (6 per person), tuna fish or salmon packets (3 per person with a spoon for each one), crackers, singles of peanut butter, and jelly, granola, and other foods.
But, unlike most people, we also keep a variety of drink mixes that can be added to a bottle of after or to a cup of hot water. We keep caffeinated instant “coffee sticks” – both caffeinated and decaffeinated. We also keep hot chocolate mix packets. Something else we do keep is Propel Fitness water single-serve packets and Orange Crush single-serve packets.
If we know that we are going to bug out, we will place one of these in each person’s BOB. We will also bring along a case of water.
I also want to point out that you should also consider keeping your prescription medicines and daily supplements with your food. Why? I wouldn’t want to store medicines or supplements in a location where temperatures could swing drastically over the course of a year. This could degrade some of the potency of your medicines. Instead, keeping one week’s worth of meds and supplements in my box of Bug Out Bag foods makes so much sense!
Comfort Items for a Bug out Bag
Just like the toiletries will vary from person to person, so will comfort items. We keep a variety of different types of comfort items depending on the person whose Bug-Out-Bag we’re packing.
Book
I like to have each child pick out one (fairly) long Book for them to put in their BOB so that they have a book that they enjoy along with them. Also, I plan that if we have to break out the books, and we’re going to be gone longer than I anticipated, we can read them aloud, so we can kill more time than if our children only read their own books. I have one child who can read a 600-page book in a few hours!
Drawing/Writing materials
I’ve also included a comp book, a pack of colored pencils, a pencil sharpener, and several clicker pencils in each of my kids’ bug out bags. This gives us so many different things that they can do with them. I have several kids who really like to draw. One of my children even is at college for graphic design. I also have one who really likes to journal. This gives her something to journal in. These can also be used for tic-tac-toe, hangmen, or something we used to call “the dot game” also known as “dots and boxes.” If there is a traumatic experience that my kids live through – like the riots or the tornado. They can either draw or journal or write using those.
Stuffed Animal
If you have a young child that has a special stuffed animal, I would highly suggest that you purchase a duplicate and keep it in their Bug Out bags. I speak from experience. We were traveling in Iowa when my (now 15-year-old) was around 2. She had a small polar bear that she LOVED. Somehow it got lost on our trip. I can’t tell you how hard that was on my little one! If and when your children have to evacuate – because of a hurricane or a wild-fire or a riot – will feel emotionally insecure. Everything they know is going to be thrown into chaos. Having something familiar – like their love is so important to help them stay even-keeled.
Travel-sized games
No matter what family you are or how many kids you have, eventually, they are going to get tired of reading, drawing, or journaling. We like to keep travel-sized games in BOBs. Things like a couple of decks of cards and a Hoyle Card Game instruction book can provide hours of entertainment.
Another option for games that can be used to pass the time is miniature versions of board games. Amazon has a set of 12 small magnetic travel games including something like snakes and ladders, chess, checkers, Chinese checkers, tic-tac-toe, auto racing, a Parchesi-like game, and more. I’ve also found other travel-sized games at Five Below – games like Travel Clue, Travel Wheel of Fortune, Travel Connect Four, Travel Sorry, and even a Travel Lego case.
Other miscellaneous items
There are a couple of other items that we keep in our Bug Out Bags. One of which is on the first picture in this post. If you look closely, you’ll see a bandana tied to the handle of the backpack. Bandanas have so many uses.
We also keep some trash bags. You will need a place to contain your dirty clothes. You may need an impromptu poncho. You can carry other items in them. They are just so versatile.
The last miscellaneous item we keep in the bag is zippered baggies. Usually, we keep just gallon-sized, but you might need a bag to keep wet soap in. You might need something for someone who has an upset stomach. Or you could use it as a firestarter.
Next Week
Next week, we’re going to talk about specialized Bug Out Bags. Do you have a baby, a pet, an elderly parent, or a special needs child in your family that needs specialized items in their bags? We’re going to tackle what other types of items that you should consider for them.
What About You?
Do you keep items in your car so that you’re not having to cram even more in your BOBs? If you do what other things would you recommend to other people to keep in your BOBs? Share your answers below in the comments so that we can all be better prepared.
Together, let’s love, learn, practice, and overcome!
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