The Importance of a Last Minute Packing List

On the wall of my dining room is one of my pride and joys—a beloved painting purchased during a trip to Venice. It’s the one thing in that room that I would want to save if I needed to evacuate. But it’s not something I can stuff into a Go Bag in advance. What I need for these and other things that don’t make sense to pack away or that I use on a daily basis is a last minute packing list.

Now I know you’ve heard more than enough about packing emergency kits, Bug Out Bags, Go Bags, or whatever else they may be called. I even have a list here on my site of what should be included.

However, in a scenario in which you’re running out the door, that pre-packed kit is going to be missing something. A lot of important somethings, actually, because many items can, and should, only be packed at the last minute.

In this article, we’ll cover how to create a checklist for last minute things that you use and enjoy daily that don’t make sense to pack in advance into an emergency kit.

The Importance of a Last Minute Packing List

Why You Want It

Not to beat a dead horse but it bears repeating: When an emergency hits, some of us must fight our natural inclination to run around like chickens with our heads cut off. This list is for all of us, but is ESPECIALLY helpful for those folks. You want a list to help you remember those things that you either can’t or don’t want to pack away in advance.

You want to remove as many decisions as possible, so you don’t even think about it.

Another consideration is that whatever you leave behind might end up in the hands of criminals. Homes left vacant after evacuations are targets for thieving low-lifes. Just know that whatever you leave behind may not be there when you get back, so plan ahead as to what you must take with you.

When You Would Use It

The checklist for last minute things is not the list you use to prepare in advance, although you will prepare the list ahead of time. You’ll use this list when:

1. you have a very short amount of time to get out of your house, OR
2. you have minimal time to put things up in a safe place (think a flood)

How To Use It

When an emergency happens, that’s the time to act, not sit down and think of the things you want to save. That’s where this list comes in.

While my other emergency lists help you to plan in advance, this one is going to help you save those important items you use regularly and that don’t make sense to pack away ahead of time. You’ll grab this list and go through as much of it as you have time to gather important and beloved items not already packed.

Questions to Decide What to Include on a Last Minute Packing List

How do you decide what to put on the list? It can be overwhelming, so I suggest going through the following questions on a room-by-room basis. Breaking a big task down into more manageable chunks is helpful. For the contents of each room, think about these things:

• Is it literally irreplaceable? It’s highly unlikely that I could replace my dining room painting.
• Do you depend on it for your life? A CPAP machine, for example, or another piece of medical equipment.
• Is it in use up until the moment of evacuation? You won’t want to pack homeschooling supplies away in advance if you are a home educator.
• Can you scan it? Think priceless, irreplaceable family photos. If it’s something scannable, then this is something that you could prepare for in advance and have one less thing to gather when time is of the essence.
• Does it have a high monetary value? This might be an antique or a collector’s item.

Once you’ve identified everything to go on this list, then order the list in terms of priority. Don’t have the most important things at the bottom of this list. You might not have time to go through the whole list in an emergency. Put first things first!

You’ll also want to assign a person(s) to each item, taking into account age, physical ability, and mental and emotional resilience in high-stress situations. Then, make sure everyone knows their responsibilities.

Items to Include on a Last Minute Packing List

Click HERE for a downloadable checklist you can print out.

Cash

You may already have packed a few dollars in your emergency kit, but if you have cash stashed around the house, be sure to take it with you! A vacant home is more likely to be burglarized, plus that extra money comes in handy for travel expenses and food.

Medications

Any prescription or over-the-counter medications you regularly take should be packed at the last minute. If it needs to be refrigerated, have a small ice chest and several cold packs in the freezer.

Medical or special equipment

Supplies such as a wheelchair, walking aids, diabetic meters, or nebulizer can be hard to quickly replace, especially if regional emergencies or if you must go through insurance.

Firearms and extra magazines/ammo

If you have a collection of guns, decide now which you will grab at the last minute. No one likes to leave these behind, but in the case of a house fire or oncoming tornado, you’ll waste precious minutes lugging them to your vehicle.

If your gun safe is portable, then be sure you can transport it out of the house. A furniture dolly would come in handy for this task.

The right clothing

What clothing is needed for current weather conditions? Your emergency kit probably doesn’t contain heavy-duty winter clothing or rain boots. To stay warm and dry, know ahead of time where these items are located.

Heirlooms, valuables

If the house is on fire, you’ll have to leave these behind, but other than the direst emergency, you’ll be glad you packed these along. Packed in a fireproof and waterproof safe, they’ll be safe from flood, fire, and smoke damage, if the safe is left behind.

Photo albums

Over and over people say how glad they were that their photos survived a calamity. Place your most valued photographic treasures in a fire-proof safe. Display scans instead.

Small safes and/or strong-boxes

If something is valuable enough to be kept in one of these, remember to take these with you. I like having a safe that is small and lightweight enough to carry, along with one or two that are much heavier that I plan on leaving behind in case of a fire, flood, earthquake, or similar disaster. Unless stolen, it will be there when we return.

Precious metals

If you have been buying gold and silver coins, please don’t leave them for burglars or for Mother Nature to wash away with flood waters! They can be heavy, so you may want to store them in smaller containers to make transporting easier.

The right shoes

Proper footgear is so important I include it separately from clothing. Sometimes we must leave our house in a hurry and in the middle of the night. Plan which shoes each family member will grab, along with socks. (Have extra socks and some moleskin packed in your emergency kit.)

Vital electronics

If you keep personal and financial records on a computer, and most of us do, you’ll want to have a plan for securing that information and, if possible, taking it with you.

At the very least, someone should be trained to download information to a thumb drive. It might be easier just to grab the laptop or unplug the desktop computer and make a run for it.

Your Grab-and-Go binder

If you haven’t already assembled one of these, read this post for more about gathering this important household information.

Perishable foods

If you expect to be on the road for a while and have the time to pack it, a cooler filled with food will eliminate the need to stop at fast food joints or restaurants. This will help you get to a safer location more quickly.

Comfort items for family members

These could be stuffed animals, favorite pillows, or blankets.

Family pets and their supplies

Read this Pet Emergency Checklist to help you prepare for your animals’ needs.

Camping supplies

If there’s a chance that you may not reach a hotel or other lodging, a tent, sleeping bags, and a few other supplies will provide shelter and rudimentary living quarters temporarily.

A Final Thought