What Goes in a Go Bag?

You probably don’t have a lot of completely useless things in your house, so determining which items are of greatest importance in an emergency can take some thought. Do not feel bad if you are confused about what you should have in your Go Bag.

To make it easier, we’re breaking down what goes in a Go Bag into three categories:

1. Survival

This is what you will need for safety and survival in case of an emergency where you lose access to the basics like food, water, and shelter. These items are often sold as prepackaged kits, which makes this step a lot easier.

2. Important Papers

Ah, the bureaucracy of modern life. These are the things you need to prove your identity, communicate with your crew, and maintain access to your accounts. What else will want to save if you (gulp) lost your photo albums and hard drives?

3. Physical & Emotional Wellbeing

These are often afterthoughts, but they shouldn’t be. A fresh pair of underwear, a chocolate bar, lavender oil, a fifth of whisky… and probably something fun for the kids, assuming they will soon tire of playing with the charred remains of their elementary school’s lunch tables. These are personal choices that are different for everybody, but we’ve got some tips to get you thinking about what would be best for your Go Bag.

Ready? Let’s dig into the details…

About the Authors

Here Comes the Apocalypse Editorial Team

It takes a village! We are researching, writing and fact checking as a family. Collaboration is the name of the game, whether we’re running from a zombie horde or finding the best way to turn a complex concept into a deliciously digestible set of bullet points.

Jen Heller Creator

Professional worrier. Mom, entrepreneur. Lifetime student of brain science. Passionate about surviving what's coming (climate change, wtf) and staying as sane as possible. Determined to make the best of the end of the world.