Bug-In Kit: How to Prepare to Stay Home During a Disaster
A bug in kit: your shelter-in-place supply collection: is what allows your family to survive safely inside your home when the world outside is dangerous, disrupted, or inaccessible. For most realistic emergencies: winter storms, extended power outages, flooding nearby, supply chain disruptions: bugging in is the right choice. Your home is more comfortable, better stocked, and safer than any evacuation scenario.
The key difference between a bug out bag and a bug in kit: your bug in kit can be as large as your home allows. There’s no weight limit when you’re staying put. This means you can store meaningful quantities of food, water, and supplies that would be impossible to carry in a backpack.
Bug In vs Bug Out: How to Decide
Bug in when:
- The threat is outside (pandemic, civil unrest, contaminated air, extreme weather)
- Roads are blocked or dangerous
- You have no safer destination to evacuate to
- Your home is structurally safe and in no immediate danger
- You have elderly or disabled family members who can’t easily evacuate
Bug out when:
- A mandatory or urgent evacuation order is issued by authorities
- Your home is directly threatened (wildfire approaching, flooding incoming, structural damage)
- You have a specific safer destination to go to
The default for most emergencies is bug in. Reserve bugging out for when staying is genuinely more dangerous than leaving.
Water Storage for Bug-In
With no weight limit, you can store significantly more water at home than you’d carry in a bag. FEMA recommends 1 gallon per person per day; aim for 2 gallons per person per day at home (accounting for cooking, sanitation, and pet needs).
Bug-In Water Targets
| Household Size | 3-Day Supply | 14-Day Supply | 30-Day Supply |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 people | 12 gal | 56 gal | 120 gal |
| 4 people | 24 gal | 112 gal | 240 gal |
Storage Options
- WaterBrick containers (3.5 gal each): Stackable, BPA-free, efficient use of space
- 55-gallon water drum: Best per-gallon cost; requires a hand pump and dedicated floor space
- WaterBOB bathtub bladder (100 gal): Fill your bathtub before a storm; excellent emergency water at <$30
- Commercial bottled water: Convenient but expensive and generates plastic waste
- In-home water filtration (Berkey filter): Filters tap water continuously; useful if municipal water becomes suspect but not offline
Food Storage for Bug-In
Unlike a BOB, your bug-in food supply can include bulk dry goods, home-canned items, and the full range of your normal diet. The USDA and FEMA both recommend a rotation system: store what you eat, eat what you store.
Recommended Bug-In Food Categories
- Whole grains (white rice, oats, wheat berries): 25–50 lb bags; indefinite shelf life when sealed
- Legumes (dried beans, lentils, split peas): protein and fibre; 25+ year shelf life in sealed containers
- Canned goods: vegetables, fruits, fish, meat, soups; 2–5 year shelf life
- Cooking oils: calorie density; rotate every 1–2 years
- Salt, sugar, honey: flavour and preservation; extended shelf life
- Freeze-dried meals: for variety and ease; 25-year shelf life
- Comfort foods: coffee, tea, chocolate, familiar snacks; morale matters
Power & Heating
Extended power outages are the most common reason to bug in. Your home power strategy for a bug-in scenario:
- Portable power station (500Wh+): run medical devices, charge phones, power LED lights
- Solar panels (100–200W): recharge the power station indefinitely
- Generator (propane or dual-fuel): for higher power needs; run outside only
- LED lanterns: efficient whole-room lighting; runs 100+ hours on batteries
- Extra batteries (AA, AAA, D cell): large supply for lights and radios
- Propane camp stove: cooking when the electric stove is out; indoor use only with ventilation
- Propane fuel (10+ canisters)
Heating Without Power
- Wool blankets and sleeping bags rated for low temperatures
- Insulated window coverings (heavy curtains or foam board for windows)
- Draft blockers for doors
- Propane heater (Mr. Heater Big Buddy: indoor-safe with CO detector)
- Carbon monoxide detector (critical if using any fuel-burning heater indoors)
Sanitation Without Running Water
- WaterBOB or filled bathtub: toilet flushing reservoir (pour water directly into bowl to flush)
- Chemical toilet or 5-gallon bucket with toilet seat lid: for extended outages
- Waste bags and deodoriser
- Hand sanitizer (large supply)
- Wet wipes
- Feminine hygiene products
- Trash bags (heavy-duty, large supply)
Security & Communication
- NOAA weather radio (hand-crank or battery)
- FRS/GMRS walkie-talkies (for communication if cell networks fail)
- Printed contact list and family communication plan
- Motion-activated outdoor lights (battery powered)
- Door and window reinforcement (simple bar locks)
Complete Bug-In Supply Checklist
- Water (14-day supply minimum at 2 gal/person/day)
- Food (14-day supply per person)
- Manual can opener
- Portable camp stove + 10+ fuel canisters
- Portable power station (500Wh+)
- Solar charging panel (100W+)
- LED flashlights (1 per person) + extra batteries
- LED lanterns (2–3 per household)
- Emergency candles (20+)
- NOAA weather radio (hand-crank)
- First aid kit (comprehensive)
- Prescription medications (30-day supply)
- Wool blankets (1 per person)
- Sleeping bag (1 per person, cold-rated)
- Plastic sheeting + duct tape (shelter-in-place sealing)
- Carbon monoxide detector
- Sanitation supplies (buckets, waste bags, wipes)
- Cash ($500+)
- Critical documents (waterproof container)
- Entertainment (books, games, puzzles): for children and adults
Recommended Products
Jackery Explorer 500 Portable Power Station
The best entry-level portable power station for bug-in preparedness. 518Wh of capacity runs LED lights for days, charges phones dozens of times, and powers a CPAP machine for 2+ nights. Pairs with a 100W solar panel for fully renewable power during an extended outage.
- 518Wh capacity: lights, phones, medical devices
- AC, USB-A, USB-C, and 12V outputs
- Solar input: indefinite recharging when paired with panels
Mr. Heater F232000 MH9BX Indoor-Safe Propane Heater
The most popular indoor-safe propane heater in the prepper community. The Big Buddy heater produces 4,000–9,000 BTU and is certified safe for indoor use (with ventilation and a CO detector). Runs on standard 1-lb propane canisters or connects to a larger tank.
- 4,000–9,000 BTU: heats a medium room effectively
- Indoor-safe certification with automatic low-oxygen shutoff
- Connects to 1-lb canisters or larger tanks via hose
WaterBOB Emergency Water Storage Bladder: 100 Gallons
The WaterBOB is the fastest way to store 100 gallons of clean water if you have any advance notice of an emergency. It fills your standard bathtub in 20 minutes using the included hand pump. At under $30, it’s one of the highest-value preparedness purchases available.
- 100-gallon capacity in a standard bathtub
- Fills in 20 minutes from the tap
- Keeps water fresh for up to 16 weeks
Bug-In Kit FAQ
Is it better to bug in or bug out?
For most emergencies, bugging in is safer and more comfortable than evacuating. Your home has more space, more supplies, and familiar surroundings. Bug out only when staying is genuinely more dangerous than leaving: active structural threat to your home, mandatory evacuation order, or an approaching threat that cannot be survived in place.
How long should a bug-in kit last?
FEMA recommends a minimum of 72 hours. The Red Cross recommends 2 weeks. We recommend building toward 30 days as your practical target: this covers almost all realistic scenarios including major storms, extended power outages, and regional supply chain disruptions. Build to 72 hours first, then expand.
How do I use the toilet during a water outage?
Pour a bucket of water (2–3 gallons) directly into the toilet bowl: this triggers a gravity flush without needing the tank to fill. Keep a filled bucket or bathtub bladder specifically for toilet flushing. For extended outages, a portable chemical toilet or 5-gallon bucket with a toilet seat lid and waste bags is the best sanitation solution.