Quarantine Supply Checklist: Everything to Have at Home
A quarantine supply checklist covers everything your household needs to stay home comfortably for 2–4 weeks: whether due to a pandemic, illness isolation, severe weather, or any other scenario where leaving the house isn’t possible or advisable. This isn’t about extreme survivalism: it’s about having enough of the right things to stay comfortable, healthy, and functional for a realistic period without resupply. Print this checklist, work through it section by section, and check off what you already have.
Food & Water (30-Day Supply)
- White rice or other grains: 25 lbs per adult
- Dried beans and lentils: 10 lbs per adult
- Pasta: 10 lbs per adult
- Rolled oats: 5 lbs per adult
- Canned vegetables × 45 per adult
- Canned proteins (tuna, chicken, salmon) × 30 per adult
- Canned soups × 20 per adult
- Peanut butter × 4 large jars per adult
- Cooking oil: 2 litres per adult
- Salt, sugar, honey, spices: 30-day cooking supply
- Coffee/tea: 30-day supply
- Comfort snacks (chocolate, crackers, chips): morale matters
- Electrolyte powder: 30-day supply
- Stored water: 60 gallons per adult (or water filter)
- Water filter (Berkey or Sawyer) for backup purification
Medical & Health
- All prescription medications: 30–90 day supply
- Acetaminophen: large bottle × 2
- Ibuprofen: large bottle × 2
- Antihistamines (cetirizine): 90-count
- Cough/cold medication: 90-day supply of your preferred brands
- Antidiarrhoeal (Imodium) × 2 boxes
- Antacid (Tums, omeprazole): 90-day supply
- Digital thermometer × 2
- Pulse oximeter × 1
- Blood pressure monitor (if relevant)
- First aid kit (bandages, gauze, antiseptic, tape)
- Nitrile gloves: 200 count
- N95 masks: 20+ per person
- Oral rehydration salts / Pedialyte: 30-day supply
- Multivitamins: 90-day supply
- Vitamin D3 + C + Zinc: 90-day immune support supply
Hygiene & Sanitation
- Toilet paper: 4 mega-rolls per person per week = 120+ rolls for 30 days for a family of 4
- Hand soap: 12+ bars or 4 large pump bottles
- Hand sanitiser (70%+ alcohol): 2 litres
- Shampoo and conditioner: 30-day supply
- Body wash or soap: 30-day supply
- Toothpaste × 4 tubes per person
- Toothbrushes × 2 backup per person
- Dental floss × 6 packs
- Feminine hygiene products: 30-day supply per person who needs them
- Laundry detergent: 30-day supply
- Dishwashing liquid: 4 bottles
- Bleach (unscented): 2 gallons for disinfecting
- All-purpose disinfecting wipes: 6 containers
- Paper towels: 12 rolls
- Garbage bags (heavy duty): 2 boxes large + 2 boxes small
- Wet wipes: 4 packs (waterless cleaning if needed)
Household Essentials
- Flashlights × 2 + spare batteries or rechargeable
- Candles × 12 + lighter/matches
- Battery-powered or hand-crank radio (NOAA capable)
- Portable power bank (10,000+ mAh) × 2
- Extension cords × 2
- Manual can opener × 2
- Propane camp stove + 12 fuel canisters (if electric cooking only home)
- Backup lighter and waterproof matches × 4 boxes
- Duct tape
- Plastic sheeting (for window/door sealing if air quality emergency)
- Cash in small bills ($200–$500): ATMs may be offline
- Important documents (copies in waterproof folder): IDs, insurance, prescriptions
- Extra phone charger cables × 2 per device type
- Backup phone battery case or power bank
Work & School
- Laptop or tablet charged and functional
- Internet backup solution (mobile hotspot device + data plan)
- Printer ink / paper for printing important documents
- School supplies for children (notebooks, pencils, books)
- Reference books and physical maps (don’t rely solely on internet)
- Offline apps downloaded (maps, reference materials, entertainment)
Entertainment & Mental Health
- Books: physical books you’ve been meaning to read (5–10 per person)
- Board games and card games (for family interaction and mental stimulation)
- Puzzles (500–1000+ piece)
- Art supplies (drawing, painting: excellent stress relief)
- Downloaded movies, TV shows, music (offline: assume internet may slow or fail)
- Exercise equipment (resistance bands, yoga mat, jump rope)
- Journal and pens (mental health benefit documented; record emergency events)
- Comfort items specific to your household (candles, bath supplies, favourite snacks)
Communications
- Written contact list of important phone numbers (if phone dies)
- NOAA emergency radio: hand crank or solar + battery backup
- Family communication plan: meeting point if communication fails
- Out-of-area contact person: designated family member in another region others can report to
- Two-way radios (walkie-talkies): for communication within evacuation zone if cell towers fail
Pets
- Pet food: 30-day supply for all pets
- Water supply for pets: factor into overall household calculation (1 cup/day per 10 lbs body weight)
- Pet medications: 30-day buffer supply
- Veterinary records (vaccination certificates, microchip numbers) in waterproof folder
- Pet first aid kit
- Pet carrier appropriate for each animal
- Collar and ID tag + spare leash
- Pet comfort items (favourite toys, blankets)
Recommended Products
Midland ER310 Emergency Hand Crank NOAA Weather Radio
A NOAA weather radio is essential for receiving official emergency alerts when phone networks are congested or power is out. The Midland ER310 receives all 7 NOAA weather channels, has a hand crank and solar panel (no battery dependence), includes a USB phone charging port, and has a bright LED flashlight. The SAME technology allows it to alert only for emergencies in your specific area. Buy one per household and keep it charged.
- NOAA all-hazards alerts; SAME local area filtering
- Hand crank + solar + battery: never runs out of power
- USB phone charging port; LED flashlight included
Anker 737 Power Bank 24,000mAh
A high-capacity power bank keeps phones, tablets, and essential devices charged through multiple days of grid-down or limited charging scenarios. The Anker 737 provides 24,000mAh: enough to fully charge a modern smartphone 5–6 times or a tablet 2–3 times. It charges at 65W, which also fast-charges laptops. The built-in display shows remaining capacity. Buy two: one to keep charged in your quarantine kit, one for your bug-out bag.
- 24,000mAh: 5–6 full phone charges
- 65W charging: also fast-charges laptops
- Built-in display; compact form factor
Quarantine Prep FAQ
How much toilet paper do I actually need for a 30-day quarantine?
The average American uses about 100 sheets per day, or roughly 1 standard roll every 2–3 days. For one adult: approximately 15 standard rolls per month. For a family of four: 60 standard rolls per month. “Mega” rolls (4× standard) reduce this to 15 mega rolls for a family of 4 per month. Multiply by 4 for a 4-month supply: the stockpile level that survived the worst of COVID-19 shortages. Bidets are a practical long-term solution that dramatically reduces toilet paper dependence.
What’s the most important quarantine supply most people forget?
Two consistently overlooked categories: (1) Internet backup: a mobile hotspot with a prepaid data plan ensures connectivity when home internet fails or becomes unreliable. During COVID-19, many ISPs experienced significant congestion. A Verizon or AT&T prepaid hotspot with 15–30GB is cheap insurance. (2) Mental health supplies: entertainment, exercise equipment, and comfort items are genuinely medical preparations. Studies of quarantine stress show that people with adequate entertainment, physical activity, and connection to others have dramatically better mental health outcomes. Don’t treat these as luxuries.