A home emergency kit is the core of your home preparedness and should hold everything you need to manage on your own for at least seven days without electricity, water, or outside help. Sweden's Agency for Civil Defence (MCF, formerly MSB) recommends that every household be able to cope for at least one week. Below is the full checklist, the amounts per person, and the fastest way to build complete preparedness.
Reviewed by Oskar Bjork, defence engineer (Swedish Armed Forces) and adviser to Kapsel. Last updated 2026-06-22.
Quick checklist - what an emergency kit must contain
- Water - at least 3-5 litres per person per day (drinking + hygiene)
- Food - about 2,100 kcal per person per day, food that needs no fridge or cooking
- Heat - sleeping bag/blankets, warm clothes, a safe heat source
- Light and power - torch/head-torch, batteries, power bank, candles
- Information - battery or hand-crank radio (for P4 and the VMA alert), list of key numbers
- First aid and hygiene - first-aid kit, medication, wet wipes, toilet solution
- Documents and cash - copies of ID, cash in small denominations
How much per person? (amounts for 7 days)
| Area | Per person/day | Per person/week |
|---|---|---|
| Drinking water | 3 litres | about 21 litres |
| Water total (incl. hygiene) | 3-5 litres | 20-35 litres |
| Food (energy) | about 2,100 kcal | about 14,700 kcal |
For a household of four that is roughly 80-140 litres of water and food for 28 person-days for one week. Water is heavy and bulky, so most people combine stored water with purification tablets or a filter to treat more when needed.
The full checklist, area by area
1. Water
- Stored drinking water, 3-5 litres/person/day
- Collapsible water container
- Water-purification tablets or a filter
2. Food
- Food that keeps at room temperature and needs no cooking (or can be heated on a camping stove)
- High energy density: tinned food, crispbread, nuts, muesli, dried fruit
- Manual tin opener, camping stove + fuel for hot food
- Special needs: baby food, gluten-free, pet food
For the food layer, the simplest options are freeze-dried food and a long-life store you rotate through.
3. Heat
- A sleeping bag and/or extra blankets per person
- Warm layers: wool, hat, gloves, warm socks
- A safe heat source, and awareness of ventilation and carbon monoxide (CO) with any indoor combustion
4. Light and power
- A head-torch or torch per person
- Spare batteries in the right sizes
- A charged power bank; optionally a solar charger
- Candles/tea lights and matches in a waterproof pack
5. Information and communication
- A battery or hand-crank radio to reach P4 and the VMA alert when networks are down
- Charged phone + backup power
- A printed list of key numbers and a family meeting point
6. First aid and hygiene
- A first-aid kit
- Prescription medication for at least a week, plus painkillers
- Wet wipes, hand sanitiser, toilet paper, bin bags
- Hygiene items for the whole family, including sanitary products and nappies as needed
7. Documents, cash and keys
- Copies of ID, insurance and key contacts (in a waterproof pouch)
- Cash in small denominations
- Spare keys
Ready-made kit or build your own?
Assembling a kit yourself works perfectly well, but most people discover three things: quality takes time to source, gaps creep in (especially water, heat and communication), and cheap components fail exactly when needed. A ready-made, quality-assured solution covers the whole week at once and is tested as a system.
Kapsel Core is built for exactly this: a system of three capsules (Energy and Light, Water and Health, and Personal and Shelter) with over 30 selected, certified components, developed with an adviser from the Swedish Armed Forces and assembled in Boras. It is designed to stay in view, not forgotten in a cupboard. See the Kapsel Core
Frequently asked questions
Is an emergency kit a legal requirement?
No. It is a recommendation from MCF (formerly MSB), not a legal requirement, but the agency recommends every household be able to manage at least seven days on its own.
How much water should I keep?
At least 3 litres of drinking water per person per day, and 3-5 litres total including hygiene. Over a week that is roughly 20-35 litres per person.
How long should the kit last?
At least seven days (one week), per MCF's current recommendation.
Where can I buy a complete emergency kit?
You can build it yourself from the list above, or choose a ready-made, system-tested solution like the Kapsel Core that covers the whole week. See the Kapsel Core
What is home preparedness?
Home preparedness (hemberedskap) is being able to manage at home for at least a week without electricity, water or outside help. The checklist above covers the essentials: water, food, heat, light, communication, first aid and documents.
Sources: MCF (mcf.se), krisinformation.se, Livsmedelsverket, Roda Korset.
A packed kit is what lets you leave quickly if a wildfire or grass fire forces an evacuation.
If you ever have to leave in a hurry, the packed kit is your grab bag. See how to evacuate: your bag and your plan.
More questions? Read our home preparedness FAQ.
Printable checklist
The essentials for one week, by category. Tick as you go.
Water (3 to 5 litres per person per day)
- Stored drinking water
- Collapsible water container
- Water purification tablets or filter
Food (about 2,100 kcal per person per day, no cooking needed)
- Tinned food, crispbread, nuts, dried fruit
- Manual tin opener
- Camping stove and fuel
Warmth
- Sleeping bag or blankets per person
- Warm layers: wool, hat, gloves
- A safe heat source (and knowledge of ventilation and CO safety)
Light and power
- Head torch or torch per person
- Spare batteries
- Charged power bank
- Candles and matches
Information
- Battery or hand-crank radio (P4 and VMA)
- List of important numbers on paper
Health and hygiene
- First-aid kit
- Medicines for at least a week
- Wet wipes, hand sanitiser, toilet solution
Documents and cash
- Copies of ID and insurance
- Cash in small notes
If the supply is restricted, learn how to purify water.
The list follows the seven-day home-preparedness standard.