Home preparedness
Home preparedness: a calm, practical guide for a week on your own
Home preparedness means being able to look after your household for at least seven days without the electricity, running water, heating, mobile networks and open shops you normally rely on. It is not about fear. It is a small amount of practical planning done in advance, while things are calm, so that a difficult week becomes an inconvenience rather than a crisis. Sweden's Agency for Civil Defence (MCF, formerly MSB) recommends every household be able to manage on its own for at least a week, and everything below breaks that down into simple, calm steps.
This is the pillar page for home preparedness at Kapsel. Each short section covers one part of being ready and links down to a detailed guide, so you can start anywhere and go as deep as you like. The existing questions and answers further down cover Kapsel itself.
Water and purification
Water is the first priority. Plan for at least three litres of drinking water per person per day, and keep a way to make more water safe, since stored water alone is heavy and runs out. A few purification tablets or a filter turn an uncertain supply into a safe one.
Food and water stores
Keep about a week of food that needs no fridge and little or no cooking, alongside your stored water. Choose energy-dense, familiar items you already eat and rotate, so nothing is wasted and nothing surprises your stomach during a disruption.
Power and light
When the power goes, a charged power bank and a headlamp or torch cover the two things that matter most: keeping a phone alive to receive alerts, and being able to see and act in the dark. Keep spare batteries in the right sizes close by.
Warmth without power
Homes lose heat quickly once the power is off, so warmth is part of preparedness in every season. A warm sleeping bag or blankets, wool layers, and one safe heat source, used with proper ventilation, keep a household comfortable for a week.
First aid
A calm household can handle small injuries and manage medicines when help is delayed. Keep a first aid kit you know how to use, a week or more of any prescription medicines, and simple painkillers within easy reach.
Communication and alerts (VMA)
When the grid and networks are down, a battery or hand-crank radio is how you reach P4 and the official VMA alert. Knowing how you will be warned, and having a way to listen, is a quiet but essential part of home preparedness.
Evacuation
Most preparedness happens at home, but occasionally you need to leave quickly. A packed bag and a simple plan, so everyone knows where to meet and what to take, turns a rushed departure into a calm one.
Preparedness by household
The basics stay the same, then you add what your household makes essential: children, older relatives, pets and the car each need a small, specific addition. Start from the household basics and layer on what fits your family.
Preparedness for families, for older adults, for pets, and the car emergency kit.
How much and how long
The standard to plan against is clear: at least seven days on your own, the MCF seven-day recommendation. That number sets how much water, food and everything else your household needs, and it is the backbone of every section on this page. The same agency runs Beredskapsveckan 2026, Sweden's preparedness week on 21 to 27 September.
If crisis or war comes
The official brochure sent to Swedish households carries a calm message behind a dramatic title: you are part of the country's total defence, and the most useful thing you can do is be able to manage on your own for a week. Preparedness is a contribution, not a source of fear.
How to choose a system
You can build your own or choose a prepared system. Check what it contains, how the parts work together, how easy they are to find and use, and whether it fits your household. Identify what you need to add, including food, stored drinking water and personal supplies.
How to choose an emergency kit, and the complete emergency kit checklist.
What a complete system includes
Kapsel is built directly on the MCF seven-day recommendation. It is one bag, three capsules (Energy & Light, Water & Health, Personal & Shelter) and over 30 selected components covering power, water, warmth, light, medical care and safety, selected and quality-checked in Borås. One system covers 1 to 3 people and doubles for larger households. It is the simplest way to get the equipment for the week in place without spending weekends researching and organising on your own.
See Kapsel Core or browse our complete emergency kits.
Frequently asked questions
What is Kapsel?
Kapsel is a Swedish emergency preparedness system. One bag, three capsules, over 30 components - selected and quality-checked in Borås to cover power, water, warmth, light, medical care and safety for up to 7 days.
How many components are included?
It scales with your household. A single system holds 37 to 49 components for 1 to 3 people; for 4 to 6 people, two systems together give 86 to 98. You get exactly what your home needs rather than a fixed one-size box, and every component is selected and quality-checked in Borås to work together, not to pad a number.
What should be in a preparedness system?
Essential home preparedness should cover drinking water and purification, backup power and lighting, first aid, warmth and cooking, and communication. Kapsel's three capsules - Energy & Light, Water & Health, Personal & Shelter - are organised by function so you open the right capsule for the right situation.
How long should I be prepared for?
Sweden's Agency for Civil Defence (MCF, formerly MSB) recommends every household should be able to manage on their own for at least a week. Kapsel is built for 7 days.
How many people does Kapsel cover?
One Kapsel system covers 1 to 3 people. For households of 4 to 6, we recommend two complete systems. The structure stays the same - the capacity doubles.
What situations does Kapsel prepare me for?
The most common disruptions: power outages, water shortages, extreme weather, supply chain failures, and medical situations when help is delayed. Kapsel covers the essentials regardless of the cause.
Do I need any prior knowledge about preparedness?
No. Every Kapsel comes with a physical manual - orange, clear, and tested on people with no preparedness experience. No prior knowledge required. Open, read, act.
Who selected the components?
The component selection is reviewed by Oskar Björk, defence engineer, adviser and co-founder at Kapsel. Nothing ends up in the system to pad a list.
Do the components have an expiration date?
Some components, like water purification, have shelf life dates. These are clearly marked in the manual.
What makes Kapsel different from other emergency kits?
Most emergency products are either loose items in a box or military survival gear. Kapsel is a modular system - three capsules organised by function, with a shared manual, designed to fit into modern homes. Everything is selected to work together, not just be included.
Why doesn't it look like typical emergency gear?
Because it shouldn't end up at the back of the garage. Kapsel is designed to be visible, accessible, and ready. What you can see is what you can find.
What if I never need it?
Then you've had it like your home insurance. You don't pay because you'll use it. You pay because it's there if you do.
Is Kapsel worth the price?
Kapsel replaces days of research and a drawer of mismatched gear with one complete system built for seven days. The price reflects over 30 quality-checked components, a bag and three capsules built to last, and a system you keep for years. Think of it the way you think of home insurance: the value is that it is ready the day everything else is not.
Can’t I just build one myself?
You can, and some people enjoy it. What takes time is choosing over 30 parts that actually work together, and giving each one a fixed place so you can find it in the dark. In Kapsel Core that work is already done. The parts are chosen by Oskar Björk, and the system comes for households of one to six people.
Is Kapsel tested or reviewed?
Yes. In 2026 the independent Swedish test site Testproffs named Kapsel Core Best in Test among eight emergency kits, with 9.6/10 and top marks for design, quality and durability. You can read the full test at testproffs.se.
How much upkeep does Kapsel need?
Very little. Most components last for years on the shelf. A few, like water purification, have marked shelf-life dates noted in the manual, and we recommend a simple twice-a-year check, easiest to tie to the clock change. Otherwise Kapsel stands ready with no maintenance.
How fast will I get it, and what does shipping cost?
Orders ship within Sweden in 2 to 4 working days, and shipping is free on Kapsel Core and all orders from 1,500 SEK.
Can I change my mind after buying?
Yes. You have 30 days to change your mind, longer than the legal minimum, so you can order with confidence and decide once it is in your home.
How can I pay?
The available payment methods are shown at checkout before you pay.
