The Top 100 Preps Every Urban Family Should Have
The Top 100 Preps Every Urban Family Should Have is a practical preparedness framework designed for families living in cities and suburbs. Instead of focusing on pre-made kits or extreme scenarios, this system emphasizes standalone, real-world items that can be scaled over time based on your family’s needs and environment.
This guide is organized using The Colors of Prepping system, which groups preparedness items by function so you can build a balanced, resilient setup without overbuying or wasting money.
For a full breakdown of each item and why it matters, watch the complete video walkthrough linked below.
Water (Blue)
Water is the foundation of all preparedness. Without safe drinking water, everything else becomes secondary.
This category includes:
Stored drinking water
Water containers
Gravity-fed water filtration systems
For detailed recommendations and storage strategies, watch the video.
Food (Green)
Emergency food should be shelf-stable, calorie-dense, and easy to prepare with limited resources.
This category includes:
Long-term food staples
Bulk dry goods stored for extended shelf life
Essential food preservation basics
For specific food choices and storage methods, watch the video.
Medical (Red)
Medical preparedness bridges the gap when professional care is delayed or unavailable.
This category includes:
Prescription continuity
Over-the-counter medications
Trauma and bleeding control supplies
Infection prevention items
For a complete medical preparedness breakdown, watch the video.
Shelter (Brown)
Shelter protects against exposure and provides rest and recovery during evacuations or extended outages.
This category includes:
Temporary shelter options
Sleeping systems
Insulating layers and weather protection
For shelter setup examples and recommendations, watch the video.
Fire (Orange)
Fire is both a critical tool and a major risk in urban environments.
This category includes:
Fire-starting tools
Fire suppression equipment
Fire detection and escape solutions
For proper fire safety and preparedness planning, watch the video.
Communications and Electronics (Yellow)
When the grid goes down, information becomes survival.
This category includes:
Emergency radios
Short-range and long-range communication tools
Battery management and backup power solutions
For communication planning and device recommendations, watch the video.
Illumination
Lighting is essential for safety, mobility, and morale during power outages.
This category includes:
Hands-free lighting
Area lighting
Solar-powered lighting options
For lighting strategies that work in real outages, watch the video.
Hygiene and Sanitation (White)
Sanitation failures lead to illness and rapidly degrade living conditions.
This category includes:
Emergency toilet solutions
Cleaning and disinfecting supplies
Waste management tools
For hygiene planning during long-term outages, watch the video.
Cooking (Gray)
Food storage only works if you can prepare meals safely.
This category includes:
Non-electric cooking equipment
Durable cookware
Fuel and heat sources
For cooking setups that work without utilities, watch the video.
Clothing (Purple)
Emergency clothing protects against exposure, injury, and fatigue.
This category includes:
Weather-appropriate outer layers
Footwear for debris and evacuation
Insulating accessories
For clothing recommendations by season, watch the video.
Tools (Black)
Basic tools enable repair, cleanup, and recovery after disasters.
This category includes:
Pry and lifting tools
Cutting and clearing equipment
Digging and debris management tools
For tool selection guidance, watch the video.
Personal Readiness (Pink)
Personal readiness keeps important systems functioning when everything else fails.
This category includes:
Document protection
Emergency cash
Rapid evacuation organization
For personal preparedness planning, watch the video.
Surveillance and Security
Disasters often increase opportunistic crime.
This category includes:
Home monitoring systems
Entry hardening tools
Exterior deterrent lighting
For layered security planning, watch the video.
Vehicle Preparedness
Vehicles expand your options during emergencies.
This category includes:
Roadside safety equipment
Recovery and repair tools
Fuel storage solutions
For vehicle readiness setups, watch the video.
Disaster-Specific Preparedness Categories
The system also includes focused categories for:
Each category is covered in detail in the full video walkthrough.
How to Use This Guide
You do not need to buy everything at once.
Start with:
Water, food, and medical
Add power and lighting
Then layer in region-specific risks
Preparedness is built over time. This guide gives you the structure to do it intelligently.