March 20, 2026
If you’ve never had to pack in a hurry because of an emergency, count yourself among the lucky. It could be a family illness in another place, a weather thing, or a man-made disaster of unimaginable awfulness…
But since we are clever heroines, we have thought about this ahead of time, and when we have to address this challenge, we have a pretty good idea of how to proceed!
First and maybe foremost, have you taken a look at your toiletry kit recently? It should be ready to go all the time. Take a few minutes in the next few days and check if you need a new bit of toothpaste, or if your face wash bottle is nearly empty. Is anything that might have an expiration date still current?
When it comes to clothing, I can probably EASILY fit more than the following list into my suitcase…
These clothes might look something like this, if I knew that I was only going to be somewhere casual:
Red cardigan – Alex Mill; hoodie – Primary; poplin shirt – Alex Mill; striped tee – Alex Mill; shorts – rag & bone; jeans – Alex Mill; gold sneakers – Dansko; sandals – Söfft
If I’m making one of those trips that might include something a bit dressier, I might pack things like this:
Cotton sweater – L.L.Bean; seersucker shirt – L.L.Bean; navy flutter-sleeve top – L.L.Bean; dress – L.L.Bean; jeans – Levi; linen shorts – L.L.Bean; leather sneakers – Josef Seibel; sandals – Jack Rogers
If we’re legitimately talking about a funeral, I would include “real” shoes to wear with a dark dress. Happily, I seem to be past the “every two months someone else dies” stage of life!
You have to adjust these capsule wardrobes for weather, but even in the very hottest part of the year, I would always include a sweater or sweatshirt, long pants, and closed-toe shoes. If you’re stuck overnight in an airport or somewhere that’s air-conditioned, you can get really cold…
Worst case scenario, and you don’t even have time to pack clothes? These are the things that I keep in (or near) my backpack, under my desk, ALL THE TIME. Maybe I’m paranoid, but I worry enough without putting myself into a position of panic during an emergency:
Too much preparation? I’ll risk it… What do you consider essential for emergencies?
love,
Janice
p.s. Ten years ago, I took a look at six trends for Spring 2016. I think all of these things are still infinitely wearable; I detest trends!
Us Brits seem to be unprepared compared to the US. Although with floods and wind damage becoming more common, we might have to be a bit more canny.
Sadly, I seem to be approaching that time of life when my elderly friends and relatives are popping their clogs – two have passed away in the last month. Having foresworn black for most of my life, I have assembled a funeral outfit – black trousers (M&S), black floral tops (long and short sleeves, both from charity shops), and a black padded collarless velvet jacket (supermarket sale). At least, I can wear these clothes when singing in concerts too.
Thinking of trends with the look back, it seems to be a trend at British funerals you to be asked to wear something in the deceased favourite colour. I’m usually OK finding a scarf or top in my wardrobe but not if it was orange or yellow.
I also don’t feel as prepared but I do have a list I keep for these kind of situations. I always start with the items you show in the second list. I call it the handbag list: documents, wallet, phone, keys and chapstick. Then, if time allows, and staying over is in the horizon, I’d go for meds, toiletries, a set of undies and a fresh tee. That would be my absolute must-have list.
It’s not easy for me, but I appreciate your reminders.
Blessings, Janice! I hope you’re enjoying your time in England. Downtown Abby comes to mind… never will I fill that gap!
When I come back from a trip, I repack my toiletry bag and refill whatever was used. I’m trying to distill down to my absolute necessities per trip, so I remove items if I know my destination will have shampoo, conditioner, etc. I store all travel supplies in dedicated spaces (packing cubes, travel hair tools, and toiletry bag) IN my favorite suitcase, (travel makeup, meds in ONE bag in the closet) so I can grab and go if needed. This served me well when I got to fill a very last-minute slot at a work conference in Jamaica a few years ago!
I already have this packed. Jeans, hoodie, Tshirt, skirt, shirt, dress, scarf, ballet flats, some costume jewellery, a towel and chargers, all in a bag in the boot of my car. Throw in my toiletries bag (same as Kathy above, reloaded after a trip) and I’m set (unused toothbrush and travel toothpaste in car if not). I usually have a coloured lip wax in my hand bag.
This has seen me though visiting sick parents, accidents at work, getting caught out in the rain and even getting thrown up on once! The scarf can double as a blanket if necessary.
If I were to pack from my wardrobe quickly, I would follow the same formula. Maybe an extra top, one casual and one dressy, to have everything covered.
I recently had to evacuate my home, and found that my “go-bag”, filled with a lot of old, mismatched things, wasn’t really ideal for this situation. In my new go-bag I keep one pair of “presentable” pants, one “presentable” long sleeve tshirt, and matching pairs of mittens and socks, as well as a couple pairs of underwear. I will adjust this mix in the warmer weather.
I assume I will be wearing appropriate outerwear and footwear when leaving. Hoodies, sweatpants, shorts, casual dresses, flipflops and tshirts are always good ideas though.
A couple other important things I would suggest to keep ready are a copy of your insurance policy (can be a hassle to read online), and your pet’s vaccine certificate in case you end up needing to board your pet.
This is such good advice. I used to have a “go bag” backed at all times, thanks to my late Army Ranger husband. He even included a packed bag for our dogs (water and foldable water bowl, enough food for three days, treats, towels to lie on and extra leashes (in case one breaks).) Since his death, I have moved quite a few times…12 times in 8 years.. You’d think I’d be better prepared! However, all those moves have been exhausting and frankly, I just ran out of planning steam.
You have inspired me to get my toiletries, dog bag and basics ready…just in case.
One last thing: Two years ago, I ran out the door with a hastily packed bag, because my “unofficial” aunt died, and I was flying to California from Maine on short notice to be with my best friend and her family. I did well with clothes and shoes, as well as meds and toiletries. But, I forgot something to sleep in and undergarments. Since my best friend is 6′ tall and I’m lucky if I can beg to 5’3″, I had to run to Target to buy socks, underwear and a nightgown and robe.
Even if you’re not typically a robe wearer (though I am), I would highly recommend buying a soft, easily packed robe set to keep in your travel bag. Mine is bamboo, lightweight and now just stays in the bag, so I don’t forget it. If you’re staying in someone’s home, it would be nice to have one, sitting to have coffee in the morning. Even some luxury hotels have recently done away with their robes in rooms policy. So…it’s good to think about…