I am that person who usually ends up in some sort of unexpected “situation” almost everywhere I go. I guess that’s why I carry a big tote filled with anything and everything I might need “in case of an emergency.” I really do need to downsize. That’s why I fell in love with these MINI emergency kits that Britta came up with…and I just know you will too!
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Britta writes… In the world of photography, they say that the best camera is the one you carry with you. Even the best-quality camera becomes worthless if you aren’t taking pictures with it! The same idea applies to emergency kits; you can have emergency kits in your home that are well-stocked, but those kits aren’t going to do you any good if you’re faced with an emergency away from home!
But none of us wants to carry around a big ol’ emergency kit, full of things you might not actually need. So imagine if you had an emergency kit so compact that you could carry it around in the pocket of your jeans if you wanted to? And that kit would have exactly the things you might need, with nothing extraneous. You’d be way more likely to carry that around with you, right?
That’s where this comes in – the humble mint tin. Small, reusable, and durable, these mint tins make the perfect container for emergency kits. While at first glance they appear to be too small to hold anything useful, by the end of this post you’ll see just how much these tins are capable of holding!
Kit #1 – First Aid
No matter where you roam, a first aid kit can always come in handy. Keeping this kit with you will have you handling minor aches and injuries such as headaches, bruises, blisters, scrapes, and cuts with no sweat.
Contents:
- Bandaids
- Moleskin patches
- Butterfly closures
- Ibuprofen
- Bacitracin ointment
- Gauze pads
- Alcohol prep wipes
- Hand cleansing wipes
Kit #2 – Sewing Kit
As we all know, wardrobe malfunctions happen. Especially before or during significant events, like important business meetings and first dates. This small sewing kit has everything you’ll need to quickly repair or secure small tears or holes.
Contents:
- Seam ripper
- Needle threader
- Thimble
- Scissors
- Needles
- Safety pins
- Various colors of thread
Kit #3 – Emergency Candle
Maybe this isn’t quite a “kit”, but having a candle around can be extremely useful! Especially if you’re stranded overnight in your car, home, or office with no power. This little candle will burn for several hours, providing light and heat when you need it most. (For full instructions on making a candle, see my post about making your own citronella candles.)
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Quick note: Keeping matches next to a lit candle is a hazard, which is why I detached the lid from the tin. That way, you can keep the matches away from the candle when it is lit. After the wax cools and solidifies, you can replace the lid and secure it with a couple of rubber bands.
Contents:
- Candle
- Matches
- Match strikers
Kit #4 – Wilderness Survival
If you participate in outdoor activities like trail running, mountain biking, or hiking, keeping a few wilderness survival items with you makes good sense! These basic items can help you navigate your way, signal for help, or even start a fire for warmth should you become lost or stranded outdoors.
Contents:
- Water purification tablets
- Flashlight
- Signaling mirror
- Whistle
- Ibuprofen
- Swiss Army Knife
- Compass
- Firestarter
- Dryer lint (for fire-starting)
- Rubber bands
Kit #5 – “Urban Survival”
This kit is certainly the most practical of the bunch. It probably won’t do you much good in a real emergency like the candle or the Wilderness Survival kit, but it well help you navigate the day-to-day of city/suburban life! Whether you need a bit of extra cash, some essential oils to calm your nerves, or a way to save an important file, this kit has you covered.
Contents:
- Quarters
- Ibuprofen
- Lens cleaning wipe
- Mini bottle of Lavender essential oil
- Chapstick
- USB drive
- Safety pins
- Cash
- Rubber bands
After studying and practicing outdoor survival, I’ve made and tested 9 different altoids kits. Each time I end finding out that they amount to what the army refers to as ”pocket junk”. A single altoids tin is simply too small to have any amount of kit of any real value to keeping you alive. After all, fire and signalling are only a fraction of what one needs. What about water and shelter, not to mention food. Unless you’ve received training in primitive survival techniques, you won’t make it with just fire and signalling. Smallest kit anyone should have is a… Read more »
[…] 5 Emergency Kits in an Altoids Can […]
[…] Do you have a bunch of tins from Altoids laying round because you think wow this would make a great craft? Maybe you just throw them away. I came across a blog post about a great idea for use of the empty tins. The original blog post can found at https://onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2015/03/5-diy-mini-emergency-kits.html […]
[…] https://onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2015/03/5-diy-mini-emergency-kits.html […]
You know what? These are fantastic! I can think up a couple of ways to make a kit… How about making up a nail kit? Small file, nail polish (there are small bottles out there) cotton balls, remover if you could find it in a swab, clippers… Oh the list could go on and on!
Just wondering where to get the tiny flashlight in the wilderness survival kit? Been looking for a good small one for quite a while
This one came from an outdoors store, but there are some cheap keychain flashlights on amazon :-) http://www.amazon.com/TigerTech-8-pack-Keychain-Micro-Light/dp/B00JUBO20O/ref=sr_1_6?s=hardware&ie=UTF8&qid=1425791872&sr=1-6&keywords=mini+flashlight
I found a little tin that you could use if you don’t like Altoids or similar candies. Some retail stores have tins to put your gift cards into. I have one and it works just like the Altoids tin.
I would add one more item to the First Aid kit: some regular Bayer aspirin. Hopefully you will never need them to abort a heart attack, but handy to have if you do.
I would add aspirin to the first aid kit. It can save someone having a stroke and takes up very little space.
In college I carried a “lady’s kit” with Midol and other lady’s essentials. I was never caught out in an emergency and it came to the aid of many of my female friends. Plus the little tin was very discreet.
Great idea Bridget!