How To Make A Life-Saving Mini Emergency Kit

We’ve all been there: it’s the middle of the day, you’re stuck in your office, and out of nowhere, you get the worst headache ever. Or maybe you’re running late and end up spilling coffee on your outfit. Whatever the situation is, minor emergencies happen. That’s where the mini emergency kit comes in. I’ve kept variations of these emergency kits in my bag since college, and they’re absolute life-savers. Whether you’re in a lecture or a meeting, having a few supplies on hand can make all the difference.

Most (if not all) of these items can be found at your local grocery store, but I linked them through Amazon for your convenience in the event you’re a few dollars shy of free shipping (or if the panic buyers beat you to the store). If you make a purchase through the links in this post, I may earn a small commission. This is at no additional cost to you, and it helps support this blog.

So what goes into these kits? Here’s my recommendations:

Supply Bag

For starters, you’ll want a bag to put all of your supplies in. You don’t want to reach for something only to find out that it opened up and spilled all over the bottom of your work bag. I really like this 3-pack of makeup bags . The medium would be great to keep in your work bag, the larger one could be kept at your desk, and the small one could go in a purse, car, or serve as a travel bag. The nice thing with getting 3 different sizes is that you can play around with what size fits best in your bag. These bags are another great option if you only want one bag or if you want a smaller and larger bag in the same colors.

Over-the-Counter Medicine

One of the first things I pack in my mini emergency kits are over-the-counter medicines. Full disclaimer: I’m not a doctor, so make sure you’re talking to yours before taking any of these as well as reading any instructions. Advil is my pain reliever of choice when I get a headache, and you can find it in a travel-sized tube or in individual packets. Benadryl is also an essential if you, like me, suffer from allergies. It obviously doesn’t replace an EpiPen, but in a pinch it can really help. Next, I pack DayQuil. When you get a cold that comes out of nowhere, being able to curtail the symptoms can help get through the day. These were a life-saver when the side-effects from my Covid shot kicked in when I was at work. Finally, I include a few packets of Midol. Most women I know carry an emergency tampon, but sometimes you need sometime for the cramps, fatigue, or whatever other time-of-the-month issues mother nature blessed you with.

Hair Accessories

Hair accessories are the next things that go into my emergency kit. Wearing your hair up is a great way to look polished, but a broken clip or hair tie can leave you with a very bad hair day. Black hair ties are an easy staple, but you can always go with hair ties in fun colors or ones that match the color of your hair. Next, I keep some bobby pins on hand. They can help manage mid-day flyaways and come in handy if your hairdo starts coming loose. These ones come in a case, but I usually just keep mine clipped to a card of hair ties. Finally, I keep a few mini claw clips in my kit. I use these for half-up styles, but they can be prone to breaking. It’s nice having a few spares for this exact purpose.

Makeup

Makeup can enhance many looks. However, smeared makeup can look worse than no makeup at all. I highly recommend a few travel-sized products for minor touch-ups or major fixes. Rough days can sometimes lead to tears that wreak havoc on eye makeup. Having makeup remover wipes on hand can fix even the worst cases of raccoon eyes or smeared lipstick. Travel-sized mascara and eyeliner make touchups a breeze. Just a few swipes, and you’ll be feeling back on top in no time!

Eye-care

Staring at screens all day does a number to my eyes. This can be particularly rough on days when I wear contacts. Having a small bottle of contact solution on hand has been a godsend on multiple occasions. Some days I have even just given up and popped them into a spare contact case for the day. On days when I wear glasses I like to have a glass cleaning cloth on hand to deal with smudges. These can also be used to wipe off phone screens!

Personal Hygiene Items

Finally, personal hygiene items are a must. Even pre-Covid, I always kept a bottle of hand sanitizer on hand for when I was in a pinch. I also like having sanitizing wipes with me to ensure the things I touch, places I sit, and my personal workspaces are clean. Next, I pack some Band-Aids in the event I get a cut or my new shoes lead to blisters. Remember how I mentioned earlier that every woman I know has an emergency tampon with them? I am for sure one of them. I also keep a mini deodorant on hand for those extra stressful days. Tide To-Go sticks are another great item to toss in your bag. I’ve definitely had a few run-ins with light-colored clothes and potential stains, and these helped me to avoid ruining a great outfit. Mini nail files are a must for me because I hate when I break a nail and have to spend the day dealing with a jagged nail that catches on everything. Finally, I keep a small pack of mints on me in case I need a quick breath refresh.

Believe it or not, all of these items fit in the small makeup bag I keep in my work tote. They all come in handy at one point or another too. Are there any items you think should be added to this list? Anything you did think to keep on you? Let me know in the comments!

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