Apartment Starter Kit
An apartment kit follows the same ready.gov baseline as any household — 1 gallon of water per person per day, 3-day minimum — but the practical build is different: stackable, space-efficient water storage instead of bulk drums, a genuinely portable kit given higher evacuation likelihood in shared buildings, and no generator, since indoor/balcony fuel generators are usually against code and lease terms anyway.
Step 1: Water, sized for the space you have
For one or two people, a single 7-gallon rigid jug covers the 3-day minimum with room to spare; stackable bricks let you build toward the 2-week target (14 gal/person) in closet or under-bed space rather than committing floor area to a large drum. Full numbers: How Much Water to Store Per Person.
Step 2: A radio with real county-level alerting
A compact NOAA Weather Radio with SAME alert matters even more in an apartment, where you may not have a clear view outside to judge conditions yourself. See Hand-Crank vs. Battery Radio for the tradeoffs.
Step 3: Skip the generator — plan around it
Most leases and local codes prohibit fuel-burning generators indoors, in stairwells, or on balconies, and the CDC's 20-foot clearance rule (see Generator Safety Basics) is often physically impossible to meet in a multi-unit building. A battery power station charged ahead of a forecast storm is the safer, code-compliant alternative for keeping a phone and a few essentials running.
Step 4: Documents, in one grab-and-go container
Ready.gov's document-kit guidance applies to renters just as much as homeowners: copies of ID, lease and renter's insurance, and bank records in a waterproof container plus a digital/cloud backup, so you can prove identity and file a claim even after losing physical access to the unit.
The starter kit list
Research-based picks (how we evaluate) — live Amazon search links, no prices or ratings, an honest drawback on each.
WaterBrick WaterBrick 3.5-Gallon Stackable Container (4-Pack)
Stackable, food-grade, ~14 gal total for 4-pack, screw-cap, BPA-free
Modular stacking design fits in closets and under stairs far better than a single large drum, and each brick is light enough to carry when full.
Best for: Apartment or garage storage of the FEMA 2-week per-person water target without floor-space commitment
Watch out: At 3.5 gallons each you need 4 per person for a 2-week supply, so cost adds up fast for a family — cheaper to mix with large drums for bulk and bricks for portability.
Check price on AmazonReliance Aquatainer 7-Gallon Water Container
7-gallon rigid jug, spigot, food-grade HDPE
The simplest, cheapest way to hit a meaningful chunk of the 3-day-per-person water minimum in one container with a built-in pour spigot.
Best for: Households wanting an inexpensive first water-storage container before scaling up
Watch out: Full, it's about 58 lbs and awkward to move — plan where it lives before you fill it, and rotate/clean per the label rather than leaving it sealed indefinitely.
Check price on AmazonWater Preserver Water Preserver Concentrate
Liquid stabilizer, treats up to 55 gallons, extends storage to 5 years per label
A pre-measured alternative to counting bleach drops, letting stored water go years between rotations instead of 6 months.
Best for: Buyers who want to store water once and not think about rotation constantly
Watch out: This is a storage stabilizer, not a substitute for boiling or a certified filter if the water source itself is questionable — read the label's exact dosing.
Check price on AmazonSawyer Sawyer Squeeze Water Filter
0.1 micron hollow-fiber filter, removes 99.99999% bacteria/protozoa, no batteries
A compact, no-power filter that works on questionable found water (streams, rain barrels) when your stored supply runs out.
Best for: Extending water security beyond your stored supply without electricity
Watch out: Filters remove bacteria/protozoa but not viruses or chemical contaminants — pair with boiling or purification tablets if the water source is suspect for those.
Check price on AmazonDatrex Emergency Drinking Water Pouches (4.225 oz, 3-Day Supply)
Individually sealed pouches, 5-year shelf life, USCG-approved
No container to clean or rotate every 6 months — sealed pouches with a genuinely long shelf life, ideal for a car or go-bag.
Best for: The portable/car-kit slice of your water plan, not whole-house storage
Watch out: Cost per gallon is far higher than bulk storage, so this supplements — it doesn't replace — larger water containers at home.
Check price on AmazonMidland ER310 NOAA Weather Radio with SAME Alert, Hand Crank + Solar
NOAA/SAME alert, hand-crank + solar + battery power, flashlight, phone charging via USB
Genuinely covers all three power modes (battery, crank, solar) plus real SAME county-level alerting, not just a generic AM/FM band.
Best for: The single radio most households should own for outage-proof county-specific alerts
Watch out: Hand-crank charging is slow and tiring for real phone-charging use — think of the crank as a radio/flashlight backup, not a primary phone charger.
Check price on AmazonMidland WR120 Battery-Powered NOAA Weather Radio
NOAA/SAME alert, AC/battery powered, desktop unit
The lowest-cost way to get real SAME county-level alerting if you don't need portability or hand-crank power.
Best for: A stationary home base-station radio, kept plugged in with battery backup
Watch out: No hand-crank or solar option, so it depends entirely on batteries once the power's out — keep spares and check them at your 6-month kit refresh.
Check price on AmazonSacpone Emergency Document Bag, Fireproof & Waterproof
Fireproof silicone-coated, waterproof zipper pouch, ~15in x 11in
A low-cost way to follow ready.gov's advice to keep ID, insurance, and medical copies in one waterproof, portable container.
Best for: The grab-and-go documents piece of any kit
Watch out: A bag alone isn't a plan — you still have to gather, copy, and periodically update the actual documents inside it, including a digital/cloud backup.
Check price on AmazonSwiss Safe First Aid Kit, 250-Piece
250 pieces (many single-use items like individual bandages), soft case
A broad baseline first-aid kit that covers the basics ready.gov's supply list calls for.
Best for: The first-aid line item in a 72-hour kit or car kit
Watch out: '250-piece' inflates the count by treating each bandage and wipe as a separate item — check that it has real quantities of the things you'd actually use up first (gauze, tape, antiseptic), not just padding.
Check price on AmazonFrequently Asked Questions
Mainly storage space and evacuation likelihood. Apartments have less room for bulk water drums and often face building-specific risks (elevator outages, shared utilities), so compact, stackable storage and a genuinely portable kit matter more than in a single-family home.
A single person's 3-day minimum (3 gallons) fits in one 7-gallon jug with room to spare; the 2-week target (14 gallons) is more realistic with stackable containers tucked into a closet than one giant drum that won't fit through the door or up the stairs.
Generally no — most leases and building codes prohibit fuel-burning generators indoors or on balconies, and the CDC's 20-foot clearance rule is often impossible to satisfy in dense housing. A battery power station is the safer alternative for apartment dwellers; see Generator Safety Basics for why distance matters so much.
The document kit. Renters often assume they have less at stake than homeowners, but ID, lease/insurance copies, and bank records matter just as much if you have to evacuate a building on short notice.