The personal belongings that people bring with them everyday can tell a lot about that person. In the same manner, what you pack in your Everyday Carry (EDC) kit can tell a lot about your priorities and your overall level of preparedness. You never know when an emergency might happen, but having the right items with you at the right time can save you much trouble. Of course, these items should be convenient to carry around everywhere, so they should be lightweight and compact enough to fit in your pocket. Here are the essential items you should always have in your EDC kit. (h/t to TheSurvivalistBlog.com)

Cell phone

With or without an EDC kit, most people already carry their cell phone with them wherever they go. In this day and age, a cell phone can be incredibly useful in providing for all of your communication and information needs. In an emergency context, having a cell phone with you could easily save your life. Help is just a few buttons away when you can quickly dial 911 during an emergency. Smart phones can even be more practical as you can use these to download all sorts of convenient applications that can make your life a lot easier. In case the power goes out, you can also use your phone as a temporary flashlight.

Flashlight

While you may be able to use your cell phone as a makeshift flashlight, this will quickly drain your battery life if you keep it on for too long. Nothing beats a standard flashlight when you need a reliable and long-lasting source of light. Try to get a small LED flashlight as these are some of the most energy-efficient kinds of flashlights that you can buy. You should also try to have a few spare batteries with you, just in case. Alternatively, you could choose to get a flashlight with rechargeable batteries. Just make sure that your batteries are always fully charged. (Related: Items that you should carry with you every day… for the ultimate prepper.)

Pen and paper

In case you are unable to use your phone, you should have an alternative way to take down important notes. Physically writing notes with a paper and pencil also makes them much easier to remember than if you simply typed a memo on your phone. If you can, try to get a space pen or two. Those are the kinds of pens that will survive past TEOTWAWKI. If you can’t get one, a regular pen will suffice. As for paper, a small waterproof tactical notebook is ideal, but a small notepad will do just as well, as long as it doesn’t get wet.

Knife

A good knife is one of the most useful items you can carry in your EDC kit. In an emergency situation, you can use it to cut through most materials. If you are attacked, you can use your knife to defend yourself. Find the kind of knife that best suits your own personal needs. Fixed blade knives are often sturdier, but folding knives are more convenient and more easily concealable. You can even carry a Swiss Army knife or a multi-tool that comes with several functions.

Band-aids

You might be skilled enough to handle a knife, but someone less experienced could still easily get cut. Fortunately, you can easily treat minor cuts, wounds, and scratches, with small band-aids to prevent infection. While bringing a whole first aid kit with you in your EDC kit isn’t necessary, you never know when having the essentials could come in handy. Emergencies don’t always have to be large or life-threatening. Even small emergencies shouldn’t be neglected.

Learn more about preparing an EDC kit by going to Preparedness.news.

Sources include:

TheSurvivalistBlog.com

GrayWolfSurvival.com