🎉 Parties and entertaining

Bottled water

Our rule: about three 16.9 oz bottles per person per day out and about.

3 bottles per person per day

Amazon search: “bottled water 16.9 oz 24 pack”

Camp water jug

One refillable jug for washing and cooking.

1 jug for the group

Amazon search: “camping water jug with spigot”

Reusable water bottles

1 bottle each

Amazon search: “reusable water bottle”

Breakfast cereal

Our rule: a box serves about 14 bowls.

Pancake mix

Our rule: one box per 20 servings.

Bread or buns

Hot dogs

Our rule: two per person for a cookout.

2 hot dogs each

Hot dog buns

2 buns each

Burger patties

Our rule: one and a half per person.

1.5 patties each

Juice boxes

2 juice boxes per kid per day

Soda or sparkling water

Our rule: two cans each for a few hours.

2 cans each

Amazon search: “sparkling water variety pack”

Coffee

Our rule: a 12-ounce bag covers about 25 person-days.

Amazon search: “ground coffee”

Milk

Amazon search: “shelf stable milk”

Ice

Our rule: about a pound per person per day for drinks; more if the cooler holds food.

1 pound per person per day

Amazon search: “bagged ice”

Paper plates

Our rule: one and a half per person per meal; people grab seconds.

1.5 plates per person per meal

Cups

2 cups per person per meal

Amazon search: “disposable cups”

Plastic utensils

1.5 sets per person per meal

Amazon search: “disposable cutlery set”

Napkins

3 napkins per person per meal

Dessert plates

1 plate each

Amazon search: “paper dessert plates”

Bowls

Amazon search: “disposable bowls”

Cooler

Coleman 62-quart wheeled cooler

A big wheeled cooler for camp, games and outages.

Good for: Camping and outages

Our rule: one large cooler for every six or seven people.

Lighter or matches

Keep them dry. Ready.gov lists waterproof matches.

2 lighters for the group

Amazon search: “waterproof matches”

Food thermometer

ThermoPro TP19 instant-read thermometer

A fast thermometer for meat and leftovers.

Good for: Holiday cooking

1 thermometer for the group

Ice packs

4 packs for the group

Amazon search: “reusable ice packs for cooler”

Propane canisters

2 canisters for the group

Amazon search: “1 lb propane cylinder”

Portable grill

1 grill for the group

Toilet paper

Our rule: about 3 rolls per person per week.

Wet wipes

Ready.gov lists moist towelettes.

5 wipes per person per day

Large trash bags (30 gallon or more)

20 bags for the group

Amazon search: “30 gallon trash bags”

Sandwich bags

1 bag per person per day

Disinfecting wipes

Clorox disinfecting wipes, 3 x 75

Three canisters of disinfecting wipes.

Good for: Cold and flu season

1 canister for the group

Dish soap

1 bottle for the group

Amazon search: “biodegradable camp soap”

All-purpose cleaner

1 bottle for the group

Sponges

1 pack for the group

Rubber gloves

1 box for the group

Amazon search: “disposable gloves”

Bathroom cleaner

1 bottle for the group

Hand sanitizer

2 bottles for the group

Guest towels

1 towel each

Amazon search: “bath towels set”

Travel-size toiletries

1 set each

Amazon search: “travel size toiletries”

Sunscreen

Our rule: an 8 oz bottle lasts about four person-days with reapplying.

Adhesive bandages

Band-Aid family variety pack, 120

Bandages in several sizes and types.

Good for: Home first aid

1 box for the group

Bug spray

Sawyer 20% picaridin insect repellent

A picaridin spray for mosquitoes and ticks.

Good for: Camping and the yard

Our rule: one can for about four people.

Tweezers and tick remover

1 set for the group

Amazon search: “tick remover tool”

Power bank

Anker PowerCore Slim 10,000mAh power bank

Pocket-size backup charging for a phone.

Good for: Everyday bag

1 power bank per adult

Air mattress

SoundAsleep Dream Series queen air mattress

A raised queen air bed with a built-in pump.

Good for: Guests

Our rule: one queen mattress for two guests. Skip if you have beds.

Shade canopy

CORE 10x10 instant canopy

A pop-up canopy with a wheeled carry bag.

Good for: Tournaments and tailgates

Our rule: a 10×10 canopy shades about ten.

Pillows

1 pillow each

Amazon search: “camping pillow”

Extra blankets

1 blanket each

Amazon search: “fleece blanket”

Rain ponchos

1 poncho each

Warm layers

Ready.gov lists a change of clothes and warm layers.

1 layer each

Amazon search: “fleece jacket”

Camp chairs

Coleman quad chair with 4-can cooler

A padded folding chair with a cooler in the arm.

Good for: Sidelines and camp

1 chair each

Folding table

Our rule: one 6-foot table per eight people.

Hats

1 hat each

Amazon search: “sun hat”

Sunscreen for kids

Amazon search: “kids mineral sunscreen”

Insulated lunch bag

1 bag each

Board games

2 games for the group

Amazon search: “family board games”

Card games

Ready.gov suggests activities for kids in a kit.

2 decks for the group

Amazon search: “card games for family”

Coloring books and crayons

1 set per kid

Travel activity books

1 book per kid

Amazon search: “kids travel activity book”

Beach toys

1 set per kid

Amazon search: “beach toys set”

Team snacks

1 snack each

Amazon search: “individual snack packs”

Shin guards and mouthguards

1 set per kid

Amazon search: “youth shin guards”

Sports bag

1 bag per kid

Amazon search: “youth sports bag”

Bottles

4 bottles per baby

Amazon search: “baby bottles”

Travel crib

1 crib per baby

Amazon search: “travel crib pack and play”

Baby sunscreen and hat

Ask your pediatrician about sunscreen under 6 months.

1 set per baby

Amazon search: “baby sunscreen”

Spare baby clothes

2 outfits per baby

Amazon search: “baby outfit set”

Leash and ID tag

Ready.gov: keep ID and a current photo of your pet.

1 set per pet

Amazon search: “pet id tag”

Travel pet bowls

CrossMor collapsible dog bowls, 2-pack

Two silicone bowls that fold flat and clip to a bag.

Good for: Walks and trips

2 bowls per pet

Poop bags

Earth Rated poop bags, 315 unscented

Refill rolls of unscented bags.

Good for: Every walk

3 bags per pet per day

Balloons

24 balloons for the group

Banner

1 banner for the group

Amazon search: “happy birthday banner”

Candles and lighter

1 set for the group

Amazon search: “birthday candles”

Party favors

1 favor per kid

Amazon search: “party favors for kids”

Fire extinguisher

First Alert HOME1 fire extinguisher

A rechargeable home extinguisher rated 1-A:10-B:C.

Good for: Kitchen and garage

1 extinguisher for the group

Baby gate

Regalo Easy Step extra-tall walk-through gate

A tall gate for doorways. Not for the top of stairs.

Good for: Babies and toddlers

1 gate for the group

Allergy and emergency info card

Ask each family about allergies before you shop.

1 card per kid

Amazon search: “medical alert card holder”

Cabinet locks

1 pack for the group

Amazon search: “child safety cabinet locks”

Cooling towels

Mission Enduracool cooling towel

Cools when wet. Soak it again to reuse.

Good for: Hot days outside

1 towel each

Zip ties

1 pack for the group

Bungee cords

1 set for the group