By Daisy Luther
Some folks keep their nightstand minimalist, with just a lamp and a clock. Others clutter it with pretty decorative items, sentimental pictures, and the latest book they’re reading.
Then there’s the prepper’s nightstand, which is equipped for a wide variety of middle-of-the-night emergencies.
Imagine this:
You awaken in the middle of the night and something just isn’t right. Maybe you hear someone fumbling at your front door. Maybe the dog is barking his normally lazy head off at the back of the house and you know something is awry. Maybe you awaken to the sound of the smoke alarms and the smell of smoke.
What do you do?
That all depends on what you keep on your nightstand.
I asked a community on Facebook and students in our Prepping Intensive course what they kept on their nightstands and they had some creative additions I hadn’t even considered.
Keep these items on your prepper’s nightstand to be ready to survive anything that goes bump in the night.
Here are a few items that are by-the-bed essentials. Some of them could save your life in the event of a midnight emergency. There are many varieties on the same theme, so below, you’ll find a list of suggestions for each type of prep. I keep my kit tucked into a drawer, aside from my flashlight and firearm, which rest right on top during the night.
A home defense item
Depending on your personal philosophy and the area in which you live, a home defense item within easy reach is an important thing to keep handy. In some countries, you aren’t allowed to have personal defense items, so consider things that could have other uses:
- A gun and extra ammo: I have older kids, so a loaded firearm is always at my side at night without it needing to be locked away. Please, if you’re going to do this, you must know what you’re doing. Consider taking some shoot/don’t-shoot classes to help you improve your judgment. If you aren’t adept and well-practiced with firearms, you may want to go with a non-lethal option.
- Pepper spray: Self-defense sprays are not legal everywhere, so you might want to check your local rules and regulations. Some popular and reliable brands are Mace and Sabre. (Don’t go cheap on this purchase.) I like this pepper gel instead of spray because it clings to your assailant without getting in the air like an aerosol spray. People with asthma should never use pepper spray, as just a tiny bit of it inhaled could cause a life-threatening reaction.
- Alternative sprays: In places where the sprays above are not legal, you might want to watch out for pesky bears (with this bear spray that has a whopping 30 food range) and wasps – don’t you hate when a wasp gets in your house at night? You’ll want to be prepared with this spray.
- Stun gun: You have to be careful with things that require direct contact. If you aren’t strong, it is not only possible but likely, that it will be taken away and used on you. This being said, many people rely on stun guns like this one. I own one of these tactical stun flashlights which have the added bonus of an electrified end to deter anyone who tries to grab it and take it away.
- Tasers: These are not legal everywhere, but most work by shooting an electrode at your attacker. If you miss, however, you won’t get a chance to reload. Here is a link to the only one I could find on Amazon.
- Baton or bat: Some people are fans of striking objects. You can use a tactical baton (found at gun stores) or a good old-fashioned baseball bat for this. Amazon sells a mini-bat for this purpose. Keep in mind that this could go the way of the stun gun and be taken away from you if you don’t know what you’re doing.
A Cutting Implement
I don’t recommend using a knife for self-defense unless you’ve been trained to do so, but there are many reasons that a cutting implement should be in your bedside drawer. For example, in the event of a fire, you can quickly cut the screen of your window to make your exit.
You can go with:
- Camping knife
- Exacto
- Car tool seatbelt cutter (I think this is ideal because it is also designed to help you break glass if you’re trapped in a car – could come in handy if your window happens to be jammed.)
On the same note, if you sleep on the second floor, an escape ladder is essential.
Medications
For those who suffer a life-threatening illness, medication should be kept close at hand. Some examples of necessary medications would be:
- Heart pills
- Chewable aspirin
- Epi-pen
Cell Phone
Many folks keep their cell phones charging on their nightstands for emergency phone calls or flashlights.
Alarms
Intruders dislike noise. They don’t want all the neighbors to know that something is going on. Therefore keeping something close at hand that is loud enough to alert the world to your plight is a great idea.
- Rape whistle
- Personal alarm (This one makes a noise with the same decibel level as an ambulance or fire truck)
- Car keys if you have an alarm on your vehicle
- Panic button if you have a monitored alarm company
Lighting
You should always have some kind of emergency lighting on your nightstand in case you have to check things out in the middle of the night. This is of particular importance if you have a firearm, You need to know what you are shooting at to prevent a terrible accident.
- Gun-mounted light: For this reason, a light that attaches to your gun is a great idea. I have this one for my Glock. I’m saving up for this one which has 800 lumens of blinding brightness and a strobe to disorient a prowler.
- Flashlight
- A flashlight app on your phone
- This is the flashlight on my nightstand. It is a tactical flashlight bright enough to blind someone with 1000 lumens. It also has a disrupter strobe and SOS function.
Clothes and Shoes
You should have clothes and shoes close at hand. I keep some hard-soled, slip-on shoes by the bed and a hoodie hangs on the back of my bedroom door. Depending on what you sleep in and the climate, you might need some sweatpants and a coat nearby as well.
Documents/Physical copies
Lots of people keep physical documents in their nightstands. Some of the suggestions were:
- Grab and go binder with copies of everything
- ID
- Address books
- Emergency phone numbers
- Written health information, including a list of medications you take, pre-existing conditions, doctor’s contact information, and allergies.
- Wallet (which will have cash and ID)
Pet Supplies
If you have furry friends, you may want to have things close at hand for them in the event of a fire.
- Cat carrier
- Leashes
On this note, I strongly recommend the stickers you can get to put on your doors that let responders know there are pets inside, as well as the kind and the number. (We have these on all our entrances.)
Special Items
There are other things that may be unique to your situation, but absolutely necessary in the event of an emergency. Think about anything you would be hard-pressed to function without for 24 hours.
- Eyeglasses
- Hearing aids
- Dentures
- Religious books
What do you keep on your prepper’s nightstand?
What do you keep nearby at night just in case of an emergency? Share it in the comments section below.
Gun, ammo, phone, and super bright flashlight with strobe capability
Am I missing an important item?,….5 lb fire extinguisher? If you can get it into action quick enough, spending 20 seconds trying to put it out could save you a lot of grief and recovery. Also happened to have worked in an ER seeing the effects of an ABC extinguisher on some bad guys. AND extinguishers aren’t illegal like OC/CS spray sometimes is,….just sayin’
That’s a great addition, Bryce. And quite “multi-purpose” 🙂
Good one! We keep a fire extinguisher by the door of each bedroom, and two in the kitchen. Also an aluminum baseball bat by each bedroom door, and one by the front door.
Another item which would be useful in a fire is a means of getting out through the bedroom window: a ladder if you are on the second floor, and possibly something to stand on inside to make it easier to get out even if you are on the first floor.
We live on the edge of Tornado Alley, so during severe weather events, when I go to bed I take the Weather Radio with me. It sits on the night table with the Beretta 92FS, the LED flashlight and the large digit clock. I also have a fully loaded AR-15 leaning in the corner near the bed.
Unless the house is on fire, my intention is to defend the Castle and hold the intruder outside.
The black bar across the middle of the screen is very irritating. Why block a sizable share of your blog?
I had no idea there WAS a black bar. Does it say anything on it? If you can give me a bit more information, I’ll get this fixed right away.
Dear Daisy
Fire, Smoke Mask. Fire Extinguisher in every room and rehearse both fire fighting and exiting the house.
Physical Threat… Weapons Handgun, Shotgun, Rifle…. Armed with your weapon of choice .. secure all into the most defensible position .. If they as small this is especially critical as it must be done without protest and silently.. This mean for both Fire and Assault rehearse rehearse rehearse until they execute quickly, silently without protest.
Physical Barriers start outside.. Look up Home Security Plants .. Make sure they can grow in your area and get to planting ,.
Inside.. don’t make entry into your home a straight shot.. Put Up barriers.. things people in the dark will run into may if your luck trip on.. (you and yours know the layout of your home internally..
Wasp Spray.. No No and No… This is not legal advice it is Practical Advice Common Sense… If used “Off Label” say on people.. by definition it’s use becomes a Chemical Weapon.. Totally Illegal..It is theoretically true you can do what ever you must to protect innocent life.. IN THEORY… Answer this question.. “Why did you have a Can of Wasp Spray by your Bed? “Well I read it on a …..” Yeah your done.. (Now in your Apartment?, Car? etc) Similar to Pepper Spray the effects are not instantaneous your mileage may vary.. Have we even gotten to the threat of Multiple Assailants? Lock it up in the Garage so kids cannot get at it.. Get a Gun or Guns.. and learn how to use them effectively.. If you are in a place you may not have a Gun.. GET OUT!!!! Move Now!!!! Nothing Flippant about that.. Move.
Stun Gun… Bat.. LOL.. who the heck do you think is coming in the front door? When is the last time any of you did a righteous beat down of a 6 ft 200 pound Felon who can do 80 pushups in 2 min looking for “a Date” I will make it easy.. How about a Scrawny Crack Head… out of his or her mind?.. Yeah .. Stick to the gun and learn how to use it.
Finally Keep it simple.. Keep your plan simple .. Hear a Noise?.. Arm up.. Smell Smoke? Arm up..( fire has a been used as a diversion for thousands of years.) .then take 10 long Slow Deep Breaths in and Out .. Unless you are Line GI or Peace Officer where this sort of stuff happens all the time (Who still do it but while moving )…You need to Stop and Take 10 Deep Breaths blow them out Slowly before you begin to act.. Take the time to listen .. to correctly assess the situation.. and decide what is the most prudent course of action.. Make sure you are fully awake and aware.. Then Execute with vigor what mentally prepared to adapt.. If you can get your spouse aboard on this.. Praise Jesus..
If you are using a Firearm.. Spend the $ 300 a year or so on Defensive Shooters Coverage.. It is not technically insurance. What it does is provide the kind of money you will need if you are required to legally defend your lawful use of force.
Hope this helps..
Lots of Luck..
I think most of that stuff should be in your bug out bag or emergency bag. Unless it is purely defensive items or your Id/ wallet and phone.
Part of the issue here is: What are your perimeter security measures and what is the threat level you might face? Or what other threats might you face?
Until you address those questions, you can not properly decide what belongs on your night table or by your bed.
I live in a well lit, good neighborhood and I have a guard dog who sleeps inside at night and security screens on my doors. I am also a pretty light sleeper.
So I will have ample time to respond to any threat that might get past my perimeter defenses and my dog. I keep a gun and a light handy and I have other weapons, lights, etc, concealed in various other rooms that are close by.
I have a bug out bag (INCH bag), packed and ready to go at a moments notice.
Accessing threats, planning an immediate response and the following courses of action must be a big part of any prepping decision.
Just getting a few things together,”just in case”, is not Prepping, it is just a sure way to fail!
The same goes for a ” one size fits all, mentality”.
What some one else does, may or may not, be relevant to your situation.
So access your needs carefully and prep accordingly. Above all Plan, plan and plan.
Plans fail, so have a Plan A, Plan B and preferably a Plan C, for all situations, at all times.
I choose to keep deadly firearms in a safe closet, so if I am awakened by that noise, I will have a bit of time to awaken and arm myself.
My nightmare is to shoot someone that didn’t need shooting before I am awake enough to identify the threat. There are many reasons other than criminals breaking in. My perception of the reality of a situation is often flawed. I don’t want to kill my wife by mistake. Or even worse, my cat.
Daisy! Nice, helpful article! I only have my BP meds and pepper spray. Spouse = chocolate. Our family is rethinking our whole nightstand situation! Thanks.
These are all good suggestions, but I’m going to add one. I live in earthquake country and this year I got a hard glasses case for my nightstand which I keep inside the drawer. I’m pretty damn blind and if I need to see whether because of an intruder or an earthquake I want to find my glasses easily. I keep a spare pair in my car too.
Excellent article and some good info in the replies.
I include, besides the items Daisy listed (some of them are listed in other replies):
1) More a note than an item: I keep my shoes (boots, actually as I need the support for a bad ankle) propped upside down against the nightstand to avoid getting any glass or anything else in them in case of an earthquake, an explosion that rocks the building, or anything else that can break a window, knock things off the nightstand, pieces of ceiling or wall coverings, (I do not consider things on the wall as I do not have anything on the walls anywhere near my bed for safety reasons), or liquids in the event of a burst pipe or blowing rain through a broken window. Socks kept inside even if there is no time to put them on.
2) I keep a poncho with a liner with head hole tied in over my ‘in case of’ night clothing for the same reason as I keep my boots upside down. Plus, it is protection and warmth if needed if I have to evac quickly. (Other clothing is in the evac kit that I would grab, but I want something quick and easy that is at least fairly effective.
3) Besides a handheld flashlight with high power mode and disruptive strobe I keep a headlamp so I can have my hands free. (Partly because I have to use a walking stick, which ties up one hand, but also so I can use both hands for whatever might be needed. I can hook my stick on my belt or whatever I am wearing. Which is another subject entirely.)
4) Fire & Earthquake items that include a bicycle helmet, knee pads, leather gloves, goggles and dust mask. Since I have to use a walking stick anyway, it is at hand, but if I did not, I would have some type of stick with which to probe my way if there is too much smoke or dust to see, and/or it is dark and I cannot use the light for some reason. There could/would be debris most likely, and you may have to crawl, therefore the knee pads and gloves. The bike helmet to protect from falling stuff and banging your head in the dark/smoke. Goggles and dust mask to protect eyes and breathing. (An escape mask would be better, if possible, but have the goggles and dust mask, too.)
5) In addition to the whistle, have some type of metal object if one of the other items will not suffice to bang on metalic objects, or even non-metallic objects, to make noise to attract rescuers in case you cannot blow the whistle.
6) A stainless steel water bottle in addition to whatever you keep for when you need a drink of water in the night. Best if it has a ring or loop and carabiner to attach to your clothing so you can keep it with you if you have to crawl away and are stuck and need water to clear you throat and eyes, and to drink if you are trapped for a while. Also works well as a sound making device if banged on things or banged on with something else metal, such as your knife.
7) Three days worth of meds. If any much be refrigerated, have a small cooler bag on the nightstand in which you put the chilled meds, along with a blue ice or similar chilling item every night and use them the next day and replace them that night.
8) A book or other item(s) to keep you entertained for a while incase you are trapped or simply have to stay where you are for an extended period. However, do not waste battery power reading when it is dark. Unless you have a large supply of batteries, limit the reading to when there is enough light to see. Ditto any other activity. If you have learned braille you can have some books in that format and can read in the dark. Cards, dice, pocket/travel games can all be used for the diversion.
9) As I am an Amateur Radio Operator, I keep one of my 2-meter handhelds on the nightstand.
10) I should have listed this first, but it is so ingrained in me since I have been doing it for forty years, that I did not think of it until this point. That is a Weather Radio with S.A.M.E. All Hazards alert function. This could be a critical item for many different situations. Have it on alert at all times when in the bedroom, in addition to the one in your living area.
11) I also have a Public Service Band scanner on the nightstand with a specific set of frequencies in one bank that I let scan during the night that are quiet unless something significant is occuring. Something I would need to know about. I have it scanning many others during the day, but it is too intrusive at night if I do not limit it to the important stuff.
12) A ball or other type of carrier for some light cord or string. Your place could be just like a cave if there is no light at night, and even if you have some lighting, if you need to leave the bedroom, if you tie off the string (or keep it tied off), and deploy it as you leave, you will be able to get back in case the lights do go out, or your light quits, or you need to turn it off for safety.
There are a few other things I have that I do not always keep on or beside the nightstand, that I do make sure are set out in certain situations where they could be needed because of whatever is going on.
Just my opinion.