The emergency kit for your party: what to prepare for when things go wrong
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by Verpakkingdeals.nl
6 min reading time
A box with tape, a knife, spare batteries, a light, and cleaning supplies can solve most party woes within a minute. This should be in there, with prices.
At every party, something breaks, falls over, or is missing. A garland that sags after half an hour, a balloon arch that slips off the doorframe, a small speaker that runs out of battery just as the playlist gets going, wine on the tablecloth. Not a disaster — but it does mean five minutes of searching in a kitchen drawer while your guests wait.
The solution is simple and effective: one box containing everything you need during a party to repair something, stick it down, clean it up, or get it working. You set it up before the first guest arrives, and after the party, you close it up again. Below is what should be in it, why, and approximately how much it costs.
The box itself
Choose a recognizable box or crate that's large enough to store items loosely. A moving box measuring 480 x 430 x 330 mm (50 liters) costs €3.50 and is perfect for this: sturdy enough to stack, large enough for tape, lighting, and cleaning supplies, and you can write on it with a marker to indicate its contents. If you prefer something smaller, place a smaller box inside the large one, containing the items you need most frequently.
Designate a fixed spot for the box during the party, out of the way of traffic. In the hallway closet, under the vanity table, behind the bar. This way, everyone helping out knows where it is.
Sticking, hanging, and repairing
By far, most party problems are related to sticking things. So, make sure you have more than one type of tape, as they serve different purposes.
Wide packing tape for anything that needs to be secure: sealing a box, securing a cable on the floor, repairing a torn cardboard decoration. A roll of KINZO packing tape 50 meters x 48 mm costs €3.00; there's also a black version 10 meters x 48 mm for €3.00 that is less noticeable on dark surfaces.
For hanging without drilling, self-adhesive hooks, 10 pieces (€5.95) are handy: garlands, lights, and light decorations can be hung without making holes in the wall. Test one in an inconspicuous spot if you're renting or have just painted. For cards, photos, and name tags, wooden clips, 10 pieces (€9.95) work better than tape, as you can move them.
The classic party misfortune: a remote control, a string of lights, or a small speaker that doesn't work because the batteries are dead. Always keep a spare set ready. Panasonic AAA, 4 pieces costs €9.95; if you use more, you can look at the value pack of 16 AAA batteries for €5.95. Pay attention to the type your devices need; AA and AAA are not interchangeable, and button cells are different again.
For your guests' phones and your own, a 3000 mAh power bank (€14.95) is enough for an emergency charge. And for when the garden lights go out or someone needs to be in the back of the shed: the mini LED flashlight with hand crank (€14.95) doesn't need batteries and so will never be dead in the cupboard. Cables running across the floor can be secured with tape and protected with cable protectors, set of 4 (€1.95).
An empty 100 ml spray bottle (€0.95) that you fill with water or soapy water: handier than walking back and forth with a wet cloth.
Cotton swabs, 300 pieces (€1.99) for smudged makeup, a marker stain on a name tag, or a drop of glue in the wrong place.
Mini funnels, set of 10 (€9.95) for pouring drinks or syrup into smaller bottles without spilling.
Small things that make the party itself smoother
Two additions that cost little and make a surprising difference. First, a roll of price stickers in 6 colors, 500 pieces (€2.95): stick one on each glass with a name or color on it, and you won't have to throw away twenty half-empty glasses halfway through the evening. Second, a mini whistle on a keychain (€2.95), with which you can start a game or get a room quiet without shouting — especially handy for children's parties, sports days, and outdoor activities.
The checklist in brief
Category
Minimum
Estimate
Sticking
Wide tape + thin tape
approx. €9.00
Cutting
Utility knives
€1.95
Hanging
Self-adhesive hooks
€5.95
Power
Spare batteries + power bank
approx. €21.00
Light
Flashlight + matches
approx. €19.00
Clean
Cleaner + hand gel + spray bottle
approx. €8.00
Box
Moving box 50 liters
€3.50
Just over €65 for a kit you'll use for years, provided you restock it afterwards. Make that part of your cleanup routine: don't empty the box, but note what's used up and replenish it the same week. An emergency kit with no tape is not an emergency kit.
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