A survey of 2,000 U.S. adults split evenly by generation found exactly what items people consider most important.
In an emergency situation, Gen Zers are more likely to nab their laptop or a pair of shoes than prescription medications if they only have five minutes to evacuate.Gen X, on the other hand, is the least likely to take clothing with them and would sooner take family photo albums.
Meanwhile, baby boomers are more likely to grab their own jewelry, such as engagement rings or wedding bands, than they are to take water or food on their way out the door.
When asked about the most important item (not people or pets) in their home, respondents had unique answers for things they’d grab-- such as “the heart necklace that was my grandmother’s,” “the urns, [one] holding my husband, the other holding my son,” “the flag from my father’s funeral for his service in the military” and even a “painting of a dog that my mom did when I was a kid.”
In order to keep those items forever, two in five respondents would sleep on the floor for the rest of their lives, while 11% would happily drain their entire back account. One in five millennials would even forgo marriage entirely if it meant they’d never lose their most important items.