Monsoon Essentials Checklist for Kathmandu Homes
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Get your home ready for the monsoon in Kathmandu with this checklist: food staples, cleaning supplies, mosquito protection, medicines and power-cut basics.
Monsoon is a hard season for anyone delivering in Kathmandu. Roads flood, traffic crawls and the rain doesn't care about your delivery window. And when the first heavy rain arrives, it seems everyone needs mosquito coils, detergent and candles at once. A little planning in early June makes the whole season calmer.
Food and drinking water
- Two weeks of staples. Rice, dal, oil, salt and spices, in case heavy rain or landslides disrupt supply for a few days.
- Drinking water. Tap water quality often drops in the monsoon. Boil it, filter it, or keep jar water at home.
- Ready-to-eat food: noodles, biscuits, chiura and ready-to-cook meals for days when cooking isn't possible.
- Airtight containers for flour, dal and snacks. See our guide on storing grain in the monsoon.
Cleaning and hygiene
Damp weather means mould, smells and more germs.
- Floor cleaner with disinfectant, for muddy footprints
- Toilet and bathroom cleaner
- More detergent than usual, because clothes take longer to dry and get washed more often
- Handwash at every sink
- Room fresheners for damp corners
- A doormat and a mop that you don't mind ruining
Mosquitoes and insects
Dengue cases in the Kathmandu Valley rise in the monsoon, so this part matters.
- Mosquito repellents: coils, liquid vaporisers and body lotions
- Mosquito nets for beds, especially for children
- Empty standing water in pots, buckets and old tyres every week
- Cockroach and ant control for the kitchen
Health basics
- Paracetamol, ORS packets and antiseptic liquid
- Cough and cold remedies from cough & cold
- Bandages and wound care for slips on wet steps
- Any regular prescription medicines, with a few weeks' extra supply
If you get a high fever during the monsoon, see a doctor rather than treating it at home. Dengue and typhoid both need proper diagnosis.
Power cuts and storms
- Candles, matches and a torch with spare batteries
- A charged power bank
- An umbrella and a raincoat by the door, and a plastic cover for your bag
Ordering during heavy rain
We keep delivering through the monsoon, but heavy rain does slow riders down and can push deliveries later than usual. A few tips:
- Order your big monthly shop on a dry morning if you can
- Pick a wider delivery window on stormy days
- Make sure your phone number is correct; riders often call when lanes are flooded
Put the checklist items in one order at the start of the season and you won't need to step out in the rain for the basics.
