72-hour kits are a GREAT place to get started on building up your own emergency kit to help prepare for anything. The pandemic and earthquakes near me helped me focus so I could get mine completed. And then, Texas had their strange ice storm that caused a lot of damage. It got me thinking . . . I need a FULL emergency kit if I want my family to be prepared for whatever is thrown at us.
When something happens, whether it’s a pandemic, a freak storm, another natural disaster or whatever, people tend to panic buy. Don’t be one of those people! Have things on hand that you’ve built up over time for your family for that “just in case” scenario.
For starters, have 72-hour kits for each member of your family. After that, work on building up a supply of 1-3 months (preferably 3 months) supply of food, clothing, water, and other essential items. This food I consider an extension of my pantry. I rotate the food within it, so it never spoils.
DISCLAIMER: During a state of an emergency and supplies are low, is not the time to stockpile supplies. The point of this is to have items before that happens again. Remember those pics from people with a cart full of toilet paper leaving Costco? Yeah, don’t be one of those people. Even not in a state of emergency.
Have an emergency binder on hand
Another important item to have at the ready is an Emergency Binder. I LOVE mine and I’m thrilled with how it turned out. It has everything in it you can think of for an emergency. All of your info in once place and ready to grab and go if needs be. Check out mine here.
Be financially prepared
When you’re trying to prepare for anything, not only should we have supplies on hand for our emergency kit, we should also be financially responsible. Work towards becoming financially independent. Part of that is not being dependent on the government, family members, or any other group. If you only have one stream of income, think about adding another.
Being financially independent doesn’t happen overnight, and it can take a lot of work.
Things to do to become more financially prepared:
- Increase income by adding another stream of income
- Become financially independent
- Putting money in a savings account each month
- Pay down your debt
- Live below your means (spend less than you make)
If you’re looking for a way to track your finances, spending habits and your savings, check out my Budget Binder.
Food
Experts say that it’s important to have a year supply of food and essential supplies for your family. While I completely agree with that, that feels a little daunting, especially if you’re just starting to think about having an emergency supply. This is why I love my extended pantry.
It’s short-term food that my family eats (cereal, canned foods, rice, pasta, etc) that I have. When I run out of things, I grab things from my extended pantry. I have a piece of paper on a shelf where I keep my extended pantry (E.P.) food and whenever anyone takes from the E.P. they write it down. The next time I go to the store, I will add everything on that list to my grocery list and stock back up. This way I don’t get behind on my supply. Remember, if your family doesn’t eat it, DON’T BUY IT!
If you don’t have a deep freezer chest, start looking into them. While they do have 3.5 and 5 cubic feet deep freezers, I feel they are too small. It’s easy to get frustrated when trying to dig into them. They do have standing freezers, but I prefer deep freezers.
Perishable Food
Not only should you keep your pantry stocked with dry goods but try to keep perishable foods on hand. Especially if you get wind of the emergency before it happens. (Remember how the world was shutting down and it took the virus a minute to spread in the US? This is an idea of hearing something is happening before it does.)
Freezer Foods
If you do have a deep chest freezer, or you anticipate getting one, that’s a great place to stock up on some much needed proteins. Don’t forget the frozen fruits and veggies.
Medical Supplies
I’ve got a tacklebox that I bought and loaded it with medical supplies. It’s a lightweight one so that I can grab it and go if needed. I keep it by my 72-hour kits, which is also in a convenient location in my house to get to if we need a bandage.
Hygiene Supplies
During the first part of the pandemic, something that was hard to find was feminine hygiene products. Having products on hand that are used and comfortable (especially if they are teens) I feel are important. For more long-term feminine hygiene products, look into menstrual cups.
Supplements and Medicine
Medicine is another thing to keep on hand for your emergency kit. Remember having some for your kids, infants and any animals. If there are special needs in your family, have extra of that if you can. Can you imagine if there were a power outage that lasted a week and you needed a refill for a medication for a loved one and had no way to get it? Sounds awful and heartbreaking to me.
Extended 72-hour kit supplies
I have more things that I like to have next my 72-hour kits that I have easy access to, such as extra water, more food, ways to cook food, camping stuff, etc.
I started small with my 72-hour kits and built up from there. Check out what’s in my Simple 72 Hour Kits.
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Simple 72-Hour kits that anyone can put together