What to Include in a 72-Hour Kit (+ a Printable Checklist)

Be prepared for any emergency with a well-stocked 72 hour kit! Grab a free printable checklist and learn exactly what to pack for peace of mind when disaster strikes.

If disaster strikes, will your family be ready?

Life has a way of throwing us curveballs—power outages, natural disasters, unexpected evacuations. But with a little planning (and one well-packed backpack), you can rest easy knowing you’re prepared.

That’s where a 72-hour kit comes in.

A few months ago, I decided to spend an evening with my teenagers doing something exciting—no, not a movie night or a family game. We dove into our emergency preparedness supplies. (I know, try to contain your jealousy.)

72 hour kit backpacks lined up along a wall

Among the shelves of food storage and flashlights were our 72-hour kits—backpacks packed with all the essentials for three days of survival. We had created them a while back as part of a bigger goal to make sure our family was covered in case of any unexpected event.

But here’s the thing: preparedness isn’t just about the initial setup—it’s about keeping things current. So this time around, we used our evening to check expiration dates, rotate food and clothing, and make sure everything was still useful and in good shape.

Why You Need a 72-Hour Emergency Kit

A 72-hour kit is designed to sustain you and your loved ones for three full days in case of an emergency. Whether it’s a power outage, natural disaster, or evacuation, having the basics ready to grab can be a lifesaver.

Even just knowing it’s packed and ready brings a huge sense of calm.

Our Family’s Simple Emergency Prep Routine

We’ve found that doing a quick checkup each spring makes it easy to keep things updated. We:

Eat and replace any food that’s about to expire
Update the clothing (because kids never stop growing)
Make sure batteries, tools, and supplies are working

It’s now part of our spring routine—right up there with swapping out winter coats and deep-cleaning the garage.

What to Pack in a 72-Hour Emergency Kit

Creating your emergency kits doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Start with one backpack. One printable. One hour. Then build and adjust from there.

Here’s a quick checklist of what every kit should include:

✅ Basic Essentials:

Water
Non-perishable food for 3 days
Manual can opener (if you have canned foods)
Flashlight with extra batteries
First aid kit
Emergency blanket or sleeping bag
Multi-tool or Swiss army knife
Whistle
Copies of important documents

🧼 Hygiene Supplies:

Toothbrush & toothpaste
Soap or hand sanitizer
Wet wipes
Feminine hygiene products
Towel or washcloth
Trash bags

👕 Clothing:

1 Change of clothes (we pack sweats that can keep us warm, or be cut if we are in warm weather.)
Extra socks and underwear
Poncho or jacket
Sturdy shoes

👶 Extras for Kids & Families:

Comfort item (small toy, cards, book)
Medications or prescriptions
Baby supplies (if needed)
Cash in small bills

Grab Your Free 72-Hour Kit Printable Checklist

To make things even easier, I put together a free printable checklist to help you build your own kits! The printable includes:

✔️ A comprehensive checklist of what to pack
✔️ A color version for visual planners and a B&W version to save ink
✔️ A planned menu and a blank menu section so you can customize based on food preferences or allergies

Just enter your name and email in the form for immediate access!

Here are a few more printable checklists to help you stay organized and prepared all year long:

Preparedness is peace of mind—and honestly, that’s something we all could use a little more of these days.