If the power went out tonight and stayed out for three days, how much would your family notice? The goal of this note is simple: not much. This is the kit, the list, the storage plan, and a fifteen-minute check you do twice a year.
Most homes are one storm away from a scramble. Not because the man of the house doesn’t care, but because nobody wrote it down. A kit you build once and check twice a year beats a plan that only lives in your head. And it’s one of the fastest ways to move the Preparedness score in the Responsibility Standard from a 2 to a 4.
If you’re the only one who can find it, it isn’t a system.
The rule: three days, everyone, no store run
Plan for every person and pet in your house to get through 72 hours without leaving home, without power, and without buying anything. Three days is the baseline that public emergency-preparedness guidance (including Ready.gov) recommends as a starting point. It covers most real disruptions: ice storms, tornado damage, a burst water main, a regional outage.
You can build toward two weeks later. Start with three days.
What goes in it
Water
One gallon per person per day, for at least three days. That covers drinking and basic hygiene. Add more for pets, hot weather, or anyone nursing.
| Household | 3-day water | How to store it |
|---|---|---|
| 2 people | 6 gallons | One case of bottles plus two 2.5-gallon jugs |
| 4 people | 12 gallons | Two 5-gallon containers plus one case of bottles |
| 6 people | 18 gallons | Three 5-gallon containers plus one case of bottles |
| Each pet (medium dog) | ~1–2 gallons | Add to the totals above |
Food
Three days of food nobody has to cook, stored in the same place. Pick things your family already eats. A kit full of food your kids refuse is a kit that doesn’t work.
- Peanut butter, crackers, granola or protein bars
- Canned tuna, chicken, beans and soups that can be eaten cold
- Dried fruit, nuts, shelf-stable milk or juice boxes
- Comfort food: something sweet for the kids
- A manual can opener, paper plates, utensils and trash bags
- Pet food for three days
Light and power
- One headlamp per person (hands-free beats flashlights)
- A lantern for the room you’ll live in
- Spare batteries for everything, sized correctly
- A charged power bank for each phone
- Optional: a small portable power station if anyone depends on a medical device
Information
- A battery or hand-crank weather radio (NOAA weather band)
- A printed list of key phone numbers: family, doctors, insurance, neighbors
- A paper map of your area, in case cell service is down
First aid and medicine
- A real first-aid kit, not a box of bandages
- At least a week of every prescription someone depends on
- Pain reliever, fever reducer (adult and child), allergy medicine
- Glasses or contacts and solution, if anyone needs them
Documents and cash
- Copies of IDs, insurance policies, and medical info in a waterproof bag
- A USB drive or encrypted cloud folder with the same documents
- Cash in small bills. When the power is out, card readers are too.
Comfort and hygiene
- Blankets or sleeping bags for everyone
- Wet wipes, hand sanitizer, toilet paper, feminine products
- Diapers and wipes if you have little ones
- A deck of cards, a book, something for the kids. Calm is part of the plan.
Where it lives
One spot everyone knows. A labeled tote in the hall closet beats three half-kits scattered between the garage, the truck and the basement. Keep it on the ground floor, away from where water would collect, and somewhere a teenager could grab it without asking.
Then tell your wife and kids where it is. Walk them to it. If you’re the only one who can find it, it isn’t a system.
A second, smaller kit for the vehicle
- Water, snacks and a blanket
- Phone charger and a flashlight
- Basic first aid and any critical medication
- Jumper cables, a tire inflator, and work gloves
The twice-a-year check
When the clocks change in spring and fall, open the tote. Fifteen minutes, twice a year:
- Rotate the water and any food close to expiring. Eat it that week.
- Test every headlamp, lantern and radio. Replace batteries.
- Update the medicine. Check expiration dates and current prescriptions.
- Refresh documents if anything changed: new insurance, new IDs, new phone numbers.
- Adjust for the season: extra blankets in fall, extra water in spring.
Put both dates on the calendar right now as recurring events. This is the part almost everyone skips, and it’s the part that makes the kit work when you need it.
What it costs
Most families can build a solid 72-hour kit for roughly $150 to $300, much of it from things you already own. Start with water and light, which matter most, then fill in the rest over a few weeks. You don’t have to buy it all in one trip.
Common questions
Do I need a generator?
Not for 72 hours. A generator is a bigger decision with real safety rules. Never run one indoors or in a garage. Get the basics right first.
What about a “bug-out bag”?
This kit is built for staying home, which is what most real disruptions call for. If your area has evacuation risks like wildfire or hurricanes, keep a smaller grab-and-go version by the door.
My wife thinks this is overkill.
Frame it as insurance, not fear. You don’t buy home insurance because you expect a fire. Fifteen minutes twice a year and one tote in the closet is a small cost for a family that doesn’t panic when the lights go out.
Do this week
- Count the people and pets in your house and do the water math.
- Buy one tote, one case of water, and a headlamp for each person.
- Pick the spot, and walk your family to it.
- Add the spring and fall check to your calendar as recurring events.
Keep reading
- The Responsibility Standard — see where Preparedness ranks against your other four areas.
- The Weekly Family Huddle — make “build the kit” this week’s one decision.
If it doesn’t work in real life, it doesn’t belong here.
