A 72-hour home emergency kit organized on a table with water jugs, canned food, flashlight, batteries and a first-aid kit
Emergency Kit & ReadinessEmergency Kit

A Practical 72-Hour Home Kit

Everything your household needs to shelter comfortably at home for three days without outside help.

Beginner A few hours to assemble
A 72-hour home emergency kit organized on a table with water jugs, canned food, flashlight, batteries and a first-aid kit
A 72-hour home emergency kit organized on a table with water jugs, canned food, flashlight, batteries and a first-aid kit

Most emergencies are resolved within about three days. A 72-hour home kit lets your family shelter in place calmly — with water, food, light, warmth and information — while services are restored.

Because you are at home, this kit can be more generous and comfortable than a bug-out bag. Staying put is very often the safest and wisest choice.

What you'll need

  • Stored water: at least 4 liters (1 gallon) per person per day for three days
  • Three days of wholesome, easy-to-prepare food that needs little cooking
  • A way to cook and boil water without the grid (see the rocket stove guide)
  • Lighting: flashlights, a lantern, candles and spare batteries
  • A well-stocked first-aid kit and a two-week supply of essential medications
  • A hand-crank or battery radio to stay informed
  • Warm blankets, and sanitation supplies (wipes, bags, basic hygiene)

Step by step

  1. 1

    Store water properly

    Fill food-grade containers and store them in a cool, dark place. Label the date and refresh periodically.

  2. 2

    Build a three-day menu

    Choose simple, nourishing meals your family already enjoys. Include comfort foods — morale matters in a crisis.

  3. 3

    Cover light and information

    Keep lights and a radio together in a known spot with fresh batteries so no one hunts in the dark.

  4. 4

    Prepare health and sanitation

    Stock your first-aid kit, keep medications current, and set aside simple sanitation supplies for when water is limited.

  5. 5

    Write a simple plan

    Post a one-page household plan: where supplies are, how to shut off utilities, and where to gather. Practice it once with the family.

How this fits the 5 Pillars

A Country Living readiness project that rests on the Water, Food and Energy pillars — the confidence of knowing your home can care for your family for days.

Spiritual reflection

Preparing your home in peacetime is an act of love that lets you serve others in the storm. The prepared household becomes a place of refuge for more than itself.

“A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.”

Proverbs 22:3

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