1.   Your coat closet -  If you spend most of your time close to home then we recommend storing your 72 hour kit in your front coat closet.  The majority of houses have a coat closet close to the front door. Many people have taken a coat hanger and inserted the head of the hanger through the top loop of the back pack. It is nice having your 72 hour kit so close to the front door, when the emergency strikes and your home or close to home you will enjoy having easy access to your emergency supply's . When you are dealing with a Grab-&-Go situation time is of the essence and you don't want to be shuffling under boxes to find your 72-Hour Kit. If you do not have a coat closet, just have your 72-Hour Kits in a close location to the front door or garage. The key is to make it as easy as possible so you won’t be dealing with any delays.

2.  Your Car - Most of us do not know where we will be when a disaster happens, but most likely the odds of you having your car around you can provide you with a great location to store your 72-Hour Kit. Just picture, no matter where you go you tend to have your car with you. 

3.  No coat closet and no car - Everyone's situation is different, you might not have a car or you might not have a closet. But we all can judge our own situations & find the best option for storing your 72 hour kits. It might take a little creativity but I am sure you can think of somewhere to store your kit. 

Your basic emergency kit should include:

1. Water – 3 gallons per person  (1 gallon per person per day)
   
2. Food – ready to eat

• Protein/Granola/Calorie Food Bars
• Crackers/Cereals (for munching)
• MREs/Canned Food (Remember that cans can leak/explode)
• Candy/Gum (These items could melt, so it's best to keep them in a zip lock baggy)

1. Manual can opener and other cooking supplies
2. Plates, utensils and other feeding supplies
3. First Aid kit & instructions
4. A copy of important documents & phone numbers (your 52 Weeks to Prosperous Living Organizer!)
5. Warm clothes and rain gear for each family member.
6. Heavy work gloves
7. Disposable camera
8. Unscented liquid household bleach and an eyedropper for water purification
9. Personal hygiene items including toilet paper, feminine supplies, hand sanitizer and soap
10. Plastic sheeting, duct tape and utility knife for covering broken windows
11. Tools such as a crowbar, hammer & nails, staple gun, adjustable wrench and bungee cords.
12. Blanket or sleeping bag
13. Large heavy duty plastic bags and a plastic bucket for waste and sanitation
14. Any special-needs items for children, seniors or people with disabilities. Don’t forget water and supplies for your pets.

Store your household disaster kit in an easily accessible location.  Put contents in a large, watertight container (e.g. a large plastic garbage can with a lid and wheels) that you can move easily. 

A component of your disaster kit is your Go-bag. Put the following items together in a backpack or another easy to carry container in case you must evacuate quickly.  Prepare one Go-bag for each family member and make sure each has an I.D. tag. You may not be at home when an emergency strikes so keep some additional supplies in your car and at work, considering what you would need for your immediate safety.

1. Flashlight
2. Radio – battery operated
3. Batteries
4. Whistle
5. Dust mask
6. Pocket knife
7. Emergency cash in small denominations and quarters for phone calls
8. Sturdy shoes, a change of clothes, and a warm hat
9. Local map
10. Some water and food
11. Permanent marker, paper and tape
12. Photos of family members and pets for re-identification purposes
13. List of emergency point-of -contact phone numbers
14. List of allergies to any drug (especially antibiotics) or food
15. Copy of health insurance and identification cards
16. Extra prescription eye glasses, hearing aid or other vital personal items
17. Prescription medications and first aid supplies
18. Toothbrush and toothpaste
19. Extra keys to your house and vehicle
20. Any special-needs items for children, seniors or people with disabilities. Don’t forget to make a Go-bag for your pets.

Water

3 Month supply of food you eat regularly

Long Term Storage

Grains
·         Rolled Oats
·         Wheat
·         Spaghetti or Macaroni
·         Cornmeal
·         Enriched White Flour
·         Enriched White Rice
·         Pearled Barley

Legumes

Baking Ingredients
·         Fats and Oils
·         Sugars
·         Powdered Milk
·         Miscellaneous Items
          o    Baking soda, salt, baking powder
          o    Active dry yeast
          o    Instant yeast
·         Other Dairy
          o    Powdered Eggs
          o    Butter
           o    Sour Cream

Fruits and Vegetables
·         Dehydrated
·         Canned/Bottled
·         Frozen

Comfort Foods

• Home-made popcorn in a pot
• Mashed potatoes with instant potatoes and GRAVY
• Hard Candy
• Chocolate
• Pudding (made using dry milk)
• Granola bars
• Fruit snacks for children
• Chicken noodle soup in a can (for if you get sick)
• Kool-aid
• Condiments (ketchup, mustard, bbq sauce, salsa, pickles)
• Spices (inventory what spices you use and store an extra one or two of each)
• No-bake cookies ingredients (recipe coming soon)
• Rice Krispie Treats
• Macaroni & cheese dinners
• Chocolate and butterscotch baking chips for homemade cookies or snacking
• Peppermint tea bags
• Ovaltine
• Danish dessert (w/frozen raspberries)
• Busy Day Soup (this is a meal, but it’s dinner comfort food & easy to make)
• Homemade peach pie
• Homemade cinnamon rolls

Personal Hygiene

• Toothpaste/Toothbrushes
• Shampoo/Conditioner

·         Deodorant
·         Facewash/Bodywash/Soap
·         Shaving/Aftershave

Paper Products
·         Toilet Paper (see bottom of this section for a great tips from a reader on how much to store)
·         Paper Towels
·         Feminine Products
·         Diapers/Wet Wipes
·         Kleenex
·         Paper Plates/Plastic Utensils/Napkins (can save on water in an emergency)

Cleaning Products
·         Laundry Detergent
·         Dishwasher Detergent
·         Bleach
·         All-Purpose Cleaner
·         Items to make your own household cleaners

First Aid Items
·         First Aid Kits 
·         Hand Sanitation
·         Face Masks
·         Prescription medications
·         Cold medicine
·         Natural Medicines

Pet Care Products
·         Dog/Cat Food
·         Extra Water for Pets
·         Kitty Litter

Miscellaneous Items
·         Light Bulbs
·         Board Games/Cards (something to do in case the power is out)
·         Candles/Kerosene Lamps
·         Needles/Thread (for basic mending)

1.    Natural Disasters: