Welcome to week #23 in the “72 Hour Kit Ideas: A week by week approach” series.
This series is also available as an e-book. Purchasing the e-book gives you a few additional benefits over just reading the free series:
- Additional details and tips
- The ability to print the entire book!
- Pictures of my own kit show just how I pack each week.
Download “Your Own 72-Hour Kit Plan” E-Book Now!
I hope all of you were able to add some cash to your kit last week.
Week #23: Packaging Your 72-Hour Kit
Now that you have gathered all the supplies for your kit, you have an idea of the amount of space you will need to package it. Remember, this pack of supplies will be used on the go if you have to evacuate. However, you choose to package it, keep the following in mind:
- It needs to be something you can carry relatively easily.
- It needs to be durable.
- It should be as lightweight as possible.
If you’ve already got your kit and will just be updating it, then take a week off!
Here are a few ideas I’ve seen (and my opinions on them). Feel free to share your ideas and opinions if you’ve got them in the comments below. There is a great one from a reader, Don about a pull / push golf cart here!
Option #1: A Cooler or Suitcase on Wheels
- Easy to drag behind you, meaning you don’t have to actually carry it.
- May be difficult to use over tough terrain.
- Would be heavy/difficult if you ever DID have to carry it.
- Durable.
| Preview | Product | |
|---|---|---|
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Igloo 110qt Glide Coolers | Buy on Amazon |
Option #2: A Large Tupperware-Type Tub
- Relatively durable.
- Lightweight.
- Can easily see & find what is inside.
- Very difficult to carry.
| Preview | Product | |
|---|---|---|
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Rubbermaid Commercial Products Brute Tote Storage Container With Lid,... | Buy on Amazon |
Option #3: Duffel Bag
- Relatively durable.
- Lightweight.
- Could put them in a wagon / wheeled golf cart and pull them unless/until forced to carry them.
- You must carry it at all times…typically more difficult to carry for a long period of time than a backpack.
- Not a lot of separate compartments for making things easier to organize/find.
| Preview | Product | |
|---|---|---|
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NPUSA Mens Large 22" Inch Black Duffel Duffle Military Molle Tactical... | Buy on Amazon |
Option #4: Backpacks
- Very lightweight, but must be on your back at all times.
- Will be heavy once packed.
- Could put them in a wagon and pull them unless/until forced to carry them.
Option #5: Wheeled Backpack
- Could be carried if needed, but can also be pulled behind you to make things easier unless covering rough terrain.
- Heavier than a traditional backpack would be.
How We Packed Our 72-Hour Kit
Right now, we have 2 adult backpacks* and 2 children’s backpacks. Only two of our four children would be able to carry a pack (the 5 yr old twins), and one (a 1 yr old) would need to be carried. Both my husband and I will need to have both hands free in order to be able to carry a child and manage another.
We do have a moby wrap for the 1 yr old so we can carry her and still have both hands free. But I still want both hands free to be able to manage the other 3 kids. So, we went in backpacks. However, we will likely switch to wheeled backpacks eventually.
Tell Me Everything About Packaging Your 72-Hour Kit!
Leave me a comment and tell me how you plan to (or how you already) package your kit.
Pin It Now For Later!
| Week #22: Cash | Week #2: Water Part I | Week #1: Packaging Your Kit | Series Into: Survival Kit Series, A Week |
Becky is a wildlife enthusiast and pet and livestock care expert with a diploma in canine nutrition. With over a decade of experience in animal welfare, Becky lends her expertise to Simple Family Preparedness through insightful info about pets, livestock, bee keeping, and the practicalities of homesteading.
Last update on 2024-05-05 at 12:16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Love being prepared for anything! I am just getting started and am so excited. thanks you for providing all these great ideas. i have 3 kids, 10,8 and 5 would you suggest having each child carry their own 72 hour kit?
I mentioned last time that I need to find a backpack. What I really need is multiple backpacks and to reorganize what is currently a family kit into more portable individual kits.
We have a large hiking pack that my husband would be able to wear on his back and a child size backpack for our three year old. I also have an old college backpack that we could carry and a Beco baby carrier that we could carry our 9month old in. We have a wagon with “all terrain” wheels that could carry Children or backpacks if we needed that as well. Great ideas in this post!
We have an overnight camping pack for my husband and a day pack for me as I can bit carry as much as him. And I would also have my child. We also have a rolling two ball bowling bag for our water. We can’t possibly carry 3 gallons let alone 9 gallons of water on our backs. It looks like a regular duffle bag though. So can be picked up if needed.
A bowling ball bag for water is a great idea!
We have decided to use hiking backpacks for our kits so they can be carried easily. My husband and I each have our own and our 2 boys (3 years old and 1 year old) are sharing one for now. We originally had the boys’ stuff in a large rolling suitcase so we could carry our packs and then drag the suitcase, but it just was too bulky and cumbersome to store that way. Good idea about being able to pull them in a wagon! I never thought about that option. I will make sure to add my wagon to my “grab and go” list!
Sounds like a great plan Jodi!
I actually stumbled upon this blog last week, I love the idea of being prepared for anything. Being a new mom kicks that idea up a few notches. I plan to use backpacks and a small rolling suitcase. My son is 3 months and obviously cannot carry his own supplies. Backpacks will also allow for free hands to help carry, and open fronts for carring our son!. I am really looking forward to getting our packs up and running!
Becoming a new mom a few years ago is what kicked me into gear too Nicole. Good luck!
This time around we will be making a kit for my husbands mother, peace of mind for us and something she wont do for herself. Thank you
How kind Meredith!
We’re looking at backpacks for minimum essentials along with collapsible luggage trolleys as the last stage of an evacuation. Our hope would be to hunker down at home. Next would be by car filled with supplies in storage tubs. On foot would be the last resort. We could discard the trolleys if we have to go cross-country. Plan on using the bulk consumables first to leave the backpacks full.
Great ideas Greg. Yes, I agree that on foot should be the absolute last resort.
Im so glad you restart this all the time. We missed the start last time so we will be catching the steps this time and upgrading some of the later steps too. Thanks
I’m glad Brandon! You often have such great comments!
We have really cheap backpackers with our supplies in them we really need to upgrade
To something more durable
Mine were in cheap bags forever, but it was wonderful when we were able to upgrade. (-:
Hey! I literally just started reading, and I’m not sure if anyone has mentioned this to you, but with 4 small children, some roll-up slings or baby carriers (like a mei-tai or moby wrap) would allow you to carry up to two children each (one on front, one on back), or one child and one backpack each (child in front carry, backpack on back). Even a simple ring sling or a sheet tied to make a pouch that goes over your shoulder would allow you to carry a child and have hands free and also wear a backpack. You could google homemade slings and come up with a lot of ideas. Hope that helps!
Oh, and unlike structured baby carriers (like a baby bjorn, etc that can only be worn one way), you can use some kinds of slings to carry toddlers and preschoolers. I still use mine to carry my 5 year-old when she gets too tired at fairs, etc.
Yes, that is exactly what I meant when I said they would have to be carried! We have moby wraps. But I wouldn’t want the child in the wrap and something else plus trying to help another child so we went with backpacks. Just like you said, the pack on the back, child on the front and two hands to help the older child. I should clarify that above though b/c those wraps are amazing!
Fantastic idea!! Will definately be following this!!!!
I just came across your site and Wow these are amazing ideas that I would have never though of doing! All of our important documents ( marriage license, birth certif., SS cards, vehicle papers and House documents) are in a fire proof safe. The back pack idea is the one I am going to use as there are 3 of us 2 adults and our son whom is 8! I cant wait to get started!
Glad it has been helpful Heather!
I am disabled, so planning is a little more difficult for me. We have purchased a large back pack for my wheel chair, and a cooler on all terrain tires for the rest of the items. We have water for 7 days for 3 people, a water purifier, professional grade first aide kits, and copies of all important paper work. This is our first step.
Yes, being disabled would make things much trickier. Thanks for sharing your solutions!
I found camelback-type hydration backpacks on sale at Costco and Big 5. They are considerably smaller than a regular backpack and you still can fit the absolute bare necessities in them while keeping them fairly light weight. As a bonus, once you find a water source you have a built in water system. I put in water purifier in the pack to make sure it was safe. My 6 year old son can wear his without too much trouble. They are less intimidating than my monster hiking backpack that I have tried using without success.
I love camelbacks for so many reasons! Glad you got some on sale!
I followed a pin on pinterest that led to your blog and I am so glad I did! I have decided today to start following your week by week survival kit series. I will work on getting all my bags and/or containers that I need this week. Thanks so much!
Welcome Vicki! I’m so glad you found me too! (-:
We are just starting out making our kits. It is just me and my husband and our dog Rocky. We are going to use backpacks we just got from Gander mountain. Can’t wait to get started and feel a little more prepared in case of emergency. Thanks for the ideas!!
You are welcome Megan! Good luck!
Good afternoon, I stopped by to download your emergency folder info but soon found myself, reading and reading and reading until I ended up here and forced myself to stop( i have work to do lol). I wanted to say, thank you all for providing such wonderful, easy to follow information.
Being that we live in hurricane alley( southeast texas) being prepared is essential. Our last hurricane left us without electric for 2 months and we being new to the area at the time, the entire situation completely caught off guard. Add to the equation, I’m a single mother of three children with Autism and I you have a mad mess on your hands. I’d like to think that in having things prepared we would have a better go in times of crisis, however finding the information, getting the things needed in order has been more overwhelming than it should be until i found your site. So again thank you. I will be back, most likely daily. Be blessed.
Anna Marie, I’m so glad you found some useful info! Please continue to comment and contribute as it sounds like you have a lot of first hand experience that could truly help other readers!
Hi there,
Im so glad i got ur site from my sis in law. I have been wanting to do a survival kit for my family. We have 4 kids as well. Our youngest is 3 so I think he might be able to carry a backpack. I’ve been watching plenty of the survival shows on tv and had made a list of the things I’ll need such as flint for fire, first aid kit, water bob, switch blade and maybe nighttime vision goggles. I have limited income so preparing a pack will be challenging. I hope to win some of your freebies. Thanks for a great website.
Kelly Le
I hope you win too! And tell your sis-in-law thanks!
I just ran across this website and I think it is awesome. With all of the natural disasters happening more and more every family should have some kind of plan. I am going to start my kit today!
Good for you Debbie! Good luck!
I’m just starting to prep. I got the small shelf reliance can rotators to establish a working pantry and I’m now putting together an emergency kit for the car so I guess I’m just barely a beginner. I have the added disadvantage of being severely mobility handicapped. So I’d have to hunker down or send the rest of my family on without me. Either way at a minimum I want to be prepared for them.
That is incredible Cindy! Good for you for doing all you can. So many people who are not in your situation come up with so many excuses. You are inspiring!
Are emergency packs just useful in the US? I see lots about them on American sites but not on UK ones (I’m from the UK)… They sound like a great idea but in the 42 years I’ve been in the planet I don’t think my family has ever needed to get out quick. Luckily I’ve never lived anywhere that’s flooded, and we don’t have typhoons or quakes here either… So would you still recommend putting together a 72hr pack?
Helen,
I’m going to be doing a post about this soon…not specifically the difference between US and UK, but on when you really need a pack vs just having good supplies in your home. Look for it in the next week or two! GREAT question!
I am in love with your web sight I am so glad that I have found it. I have been so over whelmed on where to start and how to do it all. I am just starting on week one and I have just bought the bags you recommend. Thanks for putting this all together for people like me..
Brieanna,
You are so welcome! I enjoy it and I’m so glad you’ve found it helpful!
Just found this website and i’m starting at week one. 🙂 I have decided to go with the wheeled backpack. Right now we have everything in a rubbermaid tote but I never thought about having to carry it. Always just thought about using it in our home.
Using it in your home is the most likely scenario, but depending on where you live, there may be a chance for a quick evacuation.
i think the backpack idea is great, im going to get that for my husband and i and a cooler as well to take things that cant fit