In the past year alone, many of us have become all too aware of our need to have a kit ready to go, should disaster strike. But many of us have never even considered how to put one together before. 

If you’re anything short of a survivalist, you may have never given a second thought to what you need to survive in a world without the creature comforts we take for granted, much less if you need to get emergency supplies in the first place.

It is a good idea to start planning a survival kit so that you can be ready to go should disaster strike.  Here’s everything you need to know about how you can put together a survival kit.

Decide on the Duration 

The first step in putting together your survival kit is to decide how long you want to prepare for. Are you interested in having a large store of supplies that could last weeks? Or do you want to start small, only having the necessities to sustain you for a couple of days?

Most people like to start with a 72 hour kit since that’s enough to get you started but also can easily fit in a backpack that you can carry with you.

Get Enough Supplies for Everyone in Your Family

If you have multiple people in your family or have an older parent that you would need to take care of, make sure that you get enough supplies for everyone that will be in your party. 

This includes not only adults and children but your pets as well since you will want them to have the resources they need as well.

Have Enough Clean Water

Once you’ve determined the number of supplies you’ll need, the first thing you will need to have ready is plenty of clean drinking water. You should have some water jugs handy, but know that these won’t last you forever.

Purchasing water purifying tablets can ultimately become a lifesaver should you run out of your water supply.

Be Prepared for All Types of Weather

Since you never know when disaster will strike, you need to have shelter and weatherproof clothes prepared for any and every season. This includes a heating space blanket to trap your body heat for cold winters and ponchos for when it rains.

You should also have a tarp ready to protect you from the sun or protect you from the dirt or mud when you need to sleep or rest.

Have Tools and Light

Next, you’re going to need to have sources of light and tools for survival.

These tools can include a pocket knife, a small multitool, and a tactical ax if you want to take your preparedness to the next level.

As for light sources, you will want a flashlight and some electric candles, and don’t forget about those extra batteries.

You’ll also want fire-starting supplies including matches, a magnifying glass, a firestarter log, and some tinder.

Non-Perishable Foods

You’re going to want to have plenty of food to sustain you for those 72 hours. Nonperishable foods like canned meats and vegetables, peanut butter and jelly, dry soup mixes, and oatmeal can do you in good stead on this front.

Remember to have a few pots and pans to heat and prepare these foods on the go. 

Basic First Aid

When you’re using a survival kit, the last thing you want is for an injury or cut to go untreated. Make sure you get a basic first aid kit that includes bandages of different sizes, gauze, wound-cleaning supplies like an antiseptic wash, triple antibiotic ointment, aspirin, and NSAID pain relievers, and tweezers to remove splinters.

Things to Remember

A few last things to remember when planning your survival kit. Since many supplies like foods and ointments can eventually go back, make sure to check in on the expiration dates in your kit every month or so.

If you don’t want to wrangle all of these separate items, you can always buy a pre-made kit online that will keep you and your family covered.