Our third prep challenge in September will be to add shoes, shirts, and pants to our 72-hour kit. After a disaster, your clothing may become dirty, torn, or contaminated. It’s best to be prepared with clothes in your size. Update children’s clothing every six months. Better yet, buy clothes one size up. Save yourself money by buying shoes, shirts, and pants on clearance or at a thrift store. Let’s get started.
Add Shoes, Shirts and Pants to Your 72-Hour Kit
Shoes
- Earthquakes, fires, floods, tornadoes, and other disasters leave glass and debris behind, so have shoes in or next to your kit.
- Find closed-toe shoes that work in any season. Boots are a good choice if they are lightweight, but running shoes are fine too. Think, “What would I want to wear if glass was on my bedroom floor?”
- Don’t use the shoes you wear daily since those don’t stay put.
- If you keep your emergency kit in your closet or under your bed, your shoes should always be there. It’s important to be prepared to evacuate on foot at a moment’s notice.
Shirts
- Fabric matters. Cotton is always good but consider your climate when choosing shirts. Once cotton gets wet, it takes a long time to dry out.
- Most of us don’t update our kits often, so you could add a short-sleeved and long-sleeved shirt into your kit.
Pants
- Choose a fabric that is easy to roll up. Perhaps a pair of pants made from cotton, but not as bulky as denim. If you live in a hot climate, you could add shorts to your kit. We use hiking pants that convert to long shorts.
Adding shoes, shirts, and pants to your 72-hour kit will prepare you for many emergencies. Keep up the great work!
Best wishes and be safe,
Valerie Albrechtsen
The Food Storage Organizer
Purchase my food storage and emergency preparedness items in my Etsy shop.
