A "go-bag" is the kit you grab when you have to leave your house in a hurry — a fire, a flood warning, an evacuation order. It is different from your shelter-in-place supplies (which can be heavier and live in a closet). A go-bag is about mobility: enough to keep you alive and reasonably comfortable for 72 hours, light enough that you can actually carry it, and pre-packed so you don't have to think under stress.
The goal is not a survivalist fantasy kit. The goal is a bag you can grab on the way out the door in five minutes and not regret packing in two days.
The Container
Use a real backpack — a mid-size daypack (about 30–40 liters) is plenty for one person's 72-hour kit. A duffel works if you'll be driving; a backpack is better if you might be on foot. One bag per adult; older kids can carry their own smaller version.
Keep it near an exit (a front closet, the trunk, by the door) — not buried in a basement closet you can't reach during a fire.
The Core List
Organize by priority. The first four are non-negotiable.
1. Water and food
- 1–2 liters of water (you can't practically carry 3 gallons per person; plan to find more along the way, and keep purification tablets or a small filter)
- High-calorie, no-cook food: energy bars, trail mix, peanut butter crackers, jerky — enough for 3 days
2. Documents and money
- Copies of key documents in a waterproof bag: driver's license/passport copy, insurance cards (health, home, auto), a list of medications and dosages, emergency contacts (including an out-of-area contact), and a household inventory with photos if you have it
- Cash in small bills: $100–200 in $1s, $5s, and $20s. When power is out, card readers and ATMs don't work, and nobody can make change for a $100.
3. First aid and medications
- A basic first-aid kit: bandages, gauze, antiseptic, tweezers, pain reliever, and any personal meds
- A 3-day backup supply of prescription medications — this is the thing people forget and most need. Ask your doctor for an emergency refill or store a rotating 3-day reserve.
- Glasses or spare contacts
4. Communication and light
- A hand-crank or battery NOAA weather radio (the cell network may be down or overloaded)
- A phone charger and a fully charged power bank (10,000 mAh is enough for a few phone charges)
- A small flashlight or headlamp with spare batteries — a headlamp keeps your hands free, which matters more than you'd think
- A written contact plan: who you call first, who your out-of-area contact is, and where you meet. Our family emergency communication plan walks through building one in about 20 minutes
5. Clothing and shelter
- One change of clothes appropriate to your climate, including sturdy shoes (a flood in flip-flops is miserable)
- A rain jacket (doubles as a windbreaker)
- A lightweight emergency blanket or bivy (the cheap reflective ones weigh nothing and trap a surprising amount of heat)
- A hat and work gloves
6. Hygiene
- Travel-size kit: toothbrush/paste, soap, hand sanitizer, toilet paper, wet wipes, feminine hygiene products, a few trash bags (for waste and as an improvised poncho)
7. Tools
- A multi-tool or small knife
- Duct tape (wrap some around a pencil to save space)
- A lighter or matches in a waterproof container
- A whistle (to signal if you're trapped — much better than yelling)
8. Comfort and morale
- A deck of cards or a book
- A small toy or comfort item for each child
- Hard candy
Children, Pets, and Special Needs
- For each child, pack at their size: a change of clothes, a comfort item, formula or kid-friendly snacks, diapers/wipes, a copy of their medical records.
- For pets, keep a separate small kit: 3 days of food, a collapsible bowl, a leash or carrier, vaccination records, medication, and a photo of you with the pet. See our pet emergency kit guide.
- Mobility, hearing, or vision needs: pack the specific items a household member relies on (spare cane batteries, a printed communication card, a lightweight folding cane).
The Car Kit
Keep a smaller, separate kit in the car for the stranded-vehicle scenario — this overlaps with but is different from the home go-bag:
- Jumper cables and a basic tool kit
- A flashlight (check batteries annually)
- A blanket, water, and non-perishable snacks
- A first-aid kit
- An ice scraper and a bag of kitty litter or sand (for traction in winter)
- A phone charger that works with the car
- Flares or reflective triangles
- Paper map of your area (GPS and cell service fail)
The car kit saves you the home go-bag weight — if you're evacuating by car, you carry the home go-bag into the car and you already have the car kit too.
Maintenance
Build it once, then refresh it once a year. A yearly checklist:
- Replace any food or water near expiration
- Check flashlight and radio batteries; replace power bank charge
- Update the medication list and refill the prescription backup
- Swap the spare clothes if a child has outgrown them
- Refresh the document copies (insurance cards, contacts) if anything changed
Set a reminder tied to a fixed date — the day you check your smoke alarm batteries, or your birthday — so it actually happens.
What Not to Pack
- Weapons or anything that could create trouble at a checkpoint
- Large bottles of shampoo or full-size toiletries (water is heavy, and this adds weight without value)
- Anything breakable, leaky, or irreplaceable
- More than you can carry comfortably — if it's over ~15 lb, it's too heavy to walk with
The Five-Minute Version
If building a full bag feels overwhelming, start with: a backpack, a liter of water, a flashlight, a phone charger, $100 in cash, copies of your insurance cards, and a 3-day backup of medications. That covers the most likely gaps for under an hour of effort. Add to it over time.