Where to store your 72 Hour Kit

Storage of your 72 Hour Kit is extremely important.

You must make sure that the area is dry (damp or extremely humid areas may cause food spoilage). If you intend on keeping your kits in the laundry room, make sure there is plenty of ventilation. If the basement or garage, make sure there is dry and mildew free. If you keep them on a shelf or the floor, make sure that you pick up the container and inspect the outside of it for any mold growth.

Keep the area pest free. You will want to check your kits monthly to make sure that no pests (mice, insects, etc.) have gotten into the food storage container or food itself. A good way to help prevent this is to keep them off of the floor. A couple hooks or coat rack installed on a wall work great. Or even a few sturdy nails to hang your kits from. If you cannot put nails in the wall, there may be a set of wooden shelves you can put a hanger on, hang your kits on a hanger to go inside of a closet, or find an easily accessible shelf.

Try to keep your food in an area where the temperature will not go above 100°F. If the food is exposed to high heats, the shelf life will be dramatically reduced and food can spoil quickly. (Think peanut butter and crackers turned in crackers and mush or rancid tuna.) Never ever eat food from cans that are bulging, badly dented or seem otherwise damaged. Do not keep your kits above the stove, under the sink, by a window or direct sunlight, by electrical appliances or water heaters. The food can be exposed to high temperatures or humidity.

A good place to keep your food is going to be an even temperatured cool room. If you have a pantry, this will probably work perfectly. Since this is an emergency kit, possibly a closet close to the front or back door will work.