If you are new to the world of prepping, the amount of information you need to learn can be quite overwhelming and intimidating, leaving you feeling a little lost and clueless.
If you are not familiar with skills related to long-term food storage, fire starting, or land navigation, the vastness and complexity of the subject may be overwhelming, especially if your previous lifestyle did not involve acquiring these practical abilities.
I don’t want you to feel overwhelmed and abandon the idea of being responsible for every aspect of your own life and survival. Just a short while ago, it was simply known as life, not referred to as “prepping”!
To assist you in directing your efforts and energies effectively, we have compiled a prepper checklist containing the fundamental and indispensable preparations.
Food
Regardless of the amount of trouble that occurs, we still require sustenance. In times of difficulty, obtaining food may not be straightforward. Therefore, it is important to guarantee that you have an adequate supply of food to ensure that you and your family are properly nourished. The subsequent items are essential when it pertains to your dietary and nutritional requirements:
Extra Food
In order to be prepared for emergencies, it is recommended to have at least two weeks’ worth of food available. However, it is even better to store a month or two’s worth of food. This food should consist of your regular daily meals and is known as your short-term food supply. In the event of a short-lived emergency, this food should be sufficient to sustain you.
Long-Term Emergency Food
In addition to your usual food supplies, it is essential to take into account your future requirements. In case there is a significant societal disruption, it may be necessary to have a sufficient amount of food stored to sustain yourself for several months.
If you think logically, buckets of emergency food are an ideal complement to your prepper equipment. They consist of complete meals that can be consumed effortlessly by just adding hot water. Additionally, they possess a shelf life of 25 years, allowing you to store them without worrying about it.
Sprouting Seeds
Even if you have stored food, including buckets of emergency food, it does not guarantee that you will have a satisfying diet. It is difficult to obtain fresh food during emergency situations. However, if you have sprouting seeds available, you can cultivate sprouts using minimal water. This is not about cultivating an entire garden, but rather ensuring you have fresh greens for daily consumption. Some examples of suitable seeds for sprouting include mustard seeds, mung beans, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and lentils.
In a matter of days after planting the seeds, you will witness the growth of fresh green sprouts that offer additional nutritional benefits. However, it is important to obtain non-GMO seeds as grocery store seeds, typically subjected to irradiation, may not yield successful sprouting.
Planting Seeds
In order to meet your long-term food needs, it is crucial to have a supply of seeds that can be planted. It is important to consider that the food you have stored will eventually be depleted. As you begin to rebuild your life after the most difficult times, you will have the opportunity to establish a garden. The recommended types of seeds to store are:
- Radishes
- Onions
- Kale
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
- Peppers
- Corn
- Cabbage
- Broccoli
- Beans
- Peas
- Beets
- Carrots
Water
Having water is even more crucial than having food. You can survive for up to three weeks without food, but only for three days without water. Ensure that you have an adequate supply of water available and also a means of purifying water in case you have to rely on external sources.
Bottled Water
With the hope that you can stay indoors for a long period, it would be helpful to have stocked up on bottled water. This will alleviate the difficulties that arise during challenging times when you are just starting to adapt. It is recommended to have at least two weeks’ worth of bottled water stored, although having a supply that lasts for a couple of months would be even better. Once again, if the emergency situation is brief, this amount should suffice to see you through.
WaterBOB
The waterBOB is the most convenient method of storing emergency water and is suitable for all types of homes. If you receive advanced notice that your water supply will be unavailable or unusable, having the waterBOB is essential. It is a single-use container capable of holding up to 100 gallons of water. Since we typically require 1 gallon of water per person per day, the waterBOB supplies enough water for an individual for 100 days.
The waterBOB is specifically created to be placed inside your bathtub, eliminating the necessity to sanitize your bathtub before using it. By doing so, it guarantees that your water remains fresh and clean for up to 16 weeks. Additionally, the waterBOB includes a pump that enables you to extract the water for various purposes such as drinking, cooking, and cleaning. Moreover, it is available at an affordable price of approximately $30 per unit.
Rain Barrel
If you plan on staying indoors for an extended period, it is necessary to have a water-collection system. The easiest and simplest option is to have a rain barrel. Make sure to have at least one or two of these on your property so you can collect rainwater. Even if you reside in an apartment with a balcony, you can still use a rain barrel for water collection. However, avoid catching water as it runs off from the roof as the majority of roofing tiles contain chemicals that can taint the water.
Water Bottles
Carrying a few additional water bottles can always be beneficial, as it enables you to have extra water while covering long distances where water sources may be scarce. It is recommended to use stainless steel or Nalgene water bottles for this purpose.
Shelter
After oxygen, shelter is the next crucial factor for survival, particularly if the weather is unfavorable as exposure can lead to death within a few hours.
Even if you plan on staying in your home during a storm, it is important to have essential shelter gear and supplies available. This is because power outages and damage can expose your home to the elements, and having the means to construct a smaller shelter can be beneficial.
Having a micro-climate inside your home that is more survivable is extremely valuable.
- A good tent, appropriate for the size of your family.
- A heavy-duty tarp. You can make a tent from this or use it as a ground cover, wind and sun shade, rain, and so much more.
- Poncho/rain slicker. Getting wet means you’ll lose body heat even faster. Getting wet when it is cold is often a death sentence. Stay dry with a waterproof outer layer.
- Emergency Blankets. These crinkly foil blankets seem like a joke and will make you look like a baked potato, but work wonders for keeping you warm and they take up almost no room or weight.
- Sleeping bag. You need a good night’s sleep, especially in a stressful situation, and a sleeping bag is the most weight and size-efficient method of achieving this, whatever you pack will need to cope with the most severe weather you can expect in your area. If you live in California you can probably get away with a lighter sleeping bag than someone who lives in Alaska, but don’t get caught out by having a summer-weight sleeping bag and having to use your kit in winter.
Fire and Heating
The need to be able to start a fire is important beyond just wilderness survival situations. In the event of a power grid outage, you will probably need to depend on wood, pellets, or another fuel source to keep warm and prepare meals.
Make sure to have an ample supply of:
- lighters, ferro rods, water-resistant matches
- tinder and kindling,
- wood
When it comes to heating, there are several popular options you can experiment with.
- A portable propane heater (ideally one that can be used indoor as well if need be)
- Candles, which can be used in conjunction with a couple of terracotta pots to make a clay pot heater
Light
Assuming that the power outage will persist throughout the crisis, the reliable tool to rely on for managing the situation is the humble flashlight.
Consider the use of headlamps, which enable you to work hands-free effortlessly and without the need to hold a light between your teeth. Additionally, lights in general are effective for signaling purposes.
Make sure to add these luminous wonders to your collection as soon as possible, considering each step thoughtfully.
- Flashlights. Get the best ones you can afford for reliability. LEDs are brighter more durable and use less power.
- Headlamps. Look for models that focus more on close range, useable light, and longer runtime compared to your flashlights. Having them take the same batteries is a big plus.
- Lantern. Battery powered. Alcohol and other gas-powered lanterns work fine but are more dangerous than a good battery lantern. Use this for area lighting at home in the dark or at camp to save power with your battery-gobbling flashlights.
- Batteries. Lots and lots of batteries for all of the above.
- Chemlights. a.k.a snaplights. These raver favorites are superb for marking, signaling, and providing soft but useable area illumination with zero risk of a fire or anything bad happening.
