When prepared in life there
is a great sense of relief and peace of mind. With hard work and perseverance one is able to
put safeguards in place to ensure stability and quality of life. What those safeguards are is different for
everyone. We all have our own specific
needs and various ideas of what we deem is important. A while ago I sat down and decided what my top
five most important needs are and have since designed my life around that
criteria.
Shelter – adequate shelter is
a must for most of us, especially those of us with children. A nice, manageable home is a high priority and
I’ve discussed that in many, many posts over the years. Along with our present home it gives me great
peace of mind that we also have a backup home in our motorhome. If ever we were in a catastrophic situation
such as a fire, earthquake, long term power outage or some other event or
disaster we have the great fortune to be able to use our motorhome as a backup
shelter option.
Food – Within our home I built a pantry, another item I’ve included on my blog multiple times. It is very important to me to keep it well
stocked as well as our chest freezer in our garage. In addition to our regular pantry we now have
a prepper pantry which allows us the peace of mind of additional food supplies
in case of an emergency, extreme weather conditions, job loss, financial
hardship or other event or disaster.
Clothing – I make sure we
have an adequate wardrobe to clothe ourselves in all of the seasons, regardless
of the weather. I make sure to keep our
clothes clean and in good condition, repairing and mending as needed. Additionally, I make sure to keep a backup of
nearly everything. An extra pair of work
shoes or tennis shoes, winter boots, extra gloves and hats, socks and underwear
and as something wears out I replace it on a rotating schedule.
Medicines, Toiletries &
Cleaning Supplies – I keep a good supply of cold and pain relieving medications
on hand, replacing them as we use them. I also make sure we have plenty of toiletries
such as soap, toothpaste and toothbrushes, feminine hygiene items, toilet paper
and facial tissue, shampoo and deodorant. I used to keep a six month supply of
everything, but with recent events I have increased it to a one year supply.
Money – Once I had everything
else established it was important for me to protect it and us as much as
reasonably possible. Having an established emergency fund allows me to maintain the first four things while
having the funds in place for any unplanned or unexpected expenses that may pop
up. It also gives me a buffer if I ever
find myself suddenly without a job.
While it is impossible to
prepare for every eventuality or scenario it is wise to at least be prepared
for the reality that at some point in our lives something unexpected will occur.
That’s just life. Having a backup plan in place and the means to
meet those challenges will not only give me great peace of mind but also a way
to successfully take on whatever comes our way.
Water. You might want to think about storing water. In fact, don't think about it, just do it, trust me. (Ask me how I know.)
ReplyDeleteI have that too!! :)
DeleteI know be prepared has saved me many times. Just recently I was totally prepared for the CV both with food,other supplies and financially. Now I am restocking for round 2 and possibly civil unrest. Everyone please prepare and stay safe!
ReplyDeleteThank you. I do hope people are taking things seriously and preparing.
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