The Art of Prepping for Any Situation | What You Need to Know

Life can be unpredictable and even life-changing. Just a few months ago the Coronavirus didn’t even exist, and now there’s a worldwide pandemic. With that said, there has never been a better opportunity to make sure you’re always prepared. In this blog, we will discuss the art of prepping for any situation or emergency.

No matter how well-prepared you are in life, anything can happen. That is why we should learn how to best prepare, especially in case of emergencies.

Home must-have checklist

First and foremost, a stay in place prepper needs to get their house in order and stock up on essential goods and supplies to eliminate the need to go out and protect their domain.

This doesn’t necessarily mean only protection from looters. You should also prepare your home essentials in case of bad weather and other safety outdoor hazards. This can include plywood boards for windows, home security, defense weapons, and a plan for quick escape. The essentials every stay at home prepper should have:

• Potable water – at least 15 gallons per person.
• Water filter – in case portable water is not available, so you can filter dirty water.
• Food – preferably those who have longer shelf life and easy to prepare.
• Hygiene kits – include soap, shampoo, wet wipes, alcohol or hand sanitizer, and other cleaning products.
• Communication tools – make sure your phone is fully-charged. Or bring a charger, extra batteries, a walkie-talkie, or a two-way ham radio.
• Cash – you won’t know when you’ll need it but best to have some stashed on your bag
• Source of entertainment – board games, music, or other hobbies that can ensure the state of your mental health.
• Important documents – insurance policies, maps, photos of your loved ones, USB, land titles, birth certificate, etc.
• Contact numbers – include number of loved ones, hospitals/clinics, police stations, etc.
• Prescription Medications – keep stock of important medications and remember to check expiration dates.

Preparing to bug out

There are times that you will need to get out of your house due to safety emergencies. In such cases, you need to bring along the essentials for when you get out on a moments notice. One key component to the art of prepping for any situation is to have a ‘bug out bag’. A ‘bug out bag should not be more than 25% of the carriers body weight.

Here are some of these important items that you should include. Keep in mind that some of the essential home supplies shown above will also be part of your ‘bug out bag’ The key here is being able to grab the essentials in a hurry.

Food and water

Choose foods that won’t expire easily, such as canned goods or biscuits. You should also store water, too. Better yet, invest in a portable water filtration straw.

Non-food essentials

How would you know which items are essential? It should answer these questions:

• Is it really essential especially on emergencies and other life-threatening situations?
• Is it versatile and can be used in different situations?

Examples of non-food essentials that you should have in your bug-out bag can be the following:

• Duct tape
• First aid bag (bandages, alcohol, gauze, etc.)Mylar blanket
• Swiss knife
• Tarp
• Communication Devices
• Prescription Medications

You might also have to find a bug-out location. Meaning, a safe place where you can temporarily stay in case you have to leave your home due to safety emergencies. These are things that should be done ahead of time.

What you need to know about emergency prepping

First of all, you need to know the how-to’s of emergency prepping. Among some crucial things you need to prepare to include the following:

• Building a stable health and financial foundation

• Keep your home stocked with the basic essentials

• Prepare items you will bring in case you need to leave the house due to safety hazards.

• Learn basic survival skills in case of limited resources.
• Advise and educate others on your plan in case something happens to you

You should not commit the following common prepping mistakes. Unfortunately, a lot of people are guilty of such mistakes due to a lack of knowledge. Such situations do not only happen in movies but can also happen in real life.

1. Don’t base your emergency preparedness on movies and TV shows. Stay away from your Walking Dead and Rambo fantasies. Instead, focus on the real world and know what you should prepare in case of real-life emergencies.
2. Prepping should not make you anxious or depressed. It’s also important to enjoy your life and spend on things out of your hard-earned money. However, it is also important to be prepared for unseen circumstances.
3. Consider getting insurance. As mentioned, no one knows what will happen next. For example, getting health insurance doesn’t mean there’s already something wrong with your health. It’s just a matter of being proactive.
4. In most situations, choose quality over cost. Choose items that will surely last a long time of usage. There is a lot of cheaper stuff out there. However, a lot of these items may suddenly die out on you in times when you need it most.
5. When you buy gear and other items, make sure to test and practice on it. You won’t be well-prepared if you don’t know how to use this equipment in the first place.

Learning the art of prepping for any situation

Anything can happen in life. Natural disasters, job loss, accidents, crimes… these things happen without warning. It will catch anyone off-guard. Unfortunately, no one is exempted from these uncontrollable instances.

More so, prepping with a limited budget is another skill that a lot of people are yet to unlock. There’s a lot of things happening right now, including the global pandemic that is COVID-19.

That said, now is the time to take prepping seriously. At the end of the day, only you can help yourself in case such unfortunate situations do happen.