đź§° Preparedness starts with the boring stuff


Hey Reader

September is National Preparedness Month, so now's a good reminder to take another look at preparedness.

And I don’t mean filling a shopping cart with survival gear or worrying about every possible disaster.

The boring stuff matters first.

Do you have food your family will actually eat?

Could you manage through a power outage?

Does everyone in the house know what to do if you can’t reach each other?

That’s where I’d start.

Survival Preparedness for Beginners

If preparedness feels overwhelming, start here.

This guide covers the basics: food and water, communication, finances, health, important documents and a family emergency plan.

You don’t need to do everything this week. Pick the weakest area in your household and work on that first.


What Food Should You Actually Store?

One mistake people make with emergency food is buying things they’d never normally eat.

A useful pantry is one you rotate through everyday meals.

This covers practical shelf-stable foods worth keeping on hand, along with ideas for building your supply gradually rather than buying everything at once.

Free meat. Every box. For a YEAR.


Make a Few Emergency Candles

Preparedness should include skills as well as supplies.

We’ve made these simple emergency candles several different ways, and it’s an easy project to do before you actually need backup lighting.

It’s also the kind of practical skill I want my kids and grandkids to know.

If you do one preparedness job this week, that counts.

Check the flashlights. Add a few pantry items. Update a phone number in your emergency binder.

Small things add up.

Until next time,

Sarita
​An Off Grid Life​

P.S. If you're on Pinterest, be sure to follow my newest board, Food Storage and Preparedness Pantry.

Sarita|An Off Grid Life

Join my community for tips, tools & tales from 11+ years of living off grid. Practical & actionable advice on becoming self-reliant, no matter where you live.

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