Homesteading, preparedness, prepping, whatever you want to call it our world has been thrust into an upheaval of epic proportions that is now bringing preparedness into the minds of everyone. Everyone should learn how to be prepared.
As you know from my blog, homesteading is something I love to do! I grew up canning fresh vegetables and fruits with my mom and have taught it to my kids (begrudgingly to them). When I was 11, I took my first sewing class and learned to quilt when I was pregnant with our second son (who is now 20).
I LOVE to cook from scratch as much as possible and have always enjoyed teaching my friends and family how easy it can be. Gardening has always been more difficult for me because let’s face it, if it doesn’t cry I’m not going to remember to water it, as is the life of a busy modern mother.
Weather you’re naturally a prepared person or not, we’ve all come face to face with our new reality of “better safe, than sorry”. Yes, in all actuality, that’s what being prepared is; I’d rather be safe and stock up on these items/skills, than be sorry in an emergency situation when I need them.
If you’re prepared for a 14-day quarantine (should you need it), then good job! The time you spent prepping has paid off. If not, it’s ok! Don’t panic. There’s no better time to start then now!
So, you might be reading this and thinking, “That’s great and all, but how? Where do I start? What do I need?” I’m here to help you with that!
Begin with inventory
Take an inventory of what you have right now. Make a list of perishable foods first – what’s currently in your refrigerator and what can you do with it? What about canned & dry goods? How about water – do you have small or large bottles, and how many? Go through my checklists below and inventory the items you currently have in each category. Are your kids out of school? Put them to work! Give each kid a category, let them inventory it and report back to you. When kids help with the preparedness, they feel more secure and are less afraid.
- Perishable Foods (refrigerator & freezer)
- Canned & Dry Goods, Condiments (pantry)
- Water (individual bottles and gallons)
- First Aid
- Medications (what does your family use on a regular basis, what would you need if one of you were sick)
- Electrolytes (sports drinks, Pedialyte)
- Pet Food & Supplies (what does Fido or fluffy need)
- Baby Supplies [diapers, wipes, formula (even if you are breastfeeding – if you’re sick you made not be able to), infant medicines]
- Feminine Hygiene products
- Paper Goods (plates, napkins, cups, paper towels, and toilet paper)
- Cleaning Products (what do you need to clean and sanitize your home, clothes, or cars)
- Fuel (both for cars and for cooking)
- Entertainment (a distraction like board games, puzzles, books, or movies will be needed
Make a plan
Look at what you have and figure out what you can make without needing to go to the store. Do you have chicken? You can grill or bake it with just salt & pepper if you need. How about rice or potatoes? Those make a good side for it. Then make a small grocery list of what ingredients you’re missing.
Organize
Move your supplies around to make it easy for your family to follow your plan. We have a separate list of items everyone is free to eat whenever they’re hungry. If I’m planning on making burritos for dinner one night, I don’t want them eating all the flour tortillas before then!
Shop wisely
Get the items you need and then add things you can use later. For example, nuts – great source of protein when meat is unavailable, heavy cream – it freezes great and can be used to make butter in a pinch, dry beans – go old school and soak & cook your own beans (also great for protein and fiber), and don’t forget candy. Yep, that’s right I said candy! Put it in the freezer and take out one piece per person a day. It will help keep your morale up if times get really tough.
Learn a new skill
Now is a great time to learn something new – canning, sewing, cooking, baking, and gardening are all important skills to have right now. Creativity is the best outlet for anxiety and stress, and you’re being proactive for yourself & your family! There are hundreds of videos on YouTube in those subjects, and I’ll be posting some on my blog as well (just a heads up, I REALLY hate being on camera so you guys know how much I love you all ).
Stay informed
This is a new virus and scientists and doctors are discovering more about it every day. Please only take information from reliable sources. Armchair scientists are not the place to be getting your information right now. Lab tested, verifiable information is what’s needed right now. Collect the information you need to be prepared.
Be flexible
This is the best piece of information for us all. Everyone’s “normal” has gone by the wayside. We are all trying our best to get through this crisis and being flexible will help us all keep our sanity as we get through this together.
Stay safe & healthy everyone!