How to spot the difference! This is Post #1 in our “Smart Storing” series.
When we think of preppers, we often think of people who mad-buy everything they can think of in a store and then cram it into every nook and cranny in their home as soon as some alarming event is announced. Case in point, when I search for “prepper” in Shutterstock, it shows me pictures of women fighting over toilet paper! (Like the one above!)
But there is a huge difference between strategically storing and fearfully hoarding. Prepping is not the same as emergency buying. This is why we focused on your “prepping priorities” in Day 1 of the Suburban Prepper Mom Challenge. This lets you dial in on what items are most important for you to purchase first, so you can make strategic purchases in advance instead of anxiety-driven last-minute purchases.
When choosing to strategically store, there are a few goals to keep in mind:
Goal #1: Don’t Fall for the Fear Trap
We often think of courage as being the opposite of fear. But that isn’t true. Bravery happens when you overcome selfishness and do the right thing in spite of fear or anxiety. The true opposite of fear is love. Love takes trust and compassion for others. What is the most loving thing you can do for your family and for your community? Well, you may not be able to convince everyone you know to prepare for emergencies ahead of time, but you can take yourself out of the mix when it comes to last-minute purchasing.
By getting the items you need during “normal” times, there will be more left for last-minute shoppers during shortages or emergency situations. It may appear strange to others – you may feel like Noah in the Old Testament building an ark in a desert. But your gut instincts, your observations, or insight you’ve received during times of prayer and reflection – those are worth putting trust in. I call it “following the peace.”
Goal #2: Avoid Becoming a “Scrambler”
You don’t want to scramble for last-minute supplies when an emergency is announced. Of course, it’s still better to emergency buy than to completely ignore the need. But it’s better to have your supplies before shortages become apparent to everyone. (And definitely better for your blood pressure!)
A recent example of this was the supply chain shortages that erupted in British Columbia this November when massive flooding temporarily shut down all roads in or out of the interior of BC. People were emptying store shelves within 24 hours! But others rested at home knowing they didn’t need to scramble. I was encouraged to receive this comment from one of my Suburban Prepper Moms group members: “I live in Hope, BC. Because of this group we were prepared! Thank you.” Yay!
Because of how our brains are wired, it’s much more difficult to make wise buying choices when under pressure, feeling a time crunch, or competing with other shoppers for items that are in short supply. Remember hearing stories of shoppers getting into fist fights in Costco over toilet paper in the spring of 2020? Wouldn’t it be better, as a matter of lifestyle, to operate out of a “deep pantry” mindset and always have a good stock of your family’s most necessary items on hand?
But how can you know in advance what shortages are imminent? You can’t always, though I do suggest that you follow trustworthy sources like Peak Prosperity, which reports on supply chain shortages. Regardless of what seems to be coming down the wire (or not coming!), you should focus on having what your family needs. This should include extra supplies or inventory required for your to run your business or earn a living.
This helps you avoid purchasing items when they have gone up in price due to higher demand, avoid spontaneously purchasing items your family doesn’t actually need, and, in more extreme situations, avoid violent crowds.
Goal #3: Determine your “Mission Critical” Items
If you came home from a trip to discover that absolutely everything in your house had been raided, what would be the very first items you would replace to make sure your family was safe and healthy?
What do you absolutely need to be able to replace if it breaks or gets worn out, in order for your family to function and do well? In the event of significant supply chain disruptions, what items do you need to have a backup for? You can think beyond the immediate survival items too. What would be a huge pain in the butt to not have access to?
As a mom, here are a couple things I thought of to help get you started:
- a backup way to do laundry if the washing machine breaks
- a backup if the stove breaks and can’t be replaced (we have a portable cooktop and a backup power source)
- a way to have stored a larger amount of water that is at least clean enough for dishes, laundry, toilet flushing, etc if the water lines go down
- options for staying warm, staying healthy, and staying protected
Write down your answers to these questions. These are your “mission-critical” items. Make a plan to have them.
Goal #4: Keep Track of your Daily Supplies
Now take a few moments to visualize your day, from the time you wake up until the time you go to bed. You may want to ask your spouse to do the same exercise. Think of all the products you use. Which ones would you feel the greatest level of discomfort to be without? Write these all down.
And there is no shame here! We all have different preferences and needs. Make-up or a good eye cream could be on the list. Or maybe you are happy as long as you have deodorant and toothpaste. Or some of us want to stock up on a large variety of household cleaners, while others are happy to have a good stock of just one multi-purpose cleaner. Watch for sales or coupons so you can buy multiples, and get in the habit of always having a backup of these items in your home.
And if you know how long you want your supplies to last, tracking will help you reach and maintain your goal. This way, you’ll be able to plan out your purchases (and your budget!) more easily.
To save you time, I’ve made my own tracking spreadsheet available for you. It includes food, water, and household supplies. It’s an Excel document that you can edit and add to. Become a Suburban Prepper Mom subscriber to access it! And whenever I make updates to it, you’ll get that as well.
a back up power supply in case there is no heat in the winter, we are looking at buying the jackery solar generator, thanks for the info on this
We recently got this one too! Once I’ve tested it out more, I’ll do a full review of it here on the blog!