City Preppers

Book Bundle

Bundle includes:

City Preppers: How to Build Your Pantry and Develop the Skills You Need to Survive, Even When You Live in an Apartment

City Preppers: How to Create a Bug Out Bag That Works

City Preppers: What to Do During a Power Outage When Your Kids Are Bored

City Preppers: How to Handle Getting Sick When There’s No Doctor

City Preppers: How to Start a Container Garden

City Preppers: 50 Ways to Start Prepping Today

City Preppers: How to Build Your Pantry and Develop the Skills You Need to Survive, Even When You Live in an Apartment

Prepping isn't just for survival junkies.

It's for everyone.

Whether you live in a city that tends to get hurricanes or you've found yourself nestled in an apartment somewhere there are blizzards, it's important that you take the steps necessary to protect yourself and your family during a disaster.

City Preppers: How to Build Your Pantry and Develop the Skills You Need  to Survive, Even When You Live in an Apartment focuses on what it takes to start building up a pantry, learning skills, developing an emergency plan, and surviving during a difficult time.

Written by author Penelope Hoyt, this book shows you how to take your prepping from "non-existent" to "awesome" WITHOUT having to move to a farm.

City Preppers: How to Create a Bug Out Bag That Works

Your bug-out bag is much more than a sack of first aid supplies.

It's your lifeline.

When something bad happens, your bug-out bag is going to mean the difference between survival and hunger. It's going to mean the difference between having medicine and becoming sick. It's going to mean the difference between becoming dehydrated or being able to drink water.

You need a bug-out bag.

But you might not know how to make one.

City Preppers: How to Create a Bug Out Bag That Works is the second book in Penelope Hoyt's series on prepping for beginners. If you've been trying to get your family ready to handle a natural disaster or unexpected emergency, Prepper Guides is going to show you how.

City Preppers: What to Do During a Power Outage When Your Kids Are Bored

Dealing with emergencies can be tricky, and handling them with kids in tow can be even harder.

Don’t let a power outage be a reason that you become stressed or overwhelmed. Even if your electricity is out for a few days, there are many ways that you can entertain your kids.

City Preppers 3 is filled with ideas for keeping your kids busy – and maintaining your sanity – during a power outage. Find out what it takes to survive a minor emergency with the least amount of stress possible.

Things to Do During a Power Outage When Your Kids Are Bored is the third book in Penelope  Hoyt’s City Preppers series. She is also the author of The Nerdy Survivalist: a survival guide for moms.

City Preppers:

How to Build Your Pantry and Develop the Skills You Need

to Survive, Even When You Live in an Apartment

Penelope Hoyt

Copyright 2014

Penelope Hoyt

If you enjoy this book, don't forget to check out Penelope Hoyt's other prepping book, The Nerdy Survivalist. You'll find tips and tricks for surviving natural disasters and - more importantly - how to prepare ahead of time. 

Contents:

Why live in the city?

Things every pantry needs

Small space dilemmas

Getting the skills you need

Knowing when to bail

About the author

Why live in the city?

It's a legitimate question.

Why would anyone, fearing the possibility of economic collapse or natural disaster, choose to live in a place that is hard to escape?

If you're a prepper or you want to be, you're aware that bad things happen. They happen to good people. They happen to smart people. They happen to people who don't deserve it and to people who really don't need the extra chaos.

The choice to become a prepper is a very personal one. Simply put, a prepper is someone who gets ready. A prepper is someone who doesn't want to be caught off guard. A prepper is someone who doesn't want to have to fight the neighborhood for the last gallon of milk before a snowstorm.

If you want to be able to survive the storm - and relatively comfortably - you're probably a prepper.

Most people who consider themselves preppers live in rural, or at least less populated, areas. This is primarily because it's easier to live off your land and prepare for the future when you have some space to do so. It's also because when bad things happen, it's best not to be caught in a crowd or trapped in a place where you can't escape.

That said, most people still live in cities and many even choose to prep.

This book isn't for the farmers or the off-the-grid survivalists who already know how to do everything.

This book is for the stay-at-home moms, for the nannies, for the grandparents, for the soldiers, and for anyone else who finds themselves living in the city with kids. While prepping is important, it's even more important when you have small children to care for.

So why live in the city?

Some of the most common reason that preppers remain in the city instead of relocating to the country are:

Proximity to work

Close to medical care

Wide selection of family activities (clubs, groups, organizations, etc.)

Military family who must remain close to base

Nearby relatives

Cannot afford to move

Currently attending college

My family, for example, has lived in the city for nearly a decade because of my husband's military career. Because of his job, we have to remain at least relatively close to his duty stations. I know many other young families who would love to buy a farm, but who are stationed in places where land is not readily available (such as Hawaii or even Maryland).

Most preppers will immediately warn you to get out of the city, and while this is excellent advice, it's honestly not always possible. If you cannot leave or you simply do not wish to do so, this book is going to show you how to do your best to get your family prepared even while you live in an area with a dense population.

Keep in mind that there are some situations that will warrant you leave town. If you're expecting a disastrous hurricane, for example, and you know that you can't become trapped in your apartment building for a week or two, you're going to need to prepare yourself for the possibility of evacuating. What's more important is that you remember to leave early rather than late.

Things every pantry needs

Before a snowstorm hits, there's usually a warning.

And when that warning goes out, everyone runs to the grocery store to stock up on last-minute items.

This could be alcohol. It could be first aid supplies. It could even be medication.

Most of the time, though, everyone runs to the store and clears out the water, the milk, the bread, and the canned goods.

After all, when the power goes out, you're going to want Peanut Butter & Jelly, right?

Don't fight the crowds for the last can of Spaghettios.

Don't waste precious time standing in line when you could be at home, getting your family ready for the oncoming storm.

One of the simplest, easiest ways to skip the last-minute grocery store runs is to build a fantastic pantry at home.

Creating a pantry might sound tricky, especially if it's not something you've ever done before. Essentially, building a pantry means that you store up food your family eats and uses on a regular basis so that you don't have to go to the store so much.

If you're mentally picturing an episode of Hoarders, you can stop right now. That's not what a pantry is.

Your pantry should contain usable items that your family can enjoy on a regular basis. There will definitely be a few things that you don't use very often, but for the most part, your pantry should contain items that you already eat. This way, you'll be able to rotate the food supply and you'll never have expired or uneaten foods in your pantry.

So, what should your pantry contain?

At minimum, you should have the following items on hand:

*Boxed almond or soy milk

*Beef jerky or another type of dried meat

*Peanut butter
*Peanut butter crackers or cheese crackers
*Protein bars
*Bottled water

This is only the bare minimum that your pantry should contain, but you at least need to have these items on hand.

Why?

Because when your power goes out, you're going to want foods that you can easily eat without having to cook them. You're also going to want things that are high in protein and that are filling. Remember that trying to eat a can of cold green beans isn't going to be very fun. Whether you're expecting a tornado, hurricane, or blizzard, power outages happen and they can last for days or for weeks. Having easy-to-eat foods on hand is essential.

Other possible pantry items include:

*Dehydrated fruit

*Freeze-dried fruit

*Flavored water

*Juice

*Raisins

*Rice cakes

*Cereal

Some of my families favorite storm foods are cereal, crackers, freeze-dried strawberries, and dehydrated apples.

You don't have to buy "prepper" food for your pantry. In fact, it's better if you don't.

A lot of newbie preppers spend a lot of money on #10 canned foods, and while there's nothing wrong with it, there's also no guarantee that your kids are going to eat it during a storm.

Play it safe and choose foods that your family already knows and enjoys.

Once you've decided what you want to stock up on, it's time to head to the store.

One thing that most moms know is food costs money. These days, it costs a lot of money. While prepping is important, so is avoiding debt, so make sure that you don't make the newbie-prepper mistake of buying everything that you could possibly need, but going into incredible debt to do so.

The best way to start building up your pantry is to buy a handful of extra items on each trip. This way, your costs will be rolled into your regular grocery bill, but will be so slight that you'll barely notice. Try to keep extra "for-the-pantry" purchases at $15-20 per trip, and you'll be able to build up a pantry and food stockpile in no time at all.

Of course, it's always a good idea to use coupons and shop the sales whenever possible, but if that's not an option for you, there are other ways to save.

Amazon Pantry - This is a new service offered for Amazon Prime members. You can sign up for a free, 30-day Amazon Prime membership if you aren't already a member. College students can also get a 6-month free membership. Amazon Pantry lets you buy individual items and fill a huge box with food stuff. You'll then have the box shipped to you for $5.95. I like to do this for things like canned goods because I don't have to haul it up the stairs to my apartment or head out in bad weather with a car full of little children. The prices are reasonable. In my case, it's cheaper to shop through Amazon Pantry even with the shipping costs than to shop at my local store.

Emergency Essentials - This store mainly focuses on canned goods and food storage, but they have regular sales. If your kids love to snack on dried fruit, this is the best place to get it from at a decent price.

Scour Blogs - Make sure that you're reading blogs like Hip2Save, The Krazy Coupon Lady, and Money Saving Mom. These girls are on top of their game. Each week, they post deals, coupons, and how to get cheap or free groceries at your local store.

Remember that a pantry is something you're going to be using on a regular basis, so it's something you should work toward. It doesn't have to happen overnight, though. Prepping should be an ongoing process, so make sure that you  plan what items you'll need and buy accordingly. Never rush to the store as soon as you finish reading a prepping article or book. Instead, remember to stay calm and relaxed. It's easy to get worked up and scared when you consider the bad things that could happen to your family, but it's important that you stay as level-headed as possible so that you're making the right decisions for your household.

Small space dilemmas

For most city-dwellers, space is one of the things we never seem to have enough of.

In my apartment, for example, my family has four closets and four people. That's all the storage we have. Everything we own, including seasonal clothing, camping gear, outgrown clothes, toys, books, and shoes, has to fit in those closets. (Don't even get me thinking about the linens!)

For a lot of people, space is the reason that a pantry never really comes to fruition.

Lucky for you, you're living in an age where there are plenty of ways you can save space and stock up on important foods without spending a ton of money on pricey organizing furniture.

Here are just a few ways you can find room for a pantry at your apartment.

*Stop thinking that a pantry has to be in the kitchen. You have an entire home that can be utilized for food storage. Do you have an empty linen closet? Why not turn it into a pantry? Don't have a roommate? The closet in your second bedroom could easily be used for keeping food. What about your back patio? Do you have a closet out there? Consider putting non-perishables in a sealed plastic tub out there to pull out during a power outage.

*Clean out beneath your bed. Just do it. The space beneath your bed is the perfect spot to keep bottled water and small amounts of sealed non-perishable food. You want to store your food: not get ants. Consider using shoeboxes to store things or you can invest in some small plastic tubs.

*Have extra suitcases in your home? If they're already empty, use them for your pantry storage.

*What's in your TV stand? Do you have empty cupboards beneath your big screen? If you do, you could put some beef jerky or boxes of dried vegetables down there.

*If you don't keep towels under your bathroom sink, you could keep bottled drinks down there.

*Clean out a drawer of your dresser and make it an emergency-food drawer.

*Check out Craig's List to see if you can find some free furniture. Consider picking something up for free, cleaning it, painting it, and having a special piece of furniture just for food storage. This could be a dresser, a trunk, or even a small nightstand.

Remember that no matter how small your home is, you can find a place for a small pantry. Your pantry does not have to be huge or all-inclusive. You don't need to have a year's worth of food stored up in your 1-bedroom condo. What you do need is to have the things on hand you'll want during a disaster. The goal is to be able to survive a minor power outage without having to head to the store for things like food, tampons, or diapers. If you can find room in your home to store these things, you're going to save yourself a ton of stress and a ton of trouble.

Getting the skills you need

When it comes to survival, skills are an asset you can't afford to not have.

You don't have to be an Eagle Scout in order to take care of your family. You don't have to be an expert locksmith or be able to make your own tent using only a ball of twine in order to ensure your family's safety.

What you do need is a willingness to learn and the foresight to prepare yourself before the storm.

No matter what type of disaster you anticipate dealing with, here are a few of the skills that you might want to consider learning:

*How to fire a weapon

*How to clean a weapon

*How to properly store a weapon

*How to treat minor burns

*How to create a splint for a broken bone

*How to stitch a wound

*How to use household items for first aid

*How to jumpstart a car

*How to change a tire

*How to identify the symptoms of heat exhaustion

*How to know if someone is in shock

*How to sew

*How to board up windows

*How to make minor repairs to your home

*How to handle flooding in your home

*How to respond to a power outage

*How to transport someone who has been injured

While you likely already hold some of these skills, chances are that you could afford to learn a few more. Remember that being prepared never hurt anyone. You're not going to regret learning how to change your own oil or figuring out how to tell if someone has a concussion. You might not use these skills for awhile, but you'll be glad that you have them should the need arise.

So where can you learn skills?

There are many places to acquire new skills to use during an emergency.

A few of my favorite ways to learn new things are:

*Read blogs, especially survival blogs

*Talk to older people who are part of a different generation

*Take classes through the Red Cross

*Take classes at the library

*Take the Hunter's Safety Course

*Take a class at the community center

*Read survival books

*Read military instruction manuals

*Join 4-H or Scouts (for your children)

*Attend an outdoor lifestyle conference, such as Becoming an Outdoors Woman

*Go camping

*Take a class online through Coursera (a free course website)

You can basically learn anything that you want without exerting an incredible amount of effort. Today's digital world makes it easy to pick up new skills. With YouTube, local classes, and a ready attitude, you'll be on your way to a more skilled, more prepared future in no time.

If you aren't sure where to start learning new skills, why not strike up a conversation with your neighbors or friends? Ask them about their own survival skill abilities and organize a neighborhood campout. You could go to a campsite or even campout in your neighborhood together. Just make sure that you find a way to connect with others and to practice your new skills prior to something bad happening. Sometimes trying something new with friends or in a group is a great way to expand your abilities without feeling like you're crazy or overreacting.

Also make sure that you get your kids involved. After all, they need to learn these things, too. Even youngsters can enjoy learning about first aid and minor bandaging techniques. You can practice on their dolls, watch non-graphic first aid videos together, or read books about safety skills.

Don't be afraid or embarrassed to talk about safety with your kids.

The more that you help them prepare, the better off they're going to be.

Knowing when to bail

Riding out snowstorms might be fun when you're curled up around the fireplace with your family.

Scooping water out of your basement when you're trying to survive a hurricane is not.

While it's important to prepare for emergencies and disasters, it's also important to know when it's time to hit the road and evacuate.

Most people make the mistake of evacuating too late, rather than too early. When in doubt, always leave as early as possible. You'll beat the crowd, but you'll also actually be able to escape. You won't be trapped because you waited too long to leave.

If you know that your area is going to be affected by a large storm, you may want to consider leaving for a day or two. If anything, consider it a short vacation or a brief getaway. You'll get to spend time with your family and enjoy a break from your day-to-day life.

Only you know the type of disasters that affect your area.

Me?

I live in Colorado.

This year we've had hailstorms, flooding, blizzards, tornadoes, and random power outages.

I've also lived in places where the big concerns were earthquakes and hurricanes.

No matter where you reside, you need to learn how to adapt quickly to warnings of a storm. You need to know when it's best to stay indoors and ride out the storm and when it's best to pack up the car and hit the road.

Only you can know.

But here are a few things to help you decide:

*Is the storm supposed to last more than 5 days? Is your family prepared to survive that long without leaving the house, without electricity, and without more supplies?

*If you have a child with a medical condition, are you able to care for him at home during an emergency?

*Do you suspect that the storm will be bad enough to take out local roads, rendering you stranded for several weeks?

*Do you have a safe place you can go just outside of town?

*Are you in a densely populated area (such as a large city, rather than the suburbs)? Will you be able to leave the city after the storm?

*Do you feel safe in your home if civil unrest becomes an issue?

*What does your spouse or partner think you should do?

Remember that at the end of the day, all that matters is keeping your family safe. Most people are afraid to leave before a storm because they suspect that the storm won't be "that bad" and that people will judge them, laugh at them, or ridicule them.

Don't worry about what other people think.

Worry about your family, your children, and your home.

When it comes to caring for your little ones, you are your family's biggest ally.

Make it count.

About the author

Penelope Hoyt is the author of The Nerdy Survivalist. When she's not busy writing books, she can be found getting ready for the zombie apocalypse.

City Preppers:

How to Create a Bug-Out Bag That Works

Penelope Hoyt

Copyright 2014 by Penelope Hoyt

Your bug-out bag is much more than a sack of first aid supplies.

It's your lifeline.

When something bad happens, your bug-out bag is going to mean the difference between survival and hunger. It's going to mean the difference between having medicine and becoming sick. It's going to mean the difference between becoming dehydrated or being able to drink water.

You need a bug-out bag.

But you might not know how to make one.

City Preppers: How to Create a Bug Out Bag That Works is the second book in Penelope Hoyt's series on prepping for beginners. If you've been trying to get your family ready to handle a natural disaster or unexpected emergency, Prepper Guides is going to show you how.

If you enjoy this book, don't forget to check out Penelope Hoyt's other prepping book, The Nerdy Survivalist. You'll find tips and tricks for surviving natural disasters and - more importantly - how to prepare ahead of time. 

Contents:

What is a bug-out bag?

Should I buy a premade bag?

What goes in a bug-out bag?

What kid-related things should go in my bag?

How can my kids help me prep?

About the author

What is a bug-out bag?

The winds are howling and you’re stuck in your house without power, water, or food. What do you grab? Your bug-out bag.

The snowstorm has been raging for days and you can’t even open your front door. You’re thirsty. What do you grab? Your bug-out bag.

Your entire city has come down with some infectious illness and you need to leave town now. There’s no time to pack. You grab your bug-out bag.

Your car breaks down in the middle of nowhere and you’re stranded with two kids, a dying iPhone, and a spastic puppy. What do you do? Grab your bug-out bag.

Simply put, a bug-out bag is an emergency bag or kit. The phrase bug-out bag typically refers to a mobile-type emergency kit that you either keep in your car or that you have ready to go by your front door.

A bug-out bag can be perfectly catered to your family’s personal needs and lifestyle preferences, and can include a spare change of clothing, extra diapers, food, survival gear, and water. The goal of an emergency bag is to keep your family safe and in control for 72 hours or more.

While most disaster experts recommend storing up on enough supplies to last your family for three days, many modern preppers take the act of planning a little further to ensure that their family will be safe for a week, a month, or even a year.

Your bug-out bag is not going to be able to physically hold enough food to last you for a year. Your at-home pantry or food storage is going to do that. What your bug-out bag will do is give you everything you need to survive for a short period of time until you’re able to reach a safe place, find food, or locate shelter.

If you live in the city, having an emergency kit ready to go is vital to your personal safety. Should a storm hit unexpectedly, you won’t be racing to the store to pick up extra diapers. If there’s a terrible car wreck or road closure and you aren’t able to get home, you’ll have food and water. When you experience a natural disaster and can only get away on foot, you’ll already have everything that you need.

So who should make a bug-out bag?

If you’re concerned about your family’s safety, you do a lot of traveling, or you tend to experience a lot of bad weather at your house, a bug-out bag is essential. Even if you don’t experience many power outages, being prepared for when you do get one could save your life and your sanity.

When my family was living in Hawaii, you had to take the highway to get to certain parts of the island. There was no way around it. When an unfortunate accident caused the local police to shut down the highway, many commuters found themselves stranded on the road, unable to move or get home until the roads opened again.

Having an emergency kit in your car for use during such times will ensure that you’re able to give your kids water, feed your baby a snack, or give your spouse his medication on time. An emergency kit means you’ll have bandages, you’ll have a spare change of clothes, and you’ll have extra cash to use if you need to buy something and credit cards aren’t accepted.

This book is going to guide you through the process of designing and creating your own bug-out bag. Whether you’re making a bag for yourself or you need to make multiple bags for your entire family, you’ll learn what it takes to plan and prepare a bag that won’t let you down when you need it most.

Should I buy a premade bag?

No.

Well, maybe.

Let me explain.

If you’re reading this book, I assume that you have at least a passing interest in bugging out, survival, and personal preparedness. Because of this, you’ll probably be more likely than most people to appreciate a personalized bug-out bag.

A premade bag, which is essentially a standard emergency kit prepared by a company, is a fantastic purchase if you just want something ordinary and low-key that you can throw in your trunk and forget about. Prepackaged emergency kits typically include 3 water bottles and basic first aid supplies. They’re very generic, but they get the job done.

I would recommend purchasing a predesigned bag only if you absolutely don’t have the time or energy to make your own bag or if you have friends and relatives you want to help prep. Bug-out bags make wonderful holiday and birthday gifts, so for around $30, you can give someone a gift that they can use to keep themselves safe.

Check out Emergency Essentials at beprepared.com for a selection of preassembled bags. This is my favorite prepper company, but there are others out there.  Sometimes sporting goods stores offer mini emergency kits, especially around the holidays, as well.

If you’re interested in more specific prepping, you have personal medical needs, you have children, or you want something that you can depend on during a variety of situations, you’ll probably be better off making your own bug-out bag. Personalizing your own bag is not difficult and can actually be something that you have fun doing.

When you decide to create a bug-out bag, consider making a list of everything you want to include in your bag before you go shopping for the perfect bug-out bag. This way, you’ll be able to buy something that’s guaranteed to fit all of your items. You don’t necessarily need to buy everything before you get the bag, but you should have an idea of what you plan to include. Some newbie preppers like to buy small, lightweight backpacks, while more experienced preppers lean toward larger duffel bags.

Most of the time, you’re going to want to choose a sturdy backpack that you can comfortably carry. This is because most preppers plan to be on foot if they have to use their bug-out bag. You can get a good backpack at any sporting goods store. If you want something really strong, check out your local army surplus stores or thrift shops to see if you can find a military backpack to use for your kit.

If you plan to keep your bug-out bag in your car, you’ll have a bit more leeway in the type of bag that you use. A small suitcase could be the perfect choice for your trunk kit or you may prefer a duffel bag. Just remember that if you plan to do any walking or moving with your kit, choose something you can hold and carry.

What goes in a bug-out bag?

The goal of your bug-out bag is going to determine what you put inside of it.

Do you want to be ready for a hurricane that causes you to evacuate your home? Include rain boots, extra socks, and a poncho.

Do you want to be prepared to deal with being trapped in your car during a blizzard? Pack extra socks, hats, and blankets.

Do you want to have something you can count on if you experience a prolonged power outage? Pack water bottles, cash in small denominations, and mini bottles of alcohol. You’re going to want them.

Before you start packing, ask yourself what you expect is going to happen. The way you prepare your bag might be very different than the way that I prepare mine based on your location and your expectations of the future. It’s important that you set your goal and decide exactly what you want to prep for. Of course, a general emergency kit is fine if you just want to have something ready, but the more specific you can be, the better off your kit will be.

When you prepare a bug-out bag, you’re going to want items that will keep you safe, keep you warm, keep you hydrated, keep you fed, and keep you sane. You’re going to want things that you can use whether you’re in the woods or in your car. Whenever possible, try to select items that have multiple uses. This way, you’ll be able to use the item in different situations. You’ll also save space in your bag.

So what should go in your bag?

Knife – By far, your knife is one of the most versatile items you can put in your bug-out bag. You can use it for protection, for opening things, for cutting things, or for hunting. Some preppers also like to include a small shovel and hatchet in their bug-out bags.

Rope – This is another very useful item. Rope is something that you can use to assemble a simple shelter or for tying various items.

First aid supplies – Think survival emergency, not park-day emergency. Include things like a suture kit, a dental cavity kit, tweezers, medical scissors, and a splint. Your first aid supplies will likely take up a sizeable portion of your kit, but you can buy individual packets of things at many camping stores or through Emergency Essentials.

Water or water purification tablets – These are things you cannot afford to skip. You need water, especially when you’re dealing with an emergency. Unfortunately, bottled water is heavy and hard to cart around. Consider using small water packets to put in your backpack. These are tiny, lightweight, and easy to carry. Water purification tablets are also fantastic for your bag, but require that you’re actually able to find a source of water.

Clothing – This shouldn’t take up much of your bag. You simply won’t have the space. Many preppers advise you to have a full change of clothes in your bag. While this would be fantastic, it may not be possible, especially if you’re prepping for yourself and children. At the bare minimum, include extra warm socks and clean underwear. If you have room, include jeans or heavy pants, sturdy boots, a long-sleeved shirt, and a tank top. Also, no matter where you’re prepping, include a hat. This could be a sun hat for warm areas or a beanie for cold ones. Just have something to protect your head.

Shelter – What will you do if you’re lost in the woods with only your bug-out bag? What will you do if you’re trapped in your car? What happens if you have to evacuate your home, but can’t find physical shelter? Include something that you can use to keep yourself safe. You can get a small fold-up tent, a tarp, or even a heavy sheet to use for shelter.

Blanket - You’ll also need to include a thermal blanket. You can typically get these prepackaged rather inexpensively, and they’ll come folded up so they’ll fit nicely into your bag.

Medications – What medicines does your family use on a regular basis? Does anyone have specific health concerns, such as allergies or asthma? Make sure that you include as many medications as possible that your family needs. Additionally, you may find that pain medication, such as Tylenol or Motrin, is worth including in your bag.

Cash – If you’re bugging out, the last thing that you want to do is find yourself stranded without any cash. Unfortunately, ATMs are unreliable as a means of obtaining money. During a crisis situation, the power often goes out. Even if it doesn’t, ATMs have a limited amount of cash. If everyone is running to get fast cash, you’re going to be out of luck. Carry a reasonable amount of cash in your bag. While this isn’t specific, you’re going to have to decide how much you’re comfortable carrying and what you think your family will need. Ideally, have enough to purchase food. If you plan to use your bug-out bag to get away during bad weather, include enough money to pay for a hotel room. I once was caught in an unexpected storm during a road trip and found myself stranded at a small motel. Not all motels take credit cards, so having cash can be a lifesaver.

Alcohol – Even if you don’t plan to drink alcohol, you can use it for sterilizing purposes. Include at least two mini-bottles of alcohol. You can get these at your local liquor store for around a dollar.

Protein – Whether you choose protein bars, beef jerky, or nuts, have something on hand that you can eat. Something with protein is important because it will help fill you up and it will simultaneously increase your energy levels. Always choose protein that is nonperishable. You should ideally rotate the food in your bug-out bag every 3 months, but you should still opt for food that will remain edible for as long as possible.

Hard candy or gum – Always include a pack of gum, which can double as an adhesive, or hard candy to suck on.

Flashlight  - Your flashlight can be small and portable, or you may prefer a larger, lantern-style flashlight. Visit your local Dollar Store to pick up inexpensive flashlights if you prefer something small. Also remember that while lanterns are fantastic for lighting up your house during a power outage, they might attract unwanted attention if you’re camping in the woods.

Scissors – Always include a sturdy pair of scissors in your bug-out bag. You never know when you may need to cut something.

Can opener – If you plan to include canned foods – and some preppers like to – make sure that you also pack a small, manual can opener in your pack.

Soap – Avoid packing liquid body soap. Instead, opt for bar soap. This is the perfect chance to use those little hotel soaps you love to take. You can also purchase bar soap inexpensively at any store. Pack something that is individually wrapped. If you can’t find individually wrapped soap, place a bar inside a plastic bag.

Toothbrushes & toothpaste – Just because you’re bugging out doesn’t mean that it’s okay to neglect your smile. You can purchase disposable, 1-use toothbrushes that come with toothpaste on them, as well.

Dental floss – Floss has multiple uses, so pack at least one package.

Tums or Pepto-Bismol – Don’t let stress, eating strange things, and acid reflux be the reason you’re uncomfortable when you’re bugging out. This is especially important when you’re bugging out with little kids who may not understand what is going on. I know that for my youngsters, any change in diet can result in a tummy ache. Tums is an essential part of your bag.

Vitamins – Include multivitamins for each person. You may not be eating a complete range of foods if you’re bugging out, so don’t let your body suffer.

Duct Tape – Another multi-use item.

Deodorant – You don’t want to be stinky, do you?

Wipes – Wipes have a lot of different purposes, from cleaning your child’s face to wiping down dishes. Get a small pack of wipes to include in your bag. You can get travel wipes at any store or you can buy a larger container of baby wipes and store a few in a Ziplock bag. I like Huggies wipes because they’re very thick and extra strong.

Toilet paper or tissue – You’re going to have to survive without toilet paper, absolutely. You should still include a small amount or a travel-pack of tissues for bloody noses. A washcloth will also work.

Sunblock – Finally, don’t forget to include protection from the sun. If you plan to be outside – and if you’re bugging out, you’re probably going to be outside – you’re going to want sunscreen.

Remember that the key to a good bug-out bag is personalization. If you know that you’re going to be bugging out with your cat, pack cat food. If you know that you live in an especially cold area, pack gloves and scarves. One of the best ways to determine what you’ll need is to write down everything you use every day. It’s going to be a long list, but it’ll give you a good starting point. Ask yourself which of the items that you use on a regular basis you can’t afford to live without. Chances are, you’ll be surprised.

What kid-related things should go in my bag?

As a parent, you’ll have the responsibility of packing a bug-out bag not only for yourself, but for your children, as well.

If your kids are old enough to walk long distances or to carry their own backpack, you’re going to have more flexibility in how much you’re able to pack. If your children are small and need to be carried, all of their belongings and survival gear is going to have to go inside your bag. This will cut down on what you’re able to pack, but it will also mean that you have to be cautious about what you’re packing for your kids since you’ll be limited on how much space you have.

In general, consider your child’s daily needs when you pack your bag. If you still have a youngster who drinks formula, for example, you’re going to need to pack formula, bottled water, and bottles. You’ll probably also want to include extra nipples for the bottles that you pack. Infants will also need extra pacifiers, diapers, wipes, and extra clothing.

Older kids won’t need as much, but always try to include a comfort item. Even though you’re limited on space, having something familiar or comforting to your child can help them to remain calm in a tumultuous time. Whether you’re dealing with a power outage or an earthquake, having something that reminds your child of home is going to be appreciated. Things like stuffed animals or small toys go a long way.

Also keep in mind that no matter how many survival blogs or prepper books you read, your kids are going to eat.

A lot.

So it doesn’t matter if something you read online says that your children should be able to live off of a granola bar a day, you need to pack extra food. Pack lots of extra food. Choose things that are high in protein so that they fill your child up. Remember that stress tends to make kids hungrier, so even if your children normally eat a fairly small amount, they could see an increase in appetite when you’re on-the-go.

Also remember that while your child can probably survive on a limited amount of food, they aren’t going to be comfortable. While you can’t ensure your child’s total happiness, you can take away the sting of hunger and the accompanying fussiness by packing enough food to last your child awhile.

How can my kids help me prep?

When you prepare for emergencies, you need to talk with your kids about it.

A lot of parents tend to shy away from topics that are uncomfortable or scary, but the truth is that knowledge is power. The more information that you give your child before something bad happens, the better your kids will be able to handle it.

Let your children help you prep.

Even small kids can help you put gear in plastic bags and place it in the bug-out bags.

Teenagers can help you shop for gear and supplies.

When you’re preparing for an emergency, talk with your child about why you’re preparing. Is there an impending storm? Are you preparing “just in case”? Are you making car kits that will ensure your safety during a long road trip? What types of storms happen in your area? What should your child do if something happens?

Talk with your kids on a regular basis. Don’t try to scare them. Try to inform them. Walk through what your child should do if there’s a storm and the window shatters. Explain how to react if you get knocked unconscious and there’s no one to call. Talk about identifying the signs of dehydration. Explain how to perform basic first aid tasks.

If your children are old enough, you can even take a first aid or outdoor survival skills class to help them learn the basics of prepping, finding food, cooking outdoors, and building a shelter. Even if you can’t afford to take a class, you can spend time in your backyard prepping with your kids. Don’t be afraid to get down and dirty. Go camping. Make food. Practice bandaging wounds. Talk with your child about the warning signs of a storm and what to do if he’s caught off-guard.

Most importantly, remind your children that you love them very much and that you fully believe in their ability to make the right choices during an emergency.

When your kids know that you think they can do it, they’ll be more likely to believe it themselves.

About the Author

Penelope Hoyt is the author of The Nerdy Survivalist. This book is the second in her Prepper Guides series, designed to help moms and dads get ready for anything. Penelope is a city prepper who resides in an urban area, but who still takes time to make sure that her family is ready for anything.

City Preppers:

Things to Do During a Power Outage When Your Kids Are Bored

Penelope Hoyt

Copyright 2014

Penelope Hoyt

Dealing with emergencies can be tricky, and handling them with kids in tow can be even harder.

Don’t let a power outage be a reason that you become stressed or overwhelmed. Even if your electricity is out for a few days, there are many ways that you can entertain your kids.

City Preppers 3 is filled with ideas for keeping your kids busy – and maintaining your sanity – during a power outage. Find out what it takes to survive a minor emergency with the least amount of stress possible.

Things to Do During a Power Outage When Your Kids Are Bored is the third book in Penelope  Hoyt’s City Preppers series. She is also the author of The Nerdy Survivalist: a survival guide for moms.

If you enjoy this book, don't forget to check out Penelope Hoyt's other prepping book, The Nerdy Survivalist. You'll find tips and tricks for surviving natural disasters and - more importantly - how to prepare ahead of time. 

Contents:

1)       Safety tips during a power outage

2)      Keeping your children comfortable

3)      Things to do with toddlers

4)      Activities for young kids

5)      Keeping older kids occupied

6)      Author

Safety tips during a power outage

Power outages can be boring, but they can also be dangerous. If you don’t know how to keep your family safe during a power outage, you could be dealing with a lot more trouble than just boredom. Whether you’re experiencing a short-term loss of your power due to routine maintenance or you lost your electricity during a storm, it’s important to practice proper safety when your home is without power.

First off, try to use battery-operated lights as much as possible when you have kids. While candles are fine for teens or adults, little children are at risk for burns or simply knocking the candle over. The last thing you want to deal with during a power failure is a fire, especially if your water has been shut off, too. The other thing to think about before you use candles? Pets. Make sure that if you light candles, your pets will be unable to knock them over.

You’ll also want to make sure that your family members stay hydrated while the power is out, especially if you’re experiencing a power outage during the summer. We once were without power for nearly a week during the first few days of July. Temperatures were over a hundred degrees. Don’t let your family members suffer from dehydration or heat exhaustion. Drink plenty of water.

If it’s hot, make beds on the living room or basement floor. Heat rises, which means that the lower you are in your house, the cooler you’re going to be. There’s nothing wrong with setting up your kids on the floor to sleep for a night or two while you wait for the electricity to come back on. In fact, your kids will probably love having a slumber party on the floor. If you live in an apartment, open your windows and try to let cool air in as much as possible.

One of the biggest concerns with a power-failure situation is that your food will go bad. Keep your fridge door closed or move all of your refrigerated items to the freezer so they’ll stay better longer. If your power is out for more than 24 hours, it might be time to start thinking about cooking up your meat before it goes bad. Grab your neighbors, your grills, and have a neighborhood cookout. Side note: if you have renter’s insurance and your food goes bad during a power outage, you may be able to seek reimbursement from your insurance company.

Make sure your carbon monoxide detectors are working and avoid using your grill indoors.

Unplug your electronic devices, especially things like computers, televisions, and cell phone chargers.

During the winter, get your family together in a single room. Choose a room that doesn’t have windows for the warmest experience. If you don’t have a room without windows, cover any windows with a quilt or blanket. Dress your kids in layers of clothing to keep them warm until the electricity comes back on.

No matter how long your power is out for, staying safe and being alert will help you get through the experience as calmly as possible. With a bit of caution, you’ll be able to have an enjoyable time with your family even without your lights.

In City Preppers 3, we’re going to discuss ways that you can entertain your kids safely at your house when there’s no power. Nothing is quite as frustrating as trying to keep youngsters calm during a time when they’re bored out of their minds. Fortunately, staying entertained isn’t as scary or as overwhelming as it might seem. In the following pages, you’ll read tips for keeping your children comfortable, keeping them busy, and most of all, keeping them happy.

Keeping your children comfortable

When your kids are uncomfortable, nobody’s happy.

The military families on my street had a joke that our power went out anytime the wind blew.

And it was true.

We wouldn’t lose power during thunderstorms or rain, but we’d lose it on particularly windy days.

Oh, and it would be out for hours.

We once lost power in the middle of winter overnight. This might not sound like a huge deal, but when you live in a poorly-insulated house with two children and the temperature inside your house drops to 45 degrees, it gets a little chilly.

And uncomfortably children are unhappy children.

Since it was nighttime, we brought the kids into our bed and everyone slept together under a pile of blankets for warmth. Everyone made it through the night safely, but waking up to a cold house with two toddlers wasn’t exactly the epitome of perfection.

There were other outages that happened during daylight hours, though. In my children’s minds, those were hours that they should be out playing and having fun, but due to the extreme heat or the poor outdoor weather, they weren’t able to.

And it was awful.

When you’re going through a power outage, once you’ve established the safety of your family, it’s important that you try to make sure everyone is as comfortable as possible. If your family members get overwhelmed, frustrated, or upset, they’re going to have a harder time dealing with the fact that the power is out.

Here are just a few simple ways to make sure that your kids are at their best:

Take a look at how everyone is dressed. If it’s really hot outside, let your kids run around the house in their swimsuits so that they don’t get overheated. Toddlers and infants can be in a diaper. During cold weather, pile on the layers.

Give your child a comfort object. Does your youngster have a favorite stuffed animal or blanket? Does he or she feel better when wearing one of your shirts? Give your little one something that will take away the frustration and fear surrounded by power outages, especially if it’s during a loud thunderstorm.

Eat comfort foods. While you’ll be limited in what you can prepare, try to focus on feeding your child things that they’re familiar with and comfortable with, rather than MREs or dehydrated emergency meals.

Make sure that your children are drinking plenty of fluids.

Remind your child that everything is going to be okay. If your youngster is under the age of 6, they’re probably scared and confused about what’s going on. Just remind your child over and over again that everything will be okay soon.

Remember that no matter how old your child is, loud storms like hurricanes and thunderstorms can be incredibly frightening, especially if you live in a home with a lot of windows. Instead of becoming frustrated that your child is scared or needs you more, try to comfort your little one and remember that loud noises can be very overwhelming to tiny ears.

Things to do with toddlers

Trying to keep toddlers entertained during  an ordinary day is tough enough without throwing power failure into the mix. Little ones love to go, go, go, and may not understand why they aren’t able to play on their favorite electronic devices, why they can’t watch their favorite before-bed movie, or why the house is so hot. Fortunately, there are quite a few things that you can do with your youngsters that will keep them so busy they’ll forget you’re waiting for the electricity to come back on.

Paint your toenails – Boy or girl, your kids will love getting to paint their toenails. If you’re very brave, you could even let your child paint your nails. Consider mixing it up and painting each nail a different color.

Read stories – What better time to tackle the stack of children’s books you’ve been thinking about reading, but haven’t gotten around to? Enjoy reading books together in your living room or take your books outside to enjoy some fresh air while you read.

Make up stories – Does your child love to be creative? Why not make up your own fairy tales to tell your child? Older kids will enjoy getting to make up their own stories, while toddlers will like choosing the names of the characters in your story.

Dance – You don’t have to be the world’s best dancer – or even a sorta-kinda-okay dancer – to enjoy having your own dance party with your child. If your cell phone still has a charge or you happen to have a battery-operated radio, you can play music. Otherwise, make up your own songs or just dance without tunes.

Play hide and seek – This is a fun game that even toddlers can enjoy, but you’ll probably have to help them find the perfect hiding spots. With toddlers, it’s typically best to limit this game to one room, but as long as you know there aren’t any toys out that your kids could trip over, you can even play this with flashlights and roam around.

Sing songs – Make up your own songs or sing your favorites.

Run races – Provided you have a good-weather power outage, you could go outside and run races. Just make sure that everyone stays hydrated.

Have a puppet show – Grab some socks and some markers and make your own sock puppets. Then hop behind the couch and put on your own puppet show.

Play dress-up – What better time to sort through your closet? Make the power outage productive and go through and get rid of clothes that you no longer want, need, or wear. As you’re sorting, let your kids try on your clothes that you’re getting rid of.

Play restaurant – Grab some construction paper and cut out paper food so that you can play restaurant with your kids. Make sure that you let them order their own food.

Build something with blocks – Building blocks can easily burn up an hour if you get down and play with your kids. Build towers, mazes, or even a tiny city with your blocks and you’ll be surprised just how fast the time goes by.

Activities for young kids

When your kids can’t play on the DS because it needs to charge or their favorite rainy-day movies are out of the question, it’s time to dig out your favorite toys and start having fun. Here are a few ideas for your early-elementary aged kids, as well as younger preteens.

Play with Lego bricks – Even if your kids haven’t played with Lego bricks in a few years, this could be the perfect time to break them out. Try to challenge each other in what you make. Build cities together, see who can build the best barn, or even try to create replicas of your current home. When you’re done building, grab a mini-figure and start playing with your child.

Make a zoo with your stuffed animals – Don’t your stuffed animals look a little bored? It might be time to make a zoo. This works best if you have extra cardboard boxes sitting around, but even if you don’t, you can get creative with things you have around the house (think large pots and mixing bowls) and make your stuffed animals a zoo.

Go on a walk – Mix things up a little and go for a walk when your power is out and the weather is nice. Explore your neighborhood, go on a scavenger hunt, or even just have fun finding leaves, acorns, and pinecones.

Go for a drive – This is another activity that will work during a fair-weather power outage. If you’re having a heat wave, this can also be a fantastic way to cool your kids down in the air conditioned car for a little while before you head back home.

Play shadow puppets – Shadow puppets are a lot of fun and can burn up half an hour or more with your kids. You aren’t just limited to using your hands, though. See what other fun shadows you can cast on the wall using toys or other items from around the house.

Play board games – Do you have board games that you haven’t played in awhile? Why not break them out and see what your kids want to play? Card games are another fun power-outage option.

Make tents – One of my favorite things to do during a power outage is to bring all of the blankets to the living room and create a giant fort in the room. This works especially well if you plan to have your kids sleep downstairs due to the temperature of your home. Once you’ve finished making your tent, just throw your sleeping bags and pillows inside and you’ll be all set for a living room campout.

Put on a fashion show – Do your kids love to dress up? Why not let them put on a fashion show? Boys and girls alike will have fun putting on winter jackets, Halloween costumes, and random outfits they find in their closets.

Keeping older kids occupied

Even though your older kids might normally be great at entertaining themselves, you may find that your preteens and teenagers struggle to find things to do. With a bit of helpful guidance, you can make sure that your youngsters are still able to enjoy themselves even without the electricity on.

Take a nap – Overtired? Overworked? Why not let your teen take a much-needed cat nap?

Help your neighbors – Consider going around your neighborhood with your older kids to check on your neighbors. If your power outage is the result of a storm, you should check in on your neighbors to make sure that they weren’t injured and that their homes are okay.

*Note that I am not recommending that you go out during a storm to check on your neighbors. Make sure that your family is safe first, and when the weather subsides, then consider checking on your older friends.

Read – If your teens have books they need to read for school or just books they’ve been wanting to tackle, but haven’t had the time, there’s no better opportunity than a power outage. Make sure you give your child a lantern to read with or a large flashlight.

Have a bonfire – If the weather is good and you have a fire pit at your house, you could have a bonfire with your kids after dark.

Tell ghost stories – Want to get spooky? Chances are, your house is darker than it’s ever been before. Gather your teens in the living room to take turns telling scary stories.

Play charades – Mix up an ordinary game of charades by having a theme, such as a specific movie, family memories, or even locations.

Scavenger hunt – Grab your flashlights and have a scavenger hunt in the dark. Make a list of items for your kids to find around the house and see who can find them first.

Put on a play – If your kids are creative, let them make up a play and put it on. You could even let your older kids each do their own one-act play if they want to. Remember that putting on a play can be serious OR fun, so make sure to have a laid-back, no-pressure attitude.

Have a recital or talent show – Finally, let your children demonstrate their fantastic skills by putting on a recital or talent show. Let your kids sing, dance, play their instruments, or even show you their awesome tumbling skills until the power comes back on.

Remember that no matter how long your power is out for, you can utilize this time to bond with your kids and to spend time together. Many families find that they’re so busy with sports and commitments that just relaxing together seems impossible. While it’s annoying and frustrating to be without your stove, refrigerator, computer, and cell phones, you can absolutely take advantage of the together-time that a power outage provides.

About the author

Penelope Hoyt is the author of The Nerdy Survivalist. When she's not busy writing books, she can be found getting her family ready for the zombie apocalypse.

City Preppers:

How to Handle Getting Sick

When There’s No Doctor

Prepper Guides #4

Penelope Hoyt

Copyright 2014 by Penelope Hoyt, The Nerdy Survivalist

If you enjoyed this book, make sure to check out the rest of the City Prepper guides:

City Preppers: How to Build Your Pantry and Develop the Skills You Need to Survive, Even When You Live in an Apartment (Prepper Guides Book 1)

City Preppers: How to Create a Bug Out Bag That Works (Prepper Guides Book 2) 

City Preppers: What to Do During a Power Outage When Your Kids Are Bored (Prepper Guides Book 3) 

Penelope Hoyt is an urban survivalist, homeschool mom, and author of:

The Nerdy Survivalist: How to Protect and Care For Your Family in the Direst of Circumstances 

Readers may contact her through her website:

The Nerdy Survivalist

City Preppers 4: How to Handle Getting Sick When There’s No Doctor is a guide for preppers who live in urban areas and who may not have easy access to medical care during an emergency situation.

This guide offers a quick look at how to prepare yourself to handle minor medical problems during an emergency, how to keep your family healthy, how to deal with sickness when you can’t get to a hospital, and how to deal with the anxiety that often accompanies natural disasters.

If you’re looking for information on how to perform surgery without medical training, this is not the guide for you. This book is designed for moms and dads of small children to use natural remedies and products from around the house to handle minor ailments during storms, blackouts, floods, and power outages. This book does not offer health advice. It simply offers ideas for getting ready for emergencies.

Medical Disclaimer:

This book is not a medical guide, nor am I a medical expert. This book is not intended to replace advice from your own personal doctor. This book is specifically designed to help you plan for emergency care for your children and yourself during a natural disaster.

Contents:

When You’re On Your Own
How to accept that help isn’t coming

Your Emergency Kit
First aid items you need before a disaster strikes

Preparing Yourself

How to acquire skills before you need them

In the Face of Crisis

Staying calm when you feel like crying

Preparing Your Kids

How to help your kids cope with emergencies

When You’re On Your Own
How to accept that help isn’t coming

On the morning of my first wedding anniversary, I woke to the feeling of shaking.

My entire apartment was moving, vibrating.

I sat up in bed and looked around. The lights were out, yet I felt the gentle hum of the dryer rotating. When I walked over to check it out, I could see that the electricity was definitely out, yet the shaking of the floors and walls were causing it to make noise.

Having grown up in the Midwest, my first thought was tornado. We were having a tornado.

Unfortunately, I hadn’t quite adjusted to life in Hawaii, and didn’t realize that what felt like a tornado to my country girl legs was actually an earthquake. I also did not realize that the earthquake would so dramatically impact my life.

We were without power for 17 years on the entire island.

Help was not coming.

An emergency situation is usually disastrous because it happens when you don’t expect it. Even something like a minor earthquake can knock out your electricity and leave you without air conditioning, heat, the ability to look something up online, or access to your nebulizer.

Most people don’t worry about preparing because they expect that help will come. After all, isn’t that what the government is for? Isn’t that what the Red Cross is for? Won’t assistance come right away? Won’t someone be there to help?

The truth is that help usually arrives too late to be of any real assistance, so you need to prepare yourself before something happens. This is even more vital when you have little kids with health problems or you yourself suffer from a medical condition.

How to Handle Getting Sick When There’s No Doctor is the 4th installment in the City Preppers series. This set of how-to guides is designed to help you work through worst-case scenarios before they happen so that you’ll be ready to deal with them when they do.

Before you can start to prepare, though, you need to ask yourself what you would do if your electricity went out, if your home flooded, if you got snowed in, or if there was a hurricane that left you isolated from the people around you.

How would you survive?

Would you be able to care for yourself?

Would you be able to deal with sicknesses without a doctor?

Whether you’re concerned about your toddler catching a cold during a power outage or you’re wondering how you can treat your preschooler’s asthma without electricity, this book is going to walk you through a number of ways to care for minor ailments at home when you’re caught in an emergency situation.

Additionally, you’ll learn how to get ready for such problems before they happen so that you can mentally and physically prepare yourself prior to a disaster.

Your Emergency Kit
First aid items you need before a disaster strikes

In order to be as prepared as possible, it’s important to stock up on basic emergency supplies. Whether your kid has the flu, a cold, or simply an asthma flare-up during your disaster, you’ll want to be as ready as possible by covering all of your bases.

Batteries – No matter what type of disaster you’re expecting, batteries are a “must.” You can use these for your nebulizer, a small fan, or simply for your child to play a video game while he rests on the couch.

Bandages – You probably have some of these on hand, but make sure you have large and small bandages available for small wounds.

Gatorade – Think your little one might catch the flu? Minor ailments can quickly become deadly if your child gets dehydrated. Keep a few bottles of Gatorade, Pedialyte, or any other sports drink on hand. This will help keep your child hydrated if he becomes nauseous or starts vomiting.

Children’s medications – While you might not normally use Tylenol, keep some on hand just in case you need it. Eye drops and nasal spray can also be beneficial.

Vitamins – If your child takes a daily vitamin, keep an extra bottle in your emergency kit.

Essential oils – Did you know that essential oils can be a fantastic way to beat minor ailments? Lavender oil can be used for headaches and anxiety, while OnGuard is perfect for helping to heal minor colds and strep throat. Additionally, you’ll need to have clove essential oil available to help heal toothaches.

Coconut oil – This can be used for toothpaste, sunburns, and a variety of other skin ailments. You can even swish coconut oil in your mouth to help with canker sores, cold sores, and sore teeth.

Save-a-Tooth – If you haven’t already purchased a Save-A-Tooth Preserving System kit, now is the time. Should your child knock a tooth out, this will help save it until you can get to a dentist. Contrary to popular opinion, placing a tooth in milk or water won’t save it for long. Investing in this kit is a much better option. Consider keeping one at home and one in your car, just in case.

Gauze – If someone at your home gets cut, scraped, or otherwise injured, gauze is a “must.”

Ice packs – Get some instant ice packs for minor problems, sprains, and fractures. You should also keep a few ice packs in your freezer. Even if you don’t end up needing them, they’ll help preserve your frozen foods.

Battery-operated nebulizer – While pricy, these are important for families with an asthmatic. Having a nebulizer could help save your child’s life if he has an asthma flare-up during a power outage. Even if your child doesn’t have an asthma attack, a nebulizer can be a fantastic help for children with bronchitis or croup. (Note: You’ll need a doctor’s prescription ahead of time to get the medication for a nebulizer.)

Antibiotic ointment – Always have a tube of this available for cuts.

Sterile gloves – You can pick up a box of sterile gloves at any pharmacy. Use these anytime you’re dealing with blood or cuts to keep your child safe and clean.

Tweezers – The last thing you want to deal with is a tick or splinter when you can’t get medical assistance. Tweezers will enable you to deal with these issues quickly. If you expect your child may get a splinter, you’ll also want to keep a needle on hand in case the tweezers don’t work.

Scissors – You should always have a pair of surgical scissors in your first aid kit.

Thermometer – Especially if you have babies, keep a thermometer handy so you can tell when your little one might be dealing with a fever.

Canker sore cream – Canker sores aren’t fun. They’re less fun when you can’t get to the pharmacy to pick up some cream. Keep a tube of canker sore or cold sore cream on hand to deal with these painful problems.

Tums – Even the bravest little kids get tummy aches when they’re nervous. Tums can help.

Small flashlight  - While you’ll probably have a number of large flashlights on hand, keep a small one in your first aid kit so that you can look down your child’s throat or get a closer look at a bug bite or other problem area.

Calamine lotion – This is going to be perfect for bug bites or Chickenpox.

Antihistamines – Even if your child doesn’t have a history of allergies, make sure that you keep an antihistamine on hand. This can be used for bug bites that are particularly itchy or for unexpected food allergies.

Sunscreen – Even if you don’t plan to go outside, always have sunscreen at home in case you need it.

Aloe vera – If you find yourself dealing with a child who has a sunburn, aloe vera will help with the discomfort. If you don’t have this on hand, however, coconut oil will also do the trick.

Puke buckets – I realize that you aren’t going to want to think about how you’ll handle vomiting episodes without electricity, but it could happen. If you don’t know whether or not your toilets are going to be working, have some vomit buckets on hand.

Baby wipes – Even if you don’t have kids in diapers anymore, baby wipes can be used for cleaning your counters, wiping wounds, and washing your child’s hands after he’s been throwing up.

Remember that no matter how prepared you feel, sometimes things will happen that you aren’t ready for. This is okay. What matters is that you’re able to be as prepared as possible and that you’re mentally able to deal with anything that comes your way. Even if your child has the Chickenpox and you aren’t able to get some Calamine lotion, you’ll figure something out. This is why you prepare ahead of time. If you can’t give your child anti-itch cream, you might find that coconut oil offers similar relief. If your little one has a toothache and you don’t have Tylenol, a bit of clove oil could help minimize the pain. Remember to consider the types of illnesses and problems that you’re likely to deal with and to prepare for those.

A simple way to figure out what your family might encounter is to make a list of all the illnesses your child and the children in your neighborhood have dealt with in the past year. Plan for those types of problems during a power outage and you should be fairly well-prepared to deal with whatever comes your way.

Preparing Yourself

How to acquire skills before you need them

Facing sickness during good weather is challenging enough.

Trying to deal with croup or a rash or a fever when you don’t have power or can’t check WebMD can be downright scary.

Fortunately, you’re thinking about how to get ready now. Many people wait until it’s too late, and then panic because they aren’t prepared to deal with the situation. Unfortunately, these are also the people who are probably teasing you for being a prepper. When it comes to making sure your family is safe, just remember that your kids are your biggest priority. It doesn’t matter if your friends think that you’re weird for having a huge first aid kit or if they think it’s strange that you take classes on how to care for your kids.

What matters is that you do what’s best for you.

When it hits the fan, no one is going to care for your kids the way that you will. Everyone will be busy caring for their own friends and family members that they won’t have time to worry about whether or not you’re okay. This makes it even more important that you start working now to care for your family.

Once you have your emergency kit ready, it’s time to learn the skills that you’ll need to care for minor ailments during a power outage or natural disaster.

Red Cross Classes

The first thing that you can do is to take a first aid class at your local Red Cross. The Red Cross is an incredibly valuable resource. While most people know that they offer CPR certification courses, not everyone is aware that the Red Cross also offers first aid training for interested parties. You can even take this class with your kids so that they can learn how to use a splint, how to identify the signs of dehydration, and how to care for a bite. The Red Cross also offers a babysitting course which can be a valuable way to prepare your pre-teens for helping to care for little ones during an emergency.

Community Classes

If you don’t have a Red Cross or the classes are out of your price range, you can check with your local community center or library to find out if they’re offering any classes in your area. Many people don’t know that libraries especially love to offer informative classes. If you don’t have any luck with scheduled classes, ask about having a group class arranged at your community center. You may be able to get a first aid class taught at a reduced cost if a certain number of people sign up.

Online Classes

Another little-known secret for first aid classes is Groupon. I know what you’re thinking: but I don’t want to spend money! I get it. Really, I do. If you can’t afford to pay for a class, you can’t afford it. I’m not telling you to go into debt to get first aid training. I’m simply suggesting that sometimes a class with an instructor can be a thorough way to learn how to treat minor problems at home. That said, Groupon regularly offers discounted rates for online CPR, first aid, and health classes. These aren’t offered every single day, but if you check in once a week or so, you’ll find some classes online that might just fit your budget.

Homeopathy Classes

I’m a huge fan of essential oils and homeopathy. After all, a lot of people don’t realize that you can cure a lot of problems naturally at home with a bit of coconut oil and white vinegar. That said, starting to figure out how to use household items to cure problems can be tricky. If you’re interested in learning about homeopathy, there are plenty of online schools that offer training. My personal favorite school is Penn Foster. (No, I’m not an affiliate, nor do I get any compensation for recommending them.) This school offers both print and online books, fast teacher email response times, and thorough training. They offer a couple of different natural and holistic classes, but they also can be a bit pricy.

For a less expensive option, consider reaching out to an essential oils consultant in your area. DoTerra Essential Oils consultants especially love to teach free or cheap classes (usually $5 or less) on how to use essential oils at home to help with problems. And if you can’t afford a class, consider signing up as a consultant through their website. It’s $35 and you’ll receive free video training on a number of ways that you can use essential oils to treat your family at home.

Your Library

Ah, the library: the ultimate resource. You might be surprised at just how many home remedy books your library has. Check them out! Copy down your favorite remedies and create your own home remedy cookbook to keep on hand. You can even copy your favorite pages to keep in a binder at home. The thing that’s great about library books is that you’ll be able to get books on everything from dealing with sprains to stitching up cuts and you won’t have to spend a dime.

Pinterest

You knew it was coming, but Pinterest is one of the greatest resources for learning how to prep your family. If you don’t already have an account, sign up now. It’s free. You won’t get spam or endless friend requests the way you will with Facebook. You’ll simply have access to thousands of pictures that link to blog posts and websites that will show you everything from creating the perfect first aid kit to handling a burn.

Dry Run

Perhaps one of the most beneficial ways that you can prep your family is with an emergency drill or dry run. Consider spending a day without power and see what happens. Chances are that you’ll discover at least a few ways you weren’t as prepared as you thought that you were. Maybe you didn’t realize just how much water you use each day or you didn’t know how fast your kids burn through batteries. You’ll also be able to figure out which areas of your house are the hottest or coldest and consider how to prep while your family is healthy. Remember that preparing for an emergency when everyone feels great is one thing. Facing a disaster when your kids don’t feel good is an entirely different ballgame.

In the Face of Crisis

Staying calm when you feel like crying

Facing an emergency can be scary.

Even if you’re prepared, it’s normal to feel overwhelmed. You might wonder if you prepared enough. You might worry that you could have done more. You might question why you didn’t top off the gas tank yesterday or why you don’t have more toilet paper on hand.

If you want to survive a crisis, you’re going to have to learn how to calm down.

I talk a lot about the importance of staying relaxed during a scary situation, but the truth is that I wasn’t always so calm. There were times that I panicked. There were times when I tried to rush to the grocery store to buy one more bottle of water. There were even times when the power flickered and I quickly filled up all the bathtubs in the house just in case we needed the water.

And it was in those moments when my husband, God bless him, gently reminded me to relax.

“It’s going to be okay,” he told me.

And it always was.

I haven’t always been calm.

But it’s important to be.

When you feel scared, you make rash decisions. You make choices that put your life and the lives of the people around you in danger. When you panic, you’re not only risking your own safety, but the safety of your family, as well.

Your kids are going to feel uncomfortable if something in their normal routine changes. If you have to evacuate your home, if your basement starts to flood, or if you’re living without electricity for a week, your kids are going to notice. They’re going to feel nervous. They’re going to be uneasy.

Most importantly, they’re going to look to you to see how you react.

If you stay calm and centered, your family members are going to mimic that behavior. They’re going to feel reassured by your calmness that everything is going to be fine. They’re going to know that you guys will get through everything together.

They’re going to believe.

If you freak out, though, your family is going to get scared.

Staying calm doesn’t sound so difficult, especially if you’ve been prepping for a long time. The truth is, though, that it’s easy to prep but hard to actually live through an emergency. If you start to feel scared or overwhelmed, there are a few things that you can do to start to calm down.

Breathe. Do it. Just breathe. Take a few deep breaths and focus on that.

Use affirming words. Never doubt yourself verbally. Say things like, “I can do this,” and “we’ll be okay.”

Lean on your spouse for support. Talk to your husband when you feel overwhelmed or nervous. Don’t badger him, of course, but don’t be afraid to ask him to help you relax.

Pray. I realize that not everyone reading this book is a Christian or even religious, but prayer can be quite calming when you feel scared and overwhelmed.

Remember. Think of all the women who dealt with sick children before electricity. Think of all the mothers who still take care of little ones without being able to turn on Netflix or run the air conditioning. You can do this. You are not alone. You are not the first mother to handle a sick child during an earthquake and you won’t be the last.

Get away. No, you can’t take a vacation during a hurricane, but you can isolate yourself for a few minutes when you calm down. This could be sitting in the bathroom alone while you collect your thoughts or it could be taking a nap while your spouse watches the kids for a bit. Obviously, this isn’t going to work if your child is puking and you need to help, but you can try this later when the episode is over.

Write down your feelings. When you feel like nothing is going your way, write down your thoughts. Write down your fears. Write down the things that you’re going through and the things that you’re worried about. Again, this isn’t something you should do when your little one needs you, but is still a way you can mentally get through the power outage.

The more that you practice being calm, the more likely you are to be able to deal with your sick child when you’re without assistance. If you’re panicking, you’re not going to be able to set up your son’s nebulizer for his asthma attack. If you’re freaking out, you won’t remember where you put your daughter’s Epi-Pen. Try to relax as much as possible.

Again, you’re not always going to feel calm. You might feel like you need to cry or scream, and that’s okay. There will be a time for that. The time, though, is not when you’re trying to focus on helping your child or when you’re trying to keep your family safe.

Preparing Your Kids

How to help your kids cope with emergencies

While facing emergencies, especially health-related emergencies, can be challenging for parents, it’s also hard on kids. Many preppers fail to realize that while they’re emotionally preparing themselves for the possibility of a power outage or disaster, they might not be helping their kids to get ready.

When your kids get sick, they might feel overwhelmed. I know mine do. My oldest son is seven, but he still gets scared and nervous when he doesn’t feel well. Throwing up, for him, is a terrifying experience that often results in tears and lots of hugs.

As parents, it’s easy to forget just how horrifying being sick really can be for kids.

Throw in being trapped in the basement during a tornado warning and your child could get downright terrified.

Before you deal with an emergency, you need to prepare yourself for the possibility of illness and problems, but you also need to prepare your kids. Remember this: you’re probably wondering how you’ll handle your child’s cold if you don’t have access to your freezer to give him popsicles. What happens if you’re the one who is sick during the disaster?

No matter how old your kids are, there are a few things that you can do to help them get ready to deal with emergency situations and natural disasters.

First off, communicate openly with your child about how to handle disasters. What should your child do if there’s a tornado warning? What should his response be if the power goes out? What should your little one do if the house starts to flood? What should your child do if the storm outside is so crazy that a tree falls through the roof? While you don’t want to alarm your child or make him feel scared, you do want to help him understand that even if something scary happens, he’s going to be okay. Talking with your child about the appropriate response is going to empower him and help him to act quickly in the face of danger.

It’s also important that you show your child where you keep the first aid supplies and that you teach him how to use them. If you’re the one who becomes ill, for example, your child needs to know where the Tylenol is so he can grab it for you. If you’re throwing up from a horrible migraine, let your youngster know where you keep the lavender and peppermint oil so you can put some on your head. While I’m not suggesting that you give your kids access to medications in your home, I am saying that your kids should at least know where these things are kept so that they can help you if you need assistance. And if you’re an asthmatic or you have severe allergies, make certain that your children know how to administer your Epi-pen if there is a chance that they’ll need to use it.

If your kids are old enough, you could consider taking them to first aid classes to help them prep. You might be surprised at just how excited your kids get at the knowledge they acquire. Remember that prepping doesn’t have to be scary. It’s not supposed to be. You’re not supposed to make your kids panic to the point where they lose sleep wondering if they’re ever going to be able to survive a flood. What you do want are kids who know that they have the skills to help administer first aid to those in need, even if that means they’re helping you.

You’ll also want to make sure that you come up with an evacuation plan if you find that you need to leave your home. This is especially helpful during earthquakes, fires, or any type of disaster that causes physical damage to your home. Make sure that your kids grab the bug-out bags and head to a safe meeting place. Additionally, you’ll also want to talk with your kids about what to do if you can’t come with them. What if you’re unconscious because you fell? What if you’re pinned beneath a tree that fell through your roof? While you don’t want to horrify or scare your kids, you do want them to know what to do. Come up with a plan for how they should safely evacuate the house with or without you.

Finally, always talk with your children about the warning signs for health problems. Remind them what to do if someone is severely dehydrated. Talk with them about preventing dehydration in the first place. Explain how to use lavender essential oils to beat a headache. Talk with your kids about applying calamine lotion to bites. Explain how to properly clean a wound. Talk about how to splint a broken bone until you’re able to get to a doctor. While you can’t ever predict everything that you could encounter, you can adequately explain to your kids how to approach natural disasters with a sense of calmness. Remember that the more knowledge you give your kids, the more you’re going to empower them.

City Preppers:

How to Start Your Own Container Garden

Prepper Guides #5

Penelope Hoyt

Copyright 2014 by Penelope Hoyt, The Nerdy Survivalist

If you enjoyed this book, make sure to check out these other prepper guides:

City Preppers: How to Build Your Pantry and Develop the Skills You Need to Survive, Even When You Live in an Apartment (Prepper Guides Book 1)

City Preppers: How to Create a Bug Out Bag That Works (Prepper Guides Book 2) 

City Preppers: What to Do During a Power Outage When Your Kids Are Bored (Prepper Guides Book 3) 

City Preppers: How to Handle Getting Sick When There's No Doctor (Prepper Guides Book 4)

Penelope Hoyt is an urban survivalist, homeschool mom, and author of:

The Nerdy Survivalist: How to Protect and Care For Your Family in the Direst of Circumstances 

Readers may contact her through her website:

The Nerdy Survivalist

City Preppers 5: How to Start a Container Garden is a guide for preppers who live in urban areas and who may not have the room for a large garden.

This guide offers a quick look at how to quickly start container gardening. You’ll learn why container gardening is important even if you live in an apartment, how you can get your kids excited about gardening, and how you can easily and inexpensively start growing your own food at home.

Contents:

What is container gardening?
And why is it important?

How to choose proper containers
Ideas for finding containers for the perfect garden

Choosing your first plants

How to pick produce that will grow in your climate

Maintaining your garden

How to weed, water, and keep your garden happy

Including your kids

How to keep your youngsters involved in the gardening project

What is container gardening?
And why is it important?

If you’ve been hanging around with other preppers, chances are that you’ve heard about container gardening. Maybe you know what a container garden is and you need some ideas to help you get started. Maybe you have no clue what the big deal is with container gardens, but you’re too embarrassed to ask. Perhaps you’ve been considering starting your own garden, but due to space limitations, you haven’t taken the plunge.

No matter where you’re at when it comes to gardening skill, it’s possible to learn how to plant container gardens that will feed your family.

When you’re a prepper, meaning that you actively prepare your family to survive disastrous situations, you may be under the impression that you can handle anything with enough canned beans.

After all, what’s better than a pantry stocked with canned foods?

How about a garden stocked with fresh foods?

While stocking up on food to help ensure that your family survives economic and natural disasters is an important part of prepping, it’s also important that you learn how to grow your own food.

There are two primary reasons for this:

You typically cannot stock up on enough food to feed your family forever.

Fresh food tastes better.

While I fully support having a pantry and a supply of emergency food on hand, I also think that it’s important to learn how to garden no matter where you live. Whether you live in a neighborhood with a strict Home Owner’s Association or your family resides in a small apartment with limited space, container gardening will enable you to learn how to grow food that your family can depend on.

I first heard about container gardening when I was living on a military base that didn’t allow residents to plant backyard gardens. Another military wife I knew said she simply grew her plants in containers. It was a simple fix, really. She was able to feed her family from her backyard without digging up the lawn. Her kids loved getting to eat from the backyard and she loved having fresh, organic vegetables to give them.

Many preppers, especially preppers who live in the city, avoid the topic of planting. This could be because learning how to garden is tricky, it could be because gardens take time, or it could simply be that purchasing canned foods is easier. No matter what reason you have for postponing your garden, now is the time to stop.

Now is the time to give up the excuses.

Now is the time to start getting your hands dirty.

If you want to learn how to garden, how to grow your own plants, and how to feed your family fresh foods, the time to learn is now. Don’t wait until things are bad, until the weather is poor, until you can’t afford rising food costs, or until there’s a huge disaster that renders you unable to access your grocery store.

The sooner you start planting your garden, the sooner you’ll be able to start living a self-sustainable lifestyle no matter where you live.

How to choose proper containers
Ideas for finding containers for the perfect garden

One of the best things about container gardening is that you don’t have to spend a lot of money on expensive containers. In fact, you shouldn’t spend a lot. No matter what your budget might be, it’s possible to start a container garden that will work for you and your family.

The type of container that you choose is going to vary based on how much space you have, how many plants you want to grow, and whether or not you actually want to invest in planters or pots.

Honestly, if you want to start planting right away, you can certainly purchase pots from a gardening store, but you can also use containers you have from around the house. If you have large plastic tubs or boxes that you no longer need, you might find that they make the perfect place to house your plants.

No matter what type of container you choose, there are a few things to think about:

Size – When it comes to planters, size matters. You can absolutely grow a few small plants, especially herbs, in small containers. If you want to grow larger plants, though, you need to go for bigger. Big planters or containers will enable your plants to grow long, thick roots. You’ll also find that you don’t need to water your plants as frequently as you would with smaller containers.

Drainage – If you purchase a planter from a store, it may come with drainage holes. If you choose to use something from around the house, such as a plastic bin, you’ll need to think about drainage. You can typically make your own drainage holes in most containers. Just make sure that if your holes are big, you use something to keep the dirt and soil inside the pot. Having drainage is important since overwatering your plants can actually harm them.

Placement – Consider whether or not you’ll need to place your containers on a cart or plant stand. If you plan to utilize a small gardening cart, you’ll need to choose planter sizes that will fit on the cart.

Cost – Unfortunately, for most people, cost is a concern. If you want to garden in containers without spending a lot of money, you’ll want to be as creative as possible when choosing containers. Many container gardeners pick up extra bins and planters at garage sales, thrift shops, and even local dollar stores as a way to reduce expenses. If money isn’t something that you’re worried about, you may choose to shop at a gardening supply store, in which case you’ll be able to choose decorative pots and planters that match your home décor.

Don’t be afraid to get creative with your containers. Not all of your containers have to match, nor do all of them have to be traditional containers. Many gardeners love the look of flowers growing in a pair of old cowboy boots or herbs blossoming in a watering pitcher. Remember that while your containers should be large enough to hold soil and give your plants room for their rooms, there’s nothing wrong with choosing containers that are fun to look at.

Choosing your first plants

How to pick produce that will grow in your climate

The first time that I started gardening in containers, I spent hours on gardening websites. After all, I wanted to be successful with my growing. I wanted to figure out which plants were the best to start with, which plants would grow fastest in containers, and which plants would grow in my area.

Even with research, though, I made some mistakes.

A late and unexpected snowstorm on Mother’s Day killed my squash and slaughtered my strawberries. Even though I pulled the plants into the house – a little too late – they died. My kids were devastated, but luckily we were able to replant and to see our vegetable garden grow after all.

No matter where you live, you’re going to have plants die. You’re going to have a storm and forget to bring your plants in. You’re going to have unusually hot weather that dries out your soil. You might even have neighborhood animals eat your plants.

It happens.

And when it does, you put on your game face and try again.

When you’re thinking about starting a garden though, it is a good idea to consider your area’s climate and what types of plants tend to grow best in your area. Not only does your soil impact the type of plants you’re able to grow, but your weather does, too.

That said, there are some types of plants that tend to do better in containers than others, no matter where you live.

Some of the most popular plants to include in your container garden are:

Beans

Lettuce

Broccoli

Cucumbers

Carrots

Peppers

Tomatoes

Kale

Save yourself the heartache and stress of trying to plant something that doesn’t grow in your area, and instead do a little bit of reading on what you should plant in your city. If you’ve never gardened before and you aren’t sure what you should start with, check out these resources for finding out which plants grow best in each state.

Resources for finding the perfect plants for your garden:

The Old Farmer’s Almanac: Information on different types of plants, including vegetables, fruits, and houseplants. This website also has information on choosing the right soil for your plants, as well as instructions for watering and growth.

eNature: This website has some fantastic information on finding plants that are native to your area. While you can certainly try to grow non-native plants, choosing plants that naturally grow in your area will offer you more success than trying to transplant foreign plants.

PlantNative: Another website with good information on figuring out which plants naturally grow in your area. If you’re concerned about having quick success, try to stick with plants that tend to do well in your area’s natural soil.

Maintaining your garden

How to weed, water, and keep your garden happy

By far, the most important part of container gardening is learning how to keep your plants happy and healthy. While it might take time to get into a gardening routine that works for you and your plants, there are a few things you can do to keep your plants growing quickly and healthily.

Make sure that you choose a good potting soil for your garden, rather than simply digging up some dirt from your backyard. You can get potting soil at any gardening store, as well as many home improvement stores like Wal-Mart or The Home Depot. This year, my local Dollar Tree also had potting soil available for purchase.

Opt for potting soil that is light and fluffy. While you might be tempted to buy heavy potting soil with the hopes that it is better quality, the truth is that incredibly heavy potting soil actually tends to have a lot of sand content. The reason for choosing potting soil over dirt is that you want soil your plants can “breathe” in. You want air in your soil. Having enough air and space in your soil means that your plants can grow deep roots. Another perk? Your plants probably won’t become waterlogged the way they would with heavy dirt content.

Consider purchasing fertilizer to use for your plants. Not all potting soil contains nutrients that your plants need, so fertilizer can help them grow faster and healthier.

Replace the dirt in your containers each year. Avoid the temptation to skimp on potting soil. Eventually, your plants will use up the nutrients in the soil, which is why replacing your soil is important. Additionally, some plants are prone to disease and illness. This may be present in the soil.

Water your plants daily. Some plants may need to be watered more than once a day, especially in hot weather. To test if your plants need more water, stick your finger in the soil. Does your finger feel dry? If it does, you need to water the plant more. Remember that your plant’s soil should be moist, but not soaking wet.

If you plan to keep your containers on your back patio or apartment balcony, remember that the cement can get incredibly hot. Many new gardeners don’t realize that the cement flooring of a patio or balcony can actually affect plant growth. To combat this, consider keeping your containers on wooden pallets or even on a cart. This will keep them above the cement so that they won’t overheat, but it will also make repositioning and moving your plants around fairly simple.

Check to make sure your plants are getting enough sunlight. Some plant owners actually reposition their plants several times throughout the day to make sure that they’re getting optimum light. In general, though, your plants should receive at least 6 hours of light each day.

Protect your plants when it storms. Consider moving plants indoors during unexpected hail or rainstorms. If moving your plants inside your home or garage is not an option, you could cover them with a tarp until the storm has passed.

Fill your plants where you want them. If you plan to utilize large containers in your garden, you’ll find that filling a pot and trying to move it can be tricky. Instead, place the pot where you want it to be before you fill it with soil. This will save you some time and frustration.

Check your plant daily for weeds and remove any that are growing.

If your plant looks limp, you could be watering it too much. Consider reducing the amount of water you place in the soil to see if it improves your plant’s appearance.

When your plants start to look overgrown, it’s fine to trim them back. They might look a bit silly until they start growing again, but there’s nothing wrong with trimming your plants, especially if you have more than one growing in a single container.

Remember that no matter how experienced of a gardener you are, learning how to grow plants in containers is something that takes time. It’s okay to make mistakes and it’s okay to have questions. The more that you practice growing plants in containers, the better you’re going to get at it. Soon you’ll find that tending your container garden has become second nature.

Including your kids

How to keep your youngsters involved in the gardening project

One of my favorite things about container gardening is that it’s really easy to get your kids involved. Whether your youngsters are five or 15, letting them help with your gardening will not only reduce your own gardening workload, but it will also help teach them the skills they need to become avid gardeners themselves. Consider getting your kids involved in your container gardening project with one of these simple tips.

Create a watering schedule or calendar. Let one child water the plants every day for a week before switching to the next child. You could also let each child have a special day of the week when they get to water the plants.

Let your kids help you weed the garden. Make sure you supervise this to ensure that your plants don’t accidentally get plucked.

Take pictures of your plants. Photograph your kids planting the seeds, then take additional pictures when your kids weed the plants. Also make sure that you take plenty of pictures as soon as the plants start to grow, as well as when they bloom. You can print up the pictures on Spanfish or at a local photo center and create a fun scrapbook together.

Before you buy containers, plan what types of plants you want to include in your garden. Do some reading with your kids so they can have a say in what types of food they want to grow.

Consider letting your kids each pick out a container to plant in. If you opt for pots, you can decorate the planters with your kids for a fun art project.

Read stories with your kids about gardens and gardening. The Boxcar Children series focuses quite a bit on gardening. This could inspire your kids to get even more involved.

Talk with your kids about why growing their own food is important.

Look up recipes that you can try with your kids. Use fresh foods from your garden as the main ingredients in the recipes.

Color pictures with your kids of your garden. Hang them in the windows closest to your garden.

While getting your kids involved might seem tricky, the truth is that it’s pretty simple once you start thinking about it. Kids of all ages can get involved and learn how to plant their own food. Not only are you teaching your kids something that you can enjoy as a family now, but you’re also giving them skills that they’ll be able to use for the rest of their lives, no matter where they might choose to live.

City Preppers:

50 Ways to Start Prepping Today

Prepper Guides #6

Penelope Hoyt

Copyright 2014 by Penelope Hoyt, The Nerdy Survivalist

If you enjoyed this book, make sure to check out these other prepper guides:

City Preppers: How to Build Your Pantry and Develop the Skills You Need to Survive, Even When You Live in an Apartment (Prepper Guides Book 1)

City Preppers: How to Create a Bug Out Bag That Works (Prepper Guides Book 2) 

City Preppers: What to Do During a Power Outage When Your Kids Are Bored (Prepper Guides Book 3) 

City Preppers: How to Handle Getting Sick When There's No Doctor (Prepper Guides Book 4)

City Preppers: How to Start a Container Garden (Prepper Guides Book 5)

Penelope Hoyt is an urban survivalist, homeschool mom, and author of:

The Nerdy Survivalist: How to Protect and Care For Your Family in the Direst of Circumstances 

Readers may contact her through her website:

The Nerdy Survivalist

Contents:

About this Book

Introduction

Tips for Prepping: 1 to 50

About this Book

City Preppers 6: 50 Ways to Start Prepping Today is your go-to guide for starting your emergency preparations.

If you live in the city, you might be under the impression that there’s nothing you can do to protect your family from hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, snowstorms, power outages, or widespread illnesses.

You might feel that if you don’t have a huge yard to create a garden in or if you don’t have an apple orchard that there’s no way you can start preparing for emergencies.

This book is the sixth installment in my Prepper Guides series that’s designed to show you just how simple prepping really is, even if you live in an urban area. In 50 Ways to Start Prepping Today, we’ll talk about real, tangible, easy-to-implement ways that you can make sure your family is as safe and as comfortable as possible should something bad – be it a natural disaster or economic emergency – happen in your area.

Today you can start being more than a helpless victim.

Today you can get prepared.

I’m Penelope Hoyt, author of The Nerdy Survivalist. My family has lived through numerous natural disasters, including hurricanes, blizzards, and floods. Preparing ahead of time has spared us a lot of pain, heartache, and trouble.

I’ve found that many families are interested in prepping for emergencies or that they’re curious about the process, but don’t know how to implement actual prepping in their daily lives. Because of this, they avoid doing any preparations and when something bad happens, they don’t know what to do.

It’s my goal that by the time you’re done reading this book, you’re going to know exactly how to start preparing your family for basic emergency situations and disasters that could happen in your area.

This book isn’t going to encourage you to become a post-apocalyptic prepper with 50 years’ worth of canned goods stored in your basement (though, if that’s your goal, there’s nothing wrong with it). Instead, this guide is going to show you how you can take simple, basic steps to quickly start making sure that your family is prepared for anything that may happen.

Introduction

My sons love spending time in my dad’s orchard.

My parents relocated to the countryside around the turn of the century and have never looked back.

Sure, they occasionally miss the convenience of delivery pizza or the availability of high-speed Internet, but when it comes down to it, nothing could pry them away from the solitude and the peacefulness of their country life.

We spend as much time as possible visiting my parents. Work and educational obligations make it tricky sometimes, but we make it work.

As my boys spend time picking apples with my dad, they learn about more than what it takes to pick an apple. They learn, from my dad’s years of practice, what it takes to grow apples. They learn what it takes to plant trees. They learn how to harvest apples, how to store them for food, and perhaps most of all, how to cook their own apples in new and delicious ways.

When we return to our home in the city, my kids are able to take many of the skills that they’ve acquired and apply them to our daily lives. When we face emergencies – which happens more often than I’d like – they’re able to do things like cook without electricity, identify the signs of dehydration, and bandage minor wounds.

When you’re raising kids, you don’t have to be shy or scared to talk with your kids about prepping. Emergency prepping is something that your kids need to know about. Whether your kids are toddlers or teenagers, it’s your job to start preparing them for their own debut into the big, wide world. Part of that includes giving them the skills and the training that they need to survive in emergencies when they’re away from you.

Some parents are nervous that discussing “bad things” with their kids is going to scare them. The truth is, though, that avoiding negative subjects isn’t going to make those things not happen. You can avoid talking with your kids about power outages, but that’s not going to keep the lights on. It’s much better, especially in the long run, to talk openly with your kids about the possibility of something bad happening and to show your kids exactly how they can deal with it if a disaster happens in your area.

Even if you don’t have kids, it’s still important to be prepared. Your preparations can help save your pets, your elderly relatives, your neighbors, and yourself. The more that you do to prepare yourself and your household for emergencies, the better off you’re going to be when a storm hits.

This book is all about coming up with simple, practical ways that you can start preparing yourself and your loved ones today.

There’s no need to wait until the tornado sirens are going off to start worrying about water.

There’s no need to wait until your neighbors are knocking on your door asking for food to think about building a pantry.

There’s no need to wait until your roof is leaking during a hurricane to start thinking about how you’ll handle it.

The time to prepare, no matter what you’re preparing for, is now.

50 Tips for Prepping

Prepper Tip #1: Don’t shy away from questions.

When it comes to talking with your kids, try to answer their questions as appropriately as possible. While you don’t need to explain hypothermia to your 2-year-old, you can explain that you need to have extra blankets on hand in case you lose power during a winter storm in order to keep your family warm.

Prepper Tip #2: Let your kids help you prep.

Take your kids with you to pick up supplies at the grocery store and let them pick out some of their own favorite foods. Talk with your youngsters about how to organize the pantry and let them help you put items on shelves. Even older kids can help you prep by packing their own bug-out bags or making sure that the gas tanks on your vehicles are always at least half-full.

Prepper Tip #3: Don’t forget comfort items.

One thing that many parents forget about is the fear that many children feel when their routines are disturbed. Whether you’re packing a hurricane box full of food or creating bug-out bags for your cars, make sure you include familiar foods or a special blanket to keep your kids comfortable and at ease.

Prepper Tip #4: Stay calm.

When you’re facing an emergency, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed. If you’re feeling scared, though, your kids probably are, too. They’re going to look to you for guidance during an emergency. If your kids see you panicking, they’re going to flip out. Even when you feel overwhelmed, make an effort to remain calm throughout the entire situation. The more relaxed you are, the less likely your family is to become scared.

Prepper Tip #5: Make a list.

Research what types of storms and problems you tend to have in your area. Do some reading with your kids and then make a list of items your family should have on hand to survive each storm. Letting your kids be involved in something like this empowers them and helps them to feel important and included as you prepare your family.

Prepper Tip #6: Head to the store now – not when the weather turns.

Head to the store today to pick up a few items you can use for prepping. This could be anything from a bag of beef jerky to some extra bottles of water. Prepping isn’t something that you have to wait to do.

Prepper Tip #7: Get a can opener.

If you don’t have a non-electric can opener, you need one. At some point, you’re probably going to want some canned food, and you’re not going to want to try to open it with a pocket knife. Get a can opener. You can pick one up at your local dollar store or buy a fancier one at Target. They both accomplish the same thing, so brand name doesn’t really matter.

Prepper Tip #8: Fill your gas tank.

This is a habit that you need to start today. Don’t let your gas tank get low. As soon as you reach the halfway mark, fill it up. While you probably won’t be evacuating during most storms, having a full tank of gas is going to save you from lengthy gas station lines when things get bad.

Prepper Tip #9: Make bug-out bags.

Each member of your family should have their own bug-out bag. This is essentially a bag of emergency supplies that you can keep by your front door or in your car. Bug-out bags should contain food, water, a change of clothes, and other survival items.

Prepper Tip #10: Learn a new skill.

Have you been thinking about learning a new skill? Don’t wait another day. The time to learn about edible plants is now. The time to figure out how to perform CPR is now. The time to determine exactly what it takes to plant a garden is now. If there’s something that you want to learn, start today. Get on YouTube or sign up for an online class if you have to, but start learning.

Prepper Tip #11: Grow your own food.

If you’re in the city, you’re probably limited by space. This doesn’t mean that you can’t have a garden, though. Container gardening is becoming more and more popular as a way to grow herbs and vegetables in small spaces.

Prepper Tip #12: Buy a battery-operated radio.

Regular radios are fantastic, and if you’re in a bind you can probably listen to the radio in your car, but it’s a good idea to have a battery-operated one on hand that you can listen to from the safety of your home. If you’re dealing with a tornado or a hailstorm, you’re not going to walk outside.

Prepper Tip #13: Learn the signs of dehydration.

One of the biggest challenges that preppers face is keeping family members hydrated. You should always have emergency stores of water on hand, but you also need to know when someone in your family isn’t getting enough water. Learn the signs of dehydration and come up with a few ways that you’ll combat this problem if you end up dealing with it.

Prepper Tip #14: Call your doctor.

No, I’m not suggesting that you go for a pre-storm physical. What I am suggesting is that you get extra prescription medication to keep on hand. While not all insurance companies are going to pay for a second month’s worth of drugs, you can consider getting a prescription and ordering through a mail-order pharmacy. Pharmacies in Canada often ship to the U.S. at a fraction of the regular cost. This can be a reasonable way to have extra medication on hand in case you’re stuck at home during a storm and can’t get to the pharmacy.

Prepper Tip #15: Learn an herbal remedy.

Do you tend to get migraine headaches? Do your kids frequently get colds? Today, consider learning an herbal remedy or two. Pinterest is a fantastic resource when it comes to finding new remedies. YouTube is also a good starting point. Learning how to face minor problems at home is a good way to start getting ready for power outages or times when you might be stuck at home.

Prepper Tip #16: Buy a weapon.

Whether you want a gun or a knife, you can start pricing one today. You may even be able to purchase one today, depending on what you want to get.

Prepper Tip #17: Organize your important documents.

You might not think that things like passports or birth certificates have much to do with prepping, but if you need to evacuate your home quickly, you’ll want to have these documents ready. Consider putting these items together in heavy plastic zippered bags and keeping them in an easy-to-access place. The plastic bags will protect your documents should you need to leave your home during a storm.

Prepper Tip #18: Head to the ATM.

It’s a good idea to have some cash on hand if you want to start prepping. During power outages, you won’t typically be able to buy things using a credit card. Even if you can’t afford to pull out more than $50 from your bank account, withdrawal it and keep it with your bug-out bag or in a safe spot in your home.

Prepper Tip #19: Go for a walk.

Walking on a regular basis will not only help you get in shape, but it can also lower your blood pressure, help you relax, and provide a calming way to unwind. Consider walking a few times a week. It’ll keep you healthier, but it will also help you to be in better shape during an emergency.

Prepper Tip #20: Consider how you’ll get water.

Does your home have rain gutters that will make collecting water easy? Do you live in an apartment without easy access to water? What will your family do to get water in an emergency? Come up with some possible solutions and think about how you’ll implement them. For some families, this means getting some rain collection gear. For others, this means getting water purification tablets or extra water bottles.

Prepper Tip #21: Get a pocket knife.

Though you probably won’t want to use it to open cans, you’ll be able to. Pick a pocket knife or multi-tool to keep on hand for emergencies.

Prepper Tip #22: Get a carbon monoxide detector.

If your home doesn’t already have a carbon monoxide detector, consider visiting your local home improvement store and picking one up. You’ll want to have one on hand during a power outage, especially if you plan to have a fire in your fireplace or utilize your propane or natural gas stove.

Prepper Tip #23: Get a camping toilet.

One aspect of power outages that isn’t very fun to think about is how you’re going to handle basic bodily functions. If you don’t have electricity, at some point your water may go out. This means no flushing the toilet. Save your family some stress and sanitation concerns and get a camping toilet. I like the Stansport Portable Toilet, but any camping toilet will work fine.

Prepper Tip #24: Get your shoes ready.

During a power outage, earthquake, or tornado, you don’t want to be rushing around trying to find shoes. Put a pair of shoes under each family member’s bed, along with a pair of socks, gloves, and a hat. This way, if you need to quickly leave your home, you’ll be able to do so without the stress of finding your toddler’s shoes.

Prepper Tip #25: Build your prepper library.

The time to start buying emergency books is now. Get books on dental care, hygiene, medical care, and sustainable living. Read as much as you can and keep your books handy for reference during an emergency.

Prepper Tip #26: Decide how you’ll clean.

Come up with a few ways that you’ll clean your home during an emergency or power outage. While cleaning might seem like the last thing on your mind, if your kids are sick or someone becomes injured, you’re going to need to know how to sanitize your home. Consider picking up some extra bleach, baby wipes, or other household cleaners to use.

Prepper Tip #27: Get out of debt.

Take a look at your personal financial situation. If your family has a lot of debt – and most people do – today is the day to start whittling it down. Financial freedom will give you the opportunity to better prep for your family. The last thing you want to worry about during a power outage is whether or not your car is going to get repossessed because you couldn’t get online to make a payment or because you forgot to write a check. Pay off your debts.

Prepper Tip #28: Reduce your personal expenses.

This one is tricky for most people. After all, having a lot of “fun” items is, well, fun. If you want to experience financial freedom, though, and if you want to have extra cash for prepping, it’s time to cut back on some of the “wants.” This could mean that you cut out your daily trips to Starbucks or that you reduce the number of channels you get on TV. Just take a look at your financials and do what you can to reduce your costs.

Prepper Tip #29: Build a network.
While it’s never a good idea to go bragging to people about being a prepper, you should build a network of like-minded individuals that you can turn to for guidance, information, and support. Consider joining a prepper’s message board or online discussion group where you can start to know people who are willing to exchange ideas and tips.

Prepper Tip #30: Get paper maps.

If you haven’t opened a paper map in years, now is the time to try again. You can get paper maps at any state visitor center, on state visitor websites, and through AAA if you’re a member. Keep your maps in your car or bug-out bag where you can easily access them if you need to evacuate your home.

Prepper Tip #31: Buy plastic shower curtains.

Plastic shower curtains are good for much more than just showering. In fact, you may be surprised at just how versatile these are. If you have a window that shatters during a storm, for example, you’ll be able to cover it with this thick plastic.

Prepper Tip #32: Know how you’ll deal with looters.

Looting happens during emergencies. No matter where you live, this could be a possibility. Talk with your spouse about how you’ll deal with looters who may come to your home and make a plan for handling it.

Prepper Tip #33: Get a compass.

Chances are that you aren’t going to end up lost in the woods during a power outage, but if you need to leave your home quickly, you’ll want to be able to know where you’re going. Get a compass and learn how to use it.

Prepper Tip #34: Talk to your grandmother.

No matter how easily available information is on the Internet, there’s nothing quite as great as talking with an older person about life in their day. Talk with your grandparents or parents if they’re still around. Talk with older people at your church. Chat up your neighbors. Find out what life was like when they were kids. Who knows? You might get some great ideas for prepping that you otherwise wouldn’t have thought ot.

Prepper Tip #35: Buy petroleum jelly.

Whether you’re experiencing dry lips or chapped legs from walking too far, petroleum jelly is something that has a lot of uses. It’s also not something you’re going to want to leave your house for during a storm. Have some on hand.

Prepper Tip #36: Get a bottle of liquor.

Whether or not you’re a drinker, it’s a good idea to have a bottle of liquor on hand. You can use it for cleaning, sanitizing, and numbing pain if someone gets seriously injured.

Prepper Tip #37: Practice cooking from scratch.

If you love living off microwave dinners, dealing with a power outage isn’t going to be very much fun for you. Learn how to cook. Practice on a regular basis. You don’t have to cook everything from scratch, but you should learn how to make basic things that your family will want, such as tortillas, breads, and soup.

Prepper Tip #38: Get a camping stove.

A camping or portable stove can be incredibly useful when it comes to cooking food in emergency situations. If you already have a charcoal grill in your backyard, you can easily use that to cook food during an emergency. If not, a camping stove can be a convenient way to heat your dinners when there’s no electricity.

Prepper Tip #39: Stock up on matches.

No matter where you live, you’re going to want to have some lights when it gets dark. While you should absolutely have batteries and flashlights on hand, matches are also important. You don’t need to have a ton of matches available, but you should have a few boxes on hand in case you need to light candles.

Prepper Tip #40: Go buy dark chocolate.

When you’re feeling stressed out, chocolate can help things to seem a little brighter. Consider picking up a few pieces of dark chocolate to throw into your bug-out bag or hurricane kit. Just make sure that you put the chocolate inside a zippered plastic bag in case it melts in the heat.

Prepper Tip #41: Plan a camping trip.

Ready to start putting your prepping into practice? Plan a camping trip with your family. While you might choose a modern campground that does have working showers and lights, your kids will still enjoy being able to spend time outdoors and practicing some of their prepping skills.

Prepper Tip #42: Find storage space.

No matter how you plan to prep for an emergency, you’re going to need some storage place for your gear. This could mean cleaning out your trunk so that you can put a bug-out bag inside or it might mean reorganizing your garage so that you can start a small pantry out there. No matter what type of prepper gear you have or want to get, make sure that you look for places to store your things.

Prepper Tip #43: Declutter your junk.

Stepping on a Lego brick in the middle of the night isn’t fun. Stepping on one during a power outage is even worse. Declutter your home in order to make your house a safer, cleaner place to be during emergency situations. Decluttering also means that you’re going to be able to find the things that you need when things turn sour. You might have a battery-operated lantern, but it’s useless if you have so much junk in your home that you can’t find it.

Prepper Tip #44: Buy batteries.

Have batteries on hand. Have lots of batteries on hand. You should even consider getting an extra battery for your laptop and cell phone. You’ll want batteries for your battery-operated fans, your games, your flashlights, and your cell phones. If the power is out for more than a few hours, you’ll be surprised at just how quickly you burn through your batteries. Unfortunately, this is also one of those items that tends to vanish from store shelves before a storm hits.

Prepper Tip #45: Enroll in a first aid class.

Most chapters of the Red Cross offer regular first aid classes. This can be a good way to spend time with your kids while teaching them important skills. Even if you don’t have kids, you could learn a few things about wilderness survival and emergency medicine at a first aid class.

Prepper Tip #46: Learn to manage stress.

Stress is a natural part of life, but it’s also something that can become overwhelming. If you have a lot of stress in your daily life, you may find that dealing with a tornado or hurricane can seem downright unbearable. Learn to channel your stress now before things get bad. This could mean taking a yoga class, spending time meditating, reading your Bible more, praying, hanging out with friends, or simply working on your breathing when you’re feeling overwhelmed. Keeping a journal can also be a very relaxing way to unwind when you’re feeling the weight of the world on your shoulders.

Prepper Tip #47: Buy some medicine.

Painkillers, antihistamines, and cough medicine are all must-haves for your medicine cabinet. Pick some up now. This way, if a storm hits when you or someone in your home is sick, you’ll be able to be comfortable.

Prepper Tip #48: Remember your pets.

One thing many preppers overlook is their pets. If you have pets in your house, you’ll need to make sure to stock up on extra food and water to feed your animals. You’ll also need to decide how you’ll keep your pets cool or warm during a power outage, depending on the weather. Consider purchasing a battery-operated fan for your pet if you don’t already have one. You’ll also want to stock up on more water than you think your pet will possibly drink.

Prepper Tip #49: Skip talking about prepping.

While prepping for emergencies can feel empowering and exciting, you should try to avoid talking about it openly with your neighbors and friends unless you know that they’re also preppers. This seems like strange advice, but the truth is that many people will avoid preparing because it seems weird. Then, when something bad happens, they’ll come to you for food or water. While you might have enough supplies for your family, you can’t possibly prep for the entire neighborhood, especially if you have limited space in your home. Prep as much as possible, but be discreet about it.

Prepper Tip #50: Set goals.

Finally, set goals for yourself. Whether you want to live a self-sustainable lifestyle in the city or you want to eventually move off the grid, come up with a list of goals for yourself and for your family. This list could be as simple as steps for preparing your house for your next flood or it could be as dramatic as steps you need to take to move to a safer area. No matter what your hopes are, write them down. Things somehow seem more serious and more attainable when they’re in print.