Prepper Hacks

Penelope Hoyt

Copyright 2014 by Penelope Hoyt

Contents:

Prepper hacking
Bug-out bags
Pantry
Gardening
Parenting
Sanity hacks
Hurricanes
Floods
Blizzards
Power outages

About the author

Prepper hacking

If you’re tired of running to the store every time the weather channel warns of an upcoming storm, it’s time to consider becoming a prepper.

Prepping isn’t about digging an underground shelter. It’s not about storing up ten years’ worth of food in your basement. Prepping isn’t even about proving that you’re better than your neighbors.

Prepping means you get ready for what’s coming your way and you do it now.

Prepping means not waiting until there’s a flood watch to go get clean water. Prepping means not incurring debt because you weren’t ready for a financial disaster. Prepping means that you’re not going to put your family’s needs last: you’re going to put them first.

Prepping means you’re ready.

Prepping hacking, then, is all about quick and simple ways to improve your prepping. Whether you’re a seasoned survivalist or a newbie prepper, it’s important to constantly consider the steps that you’re taking to care for your family. Perhaps most importantly, it’s a chance to make sure that your prepping is where it should be, that you’re constantly working on your game plan, and that you’re doing everything in your power to keep your family safe and warm during a disaster.

When I wrote my first prepping guidebook, City Preppers: How to Build Your Pantry and Develop the Skills You Need to Survive, Even When You Live in an Apartment, I had no idea just how many people would be interested in prepping. I had my own interest in the subject, of course, having grown up with prepper parents.

What I found after I wrote my book, though, was that most prepper books are either designed for very new preppers who don’t know anything about the topic or very prepared preppers who already live off the grid.

Where are the books for people who are ordinary moms and dads?

Where are the books for people who live in the city, but who still want to be ready for anything?

Where are the books for people who have kids with special needs?

If you’re frustrated with prepping books and you’re ready for something realistic that’s going to help you simply and easily get ready without investing a ton of time or money, this is the guide for you.

We’re going to cover a lot of different subjects in this book, including how to create a bug-out bag, how to start gardening, and even how you can get your kids ready for anything. This is by no means a comprehensive guide to prepping, but it will get you started with making sure that your family stays safe and secure.

Your first step in prepping? Start thinking.

Think about your personal situation – what could happen to you?

Often, one of the most difficult things to consider is what kind of disasters could affect you. It’s easy to become overwhelmed or scared, especially if you turn on the news and are overwhelmed with bad things that are happening in the world.

Unfortunately, panicking never helped anyone.

I asked my 7-year-old son this week what he should do if there was a power outage in our home.

“First,” he told me, “I would remain calm. Next, I would make sure my little brother was safe and warm.”

“What next?” I prodded.

“Next I would find something to play that had batteries, like a video game.”

While many preppers wouldn’t be interested in handheld video games during an emergency, I swelled with pride when my son remembered that above all else, he needed to remain calm.

The truth is that disasters can be scary for anyone. It doesn’t matter whether you’re survived a dozen blizzards or this is your first encounter with bad weather. The unexpected can be terrifying.

And that’s okay.

But if you want your family to be safe, you need to start thinking about the possibility that something not great could happen and, more importantly, how you can prepare for that.

Personally, I live in an area that floods easily. In fact, a huge flood last fall rendered us stuck in our home for days. While we escaped unscathed, many of our neighbors suffered structural damage to their homes and cars. Because I know that there is the chance for a flash flood to occur in our area, I can know how to prepare.

What types of disasters happen where you live?

If you’ve lived in your home for more than a few years, you probably have a good idea of what you can expect. If you recently moved, though, you can find out what types of problems you tend to encounter by talking with your neighbors, researching online, or even chatting with your real estate agent.

Know several escape routes

For most people, hunkering down (also referred to as sheltering in place) is going to be preferable to bugging out. This basically means that when something bad happens, you’re probably going to end up staying where you are, rather than evacuating the area.

This is typically because evacuations can be tricky. Roads get washed away. Bridges become damaged. Accidents block roads. You know the drill. Unless you get out of your home early enough, you may find that you’re stuck riding out the storm where you stand.

It’s a good idea to always have two plans.

First, know how you’ll hunker down. Know what items you need to have on hand to shelter in place. We’ll talk about this more in depth in the chapter on building your pantry, but remember things like dog food, diapers, baby wipes, formula, sand bags, and even plastic tarps to cover broken windows can all be valuable assets during an emergency.

Secondly, you’ll need to know how you’re going to escape if you do need to evacuate your area. If your home floods completely or a hurricane causes a tree to fall through your roof, you’ll most likely need to evacuate. In these cases, you can’t always count on help to arrive. Remember that police, fire fighters, and emergency responders all have families, too. Many people won’t go into work during emergencies because they’re busy taking care of their own families. Others are willing to help, but may be so swamped with emergency calls that you end up waiting hours or even days for help.

It’s a good idea to plan several escape routes when it comes to leaving your home. Avoid main roads or roads with bridges, as these are usually the first to become impassible. If you know back roads or alternate routes, these are going to be your best bet for escaping safely. Remember that if other people try to leave at the same time you do, there could be traffic jams. Opt for the roads that are less traveled and less popular.

If you’re new to your area or you simply aren’t sure what alternative routes are available for your family, make sure that you look at several maps to get a good idea of what you’re up against. You can request free state maps from your state visitor center. Simply visit the state’s website and request more information, including a map. You’ll receive your map free in the mail, typically within two weeks. If you’re a member of AAA, you can also request free travel maps directly from the AAA website. You can usually request up to 10 maps at a time. AAA will also create free road trip guides for you, so you can actually request that they plan your escape routes for you. This is also a free feature that comes with your membership. They’ll mail the directions and a map to you in a small book.

You should also have emergency destinations in mind. Make sure that you discuss these with your family. If you think that you’re just going to leave the city and survive, you’re mistaken. What’s so great about getting outside of the city if you don’t have shelter, food, or money? If you have prepper friends on the outskirts of town, now is the time to ask whether or not you can plan to bug out to their location. Keep in mind that your friends might say no. This is their right. Most of the time, though, your prepper friends will be willing to let you stay with them, at least temporarily, provided you’re willing to work to earn your keep.

Tip: Make sure that your friends know up front about any pets you have. Just because you’re welcome as a guest doesn’t mean that your furry family members will be.

During most major disasters, emergency shelters will be set up. These could be in your local community center or your local high school. Basically, any community building that has a lot of space could be a potential shelter. Keep in mind, however, that it’s not always in your best interest to stay at an evacuation or refugee shelter. While you’ll absolutely get a place to rest your head, remember that you’ll be sharing space with dozens or even hundreds of other people. This means that you’re going to be in room with babies crying, people snoring, and children playing. You may not get a lot of rest.

Additionally, shelters open up the possibility that you could be exposed to viruses and other illnesses. If you’re concerned about your health or the health of your family, you may want to plan for other emergency lodging.

Some possible lodging ideas to consider:

If you have an RV or camper, locate nearby RV camps that you could head to. Again, there’s no guarantee that you’ll be able to leave with your vehicle, but plan for it in case you can.

Purchase a small tent that you can carry. Make sure you have a bag that lets you carry the tent on your back if you need to evacuate on foot. Know the location of several nearby campgrounds where you may be able to seek refuge during an emergency situation.

Connect with other preppers online through blogs and forums. While there’s no guarantee you’ll be able to stay with them, it’s always good to have a support group, especially a local one.

Consider renting a small property outside of town. This could be a lot or even a small house. While it would absolutely be an added expense, it could be worth it to know that your family would be safe during an emergency.

Buy a trailer home on the edge of town or in a nearby small town. You can buy a used trailer home fairly inexpensively and would only have to worry about paying lot rent.

Locate small hotels or motels outside of town where you could stay for a few days during power outages in your area or if your home became damaged. Remember that roadside motels, especially those on the Interstate, tend to fill up quickly during bad weather. Look for some that are a mile or two off the main road to make sure you’ll have a room to stay in.

Know how you’ll prepare with elderly people

One thing many preppers forget to consider is elderly relatives or neighbors who live nearby. If you’re responsible for an elderly person, make sure that you take their special needs into consideration when you’re prepping and planning. While evacuating might be your first instinct during a crisis situation, realize that this may not be possible if you’re the primary caregiver for someone who is disabled or unable to move around quickly, especially if you plan to evacuate on foot.

It’s especially important to consider the dietary and medical needs of an elderly friend or relative that you care for. Remember that during an emergency, you may not have access to your local pharmacy. Consider getting extra medication for the person you care for. While insurance may not pay for an extra month’s worth of medicine, you have a couple of options available.

First, start refilling the prescription a few days early each month. Instead of waiting until the day you run out of medicine, refill it a few days early. Check with your insurance company or pharmacy to find out the earliest day you can refill your medication to have it covered. During a power outage or blizzard, this means that you’ll be able to treat your relative without an interruption in their medication.

Your other option would be to order medication from a mail-order pharmacy and pay out of pocket for the medication. While you’ll need to have a copy of the prescription, some pharmacies, including Canadian pharmacies, will enable you to order your medication online, pay for it with a credit card, and have it mailed to your home. The downside to this is that you would be paying for your prescription out of pocket. You can do this at your regular pharmacy, as well, but Canadian prices tend to be much lower than American ones.

Additionally, make sure you take into consideration things like incontinence underwear or pads, denture creams and ointment, and any other special medical and personal needs your relative may have. You essentially want to make sure that the person you’re caring for is as comfortable as possible while in your care. Although facing an emergency can be tricky, it’s important to consider everyone you are responsible for. Also remember that even if you aren’t able to evacuate an elderly person safely, your family members can still evacuate and seek alternative shelter. Make sure you talk with your spouse about how you’ll handle it if you need to split up.

Have a plan for evacuating with your kids

Whether you plan to evacuate on foot or by car, make sure you also think about the littlest people in your life. Small kids may not be able to walk long distances, so make sure you have a hiking backpack carrier or sling to carry youngsters in. I’m a huge fan of the Ergo carrier. It’s pricey (usually around $100), but absolutely worth the cost. I like this carrier because it shifts the weight of your child to your hips instead of your back or shoulders. I carried my son in an Ergo until he was 3 years old, but I know many mothers who carry their kids even longer.

The other option for evacuating with young kids is to ride your bike. You can opt for a child’s seat on the back or front of your bike or you could purchase a small bike trailer. A trailer can be a great addition to your prepper gear since it means you’ll also be able to bring extra water and food with you when you leave your home. This is great for evacuating during a viral or economic disaster, but leaving town on foot isn’t going to be ideal during a horrible storm.

If you have older kids, you should always talk with them about how to prep and how to know when it’s time to leave your home. Make sure that your kids know what to do if you aren’t home when a storm hits or you’re away on business when there’s a massive power outage. One of the biggest concerns during a long-term power outage is that your children could become overheated if the power outage happens during the summer. During the winter, cold is a huge concern. No matter what your plan for evacuating or hunkering down might be, make sure that your older kids are well aware of what your family plans to do during an emergency.

Conduct drills with your family

Do you feel a little crazy for thinking about conducting emergency drills with your family?

Don’t.

Remember that the time to make mistakes is now. The time to mess up is now. The time to find a fatal flaw in your evacuation plan is now.

Many preppers have these amazing plans for evacuating and surviving major disasters, but don’t bother trying out their routes ahead of time. When your emergency escape route includes driving over a bridge, what will you do if you’re trying to escape during a flood? When your emergency escape route includes a major intersection, how will you get through during a traffic jam?

If you wait until disaster strikes to try out your escape route, you may find that you’re even worse off than if you had stayed home. Consider trying a practice escape with your family. Pack all of the things you would take during an emergency – including water, backpacks, and bikes – and head out. See what happens. You may find that you prepared well or you may discover that your plan has a few problematic areas.

When you get home, ask yourself:

What obstacles did I encounter that I hadn’t planned for?

Do I need to make any alterations to my escape route?

What happens when I take this route during rush hour?

Were my kids able to keep up?

Were my bags too heavy?

Were there any major items that I forgot to pack?

Is my family ready to evacuate quickly if we need to?

After a drill, always talk with your family members about their experiences. Chances are that they have some really valuable feedback they’d be more than happy to share with you.

Have cash on hand

Having an emergency stash of money can be difficult to start if you struggle financially. It’s still important, though, that you try to start building up a small fund. During a power outage or grid-down scenario, ATMs and credit card machines won’t function. During these times, you’ll need to have cash with you or you simply won’t be able to buy anything. While some preppers like to have several thousand dollars in cash, I’d suggest that you at least have enough money to pay for a hotel room for your family members, a full tank of gas, and several meals. If you can only afford to have $20 on hand right now, that’s fine. Just put aside $5 or $10 each week and you’ll quickly build up a fund you can count on.

You can store the money in plastic bags in your bug-out bags so that the cash doesn’t become damaged during a rainstorm or hurricane. Alternatively, if you only have $20 on hand, you can fold it up and stick it in the back of your phone case by your battery. This ensures that you have money on you, but other people won’t necessarily be able to rob you.

Bug-out bags

Bug-out bags.

Emergency kits.

Tornado boxes.

Hurricane kits.

No matter what name you’ve used to refer to this prepper essential, a bug-out bag is basically a small amount of emergency supplies. Most bug-out bags are backpacks filled with 72+ hours’ worth of food, water, and supplies. The reason that most preppers opt for backpacks is that they are small enough to store easily and portable enough to carry quickly.

Bug-out bags are an important part of prepping even if you already live at your bug-out location.

Why?

Because bug-out bags provide you with everything you need to quickly leave your home and live for a few days without help.

If you live in the city, a bug-out bag is important since it provides you with the food and supplies you’ll need to reach your bug-out location. If you already live in the country or at your bug-out hideout, you should keep a bug-out bag in your car. If you break down or find yourself away from home, you’ll have everything you need to make it back in one piece.

How many should you have?

Making bug-out bags can be a lot of fun. In fact, it can even be slightly addicting. It’s easy to say that you need a bag for the car, a bag for your office, a bag for the gym, and even one for home. In reality, you usually just need one bag per family member if you plan to keep your bags at home. If you’re creating a bug-out bag for your car, you could consider keeping one or two bags available. You probably won’t have a full supply of gear and food for family members in your car, depending on the size of your vehicle, but having something is better than being stuck somewhere with nothing.

Where you should keep your bug-out bags?

A bug-out bag is useless if you can’t access it easily in an emergency. While it might make more sense aesthetically to store your bags in the basement or in the back of a closet, you shouldn’t place your bags in a place that makes them difficult to access when you need them.

Personally, I like to keep my bug-out bags on the top shelf of my front closet. This means that they’re within arm’s reach if I need to grab them and go. I also keep a bag in each car with basic essentials, such as first aid supplies, extra socks, water bottles, hats, gloves, and snacks.

What should you put inside each bag?

What you put inside your bug-out bags is entirely up to you.

Most preppers aim to have at least the following:

A change of clothes

Water

Food

Medication

First aid supplies

Radio

Flashlight

Cash

You can get much more detailed and expansive than this, though. You could include a weapon, ammo, a multi-tool, diapers, wipes, formula, your epi-pen, water purification tablets, and more.

Make sure that you pack enough items to keep you safe, warm, dry, and fed. While you can survive on less food and water than you’re used to having access to, you don’t want your body to go into shock. Pack more food than you think you’ll need.

When you’re deciding what to put in your bag, always ask yourself:

What will I need to survive for 3 days?

What items can I not live without?

Can I carry my bug-out bag?

Can I carry my bag and someone else’s bag?

Is the bag too heavy to carry comfortably?

What items will I need to keep my children safe?

5 Essentials for Bug-Out Bags

1. Maps
Always have at least one local map in your bag. If you get lost or stranded, this ensures that you're going to be able to find your way around. Remember that in an emergency, you aren't necessarily going to have all the perks that you're used to. This means that your cell phone GPS could be rendered useless because of a storm or your phone's battery could be dead. Have a map.

2. Bandana
This is one of the most versatile things to have in your bag. You can shred a bandana to use for starting a fire or use it to cover your mouth during a viral outbreak. If you're trekking through a storm, you can even use it to cover your face.

3. Tweezers
While these should be included in any first aid kit, they should especially be present in your bug-out bag. Never be without a good pair of tweezers. If your kids are prone to splinters or you anticipate using these a lot, pick up two pairs.

4. Socks
During the winter, socks are an even more important part of your bag. You can use them on your feet, of course, but they can double as gloves or towels in a pinch. Keep at least a couple of warm pairs in your bag.

5. Shovel
Finally, always include a small shovel in your bag. If you prefer a larger one, just keep it in the trunk of your car. Having a small shovel means you'll be able to shovel through snow, but even if you aren't caught in a storm, it will help with setting up a shelter.

Should your kids have their own bug-out bags?

While a lot of survival sites list everything you need to include in a great bug out bag, there doesn't seem to be a lot of coverage on packing for kids. A child's bug out bag is no less important than an adult's, but the type of things you're going to be packing are drastically different. Even the way that you pack a child's bag is going to be different. After all, most kids aren't going to be able to carry their own bag, let alone carry it for long periods of time. When you choose a bag for your child, you'll either need to pick a small enough backpack that he can carry it himself or pick something that you can carry along with your own gear.

So what do you need to put in your child's bag?

1. A comfort item
If you're in a bug out situation, whether it be a hurricane, tornado, or economic collapse, your child is going to be scared. Keep something in the bag that your child can get some comfort from. This could be a blanket, a small doll, or something else that your child feels special.

2. Extra clothes that they like
A lot of parents include an outfit in their child's bag, but fail to pick an outfit that the child likes. Give your kid a little comfort in a tough situation. You should still pick warm, practical clothing, but picking a Lego sweatshirt over a plain blue one can really mean a world of difference to your child.

3. Familiar snacks
You need snacks for your child in his bug out bag. Make sure that you include food that he actually likes to eat. It's all well and good to choose beef jerky or dried bananas, but if your kid hates them, he's not going to eat. If you're bugging out, your child is going to feel insecure and nervous. Something familiar like granola bars or Cheerios can bring some comfort.

4. Extra water
Include water in both your child's bag and yours. Kids get thirsty - a lot. And you know what thirsty kids do? Whine about it until they get water. Pack more water than you think you need. Obviously, you won't be able to carry an infinite amount of water, but you need to have plenty especially if your child still drinks formula.

What are some creative things you can put in your bags?

1. Tampons

Obvious, right? Women get their periods, don't forget your tampons. Haha, we all get it. The truth is, though, that tampons can serve as much more than just emergency period protection. In fact, you can use tampons for a temporary water filter or even to stop a nosebleed. Make sure that you have at least a few in your bug out bag.

2. Q-Tips

Don't leave home without them. While you're probably used to using Q-Tips for things like paint projects, they can be useful in a variety of situations. One important use for Q-Tips would be applying antiseptic to wounds, for example.

3. Vodka

Head to your local liquor store and pick up a few mini travel bottles of vodka. Even if you don't drink vodka (but let's face it - during an apocalypse you might want to), you'll be able to use it as a pain-numbing agent or to sterilize wounds.

Pantry

Your home’s pantry is the primary staple of your prepping.

Your pantry is where you’ll stock up on food and supplies that you can use during an emergency situation where you hunker down.

While building a pantry might seem challenging if you’re struggling financially, it can be done even on a budget. You do not need to have an entire year’s worth of food stored up in your basement. You should, however, set a reasonable goal for yourself and your family when it comes to your food storage. This might mean that you want to have a week’s worth of food at home. It could mean you want a month’s. Sit down and consider how much your family eats, what types of emergencies you’re likely to encounter, and how much you should try to stock up on.

What foods to store

One of your first questions is probably, “What types of food should I store?”

You might think that it’s a great idea to run down to your sporting goods store and stock up on camping meals and MREs. This couldn’t be further from the truth. While there’s nothing wrong with having camp food on hand, it’s not ideal for your family. If you don’t normally eat these types of foods when the weather is good, why would you want to eat them during a storm?

Focus on storing foods that your family already eats, knows how to prepare, and enjoys. While not all of your favorite foods will be storable, many have a lengthy shelf life and can be added to your pantry easily.

Things like beef jerky, noodles, spaghetti sauce, canned vegetables, canned fruits, dehydrated fruits, freeze dried vegetables, sauces, flour, beans, and even nuts can easily be stored in your pantry. If you want to stock up on items that won’t necessarily store well on the shelf, you can consider investing in a deep freezer to store things like bread and meats in.

Note: check garage sales, thrift shops, and Craigslist for freezers before you invest in a new one.

What else can you store in your pantry?

Some foods and ingredients to consider are:

Breakfast cereal

Oatmeal

Canned tuna

Canned chicken

Dark chocolate

Green tea

Rice

Rolled oats

Granola

Honey

Baking soda

Peanut butter

Boxed milk (Boxed soy milk or almond milk can be stored for several months.)

Crackers

What foods to avoid

When it comes to building your survival pantry, try to be cautious when you’re choosing the foods that you’re placing in your pantry. Make sure that you’re asking yourself the following questions when building up your food storage:

1)       Is this food something my family eats on a regular basis?

2)       If my family hasn’t had this before, why not?

3)       Do I know how to prepare this food without electricity?

4)      Is this food something that all of my family members can enjoy?

5)       Does this have a lengthy shelf life?

One of the easiest mistakes to make is simply buying something that you think has a long shelf life. While that’s certainly important, so is the way that your food tastes. Remember that during an emergency or crisis, you’re going to be stressed. You’re going to feel overwhelmed. There will be moments when you don’t think you can take it another second.

During these times, having something familiar and tasty to eat is important. Try to pick foods that are simple and easy to prepare. Make sure that your family enjoys the foods that you eat. Try to avoid foods that taste bland, that require heat to prepare, that are difficult to cook, or that your kids simply won’t try.

You should also make sure that the foods you’re storing aren’t going to cause your family tummy aches or problems. When you buy something new for your pantry, try to buy two of the item. Put one item on your shelves and prepare the other item for dinner that night. Let your family try the food firsthand. What do they think? Is it something they’d eat again? Is it something that sits well with them?

Unfortunately, many “prepper foods” can cause constipation and tummy problems, especially if you aren’t used to eating them. By trying food out ahead of time, you’ll get a better idea of what foods you should avoid stocking up on in your pantry.

Personally, one of my biggest problems has been raisins. I don’t know why, but I always see raisins on sale. The coupon clipper in me just has to pick up the raisins. After all, they store great in the pantry and are a quick, easy-to-eat snack.

The problem?

My kids hate raisins.

My husband will eat them, but doesn’t very often.

And me?

I haven’t had a raisin since I was a teenager.

During our last power outage, the raisins didn’t get eaten. In fact, they were one of the last things sitting in the back of the prepper cupboard.

I’m proud to say, though, that I’ve learned my lesson. From now on, we’ll be storing foods that are fun to eat. It’s not any harder to store a can of nuts than it is to store an MRE. Pick things you like. During a crisis, you’ll be eating foods that you’re already comfortable with and that are familiar to you, which can bring about a certain level of emotional comfort.

How to start building a pantry

Once you’ve decided to start working on a pantry, you’ll want to make a few more decisions before you’re actually ready to start shopping.

1)       How much food do you plan to store?

2)       Where will you store the food?

3)       How much time do you have to acquire the food?

If you only plan to store a week or two’s worth of food, you won’t have much trouble getting started. Your food will take up some space, but not a lot, and you can easily acquire enough food to store in one or two shopping trips.

For families who want to store enough food to last for more than a month or two, prepping will take a bit more planning. Remember: it’s not impossible, even if you have a small house. You’ll just need to get a bit creative.

When my family lived in a large, 2-story townhome, prepping was pretty easy for me. I cleared out two kitchen cupboards and filled them with my stockpile. The upstairs linen closet also became a place for food storage. The closet in the guest room? Perfect for stocking up on water and first aid supplies.

Downsizing to a 2-bedroom apartment took a little getting used to, but didn’t take the prepper out of me. Instead of storing most of the food in the kitchen, the front closet became the perfect place to store food. Water bottles were tucked neatly beneath the bathroom sinks and a large plastic tub in my bedroom closet turned into the perfect hiding spot for supplies.

While you might have to get a bit creative with the way that you store your supplies, remember to think positively. Coming up with excuses might make you feel like you’re off the hook, but you’ll pay the price the next time your family faces an oncoming storm and isn’t ready.

Have you uttered any of these phrases recently?

“We just don’t have enough space for a food storage.”

“We can’t afford to build a pantry.”

“We don’t have the time to build a food storage.”

“A prepper pantry isn’t important.”

“We’ll just use our regular groceries during a power outage.”

If you’re guilty of spouting off one of these excuses, don’t worry: you aren’t alone. You should, however, make a conscious effort to stop coming up with reasons to put off starting your pantry. In actuality, creating your pantry is a fairly straightforward and simple process: figure out what foods your family needs to eat and either can or buy them.

How much food do you plan to store?

Once you decide how much food you want to store, make a list of what your family eats. The simplest way to do this is to track how much each member of your family eats for an entire day. There are certainly preppers who plan for 1,200 calorie days during emergencies, but this can be really tricky to implement if your family members are used to eating 2,000 calories each day. While your body can live off fewer calories, you aren’t going to want to and may struggle emotionally and physically to cut those calories almost in half.

Once you know how much food your family members eat in a day, simply multiply this by the number of days you want to store food for. That should give you a rough estimate of how much food you need to store. Of course, there will always be days when someone is sick and has a lower appetite or when a child is going through a growth spurt and wants to eat more. For a more accurate count, you can list your eating habits for a few days or even a week, but a full day should give you a reasonable guide for beginning.

While most emergency guides advise you to store enough food to last your family for three days, you should consider whether it would be prudent to stock up on more food. Remember that you aren’t just preparing for a power outage or storm. You’re also preparing for what comes after a storm. If you lose power in your community, the food in your local grocery stores is going to go bad. This means that they’re going to need to replace their stock. If there was a storm and the trucks couldn’t come in, this means that you could experience temporary food shortages in your local stores. Make sure that you plan for this and have enough food on hand to keep your family fed and comfortable.

Where will you store the food?

As I mentioned before, I’ve lived in large homes and small ones. No matter what size your home is, you can start stocking up on food. You may not be able to have a one-year food storage in an apartment, but you can absolutely make sure that your family is prepped and ready to go for hurricanes, floods, and blizzards.

Here are just a few places you can store your emergency food:

Basement

Under your bed in a box

Under your child’s bed

In your guest room closet

In your linen closet

In an extra kitchen cupboard

In a dresser drawer

In under-cabinet drawers (you’ll need to build these yourself)

In a wardrobe or dresser purchased specifically for storing food

In a footlocker

In baskets placed on top of tall furniture

On a bookcase purchased for food storage

Getting creative might take a bit of time, but you’ll be surprised at just how much usable space you really have in your home. Even if your kitchen is full, consider cleaning out a cabinet and decluttering some space to use for food.

You don’t have to store all of your food in one place, but you should make sure that your food is in sealed, airtight containers with an oxygen absorber. Date all of your pantry items. Also make sure that you check your food supplies at least once a month to make sure that each of your items is still in good condition. You don’t want to be caught in a blizzard only to find that the boxes of cereal you stored in the closet were dinner for a family of mice.

A word to the wise: remember to be cautious when storing food in a shed or garage. If you live in an area with high levels of heat, this is typically a bad idea since it’s going to cause your food to go bad quicker.

How much time do you have to acquire the food?

The more time that you have to get your food storage ready, the easier your life is going to be. Having a lot of time means you’ll be able to use coupons, shop the sales, and basically make sure that you aren’t spending a ton of money to prep. If you’re expecting a hurricane, like, tomorrow, you’re obviously going to be a bit more pressed for time and not have the luxury of waiting until things go on sale.

More tips

If you’re on a limited income or a tight budget, you can still start stocking up without spending a lot of money. Don’t buy into the notion that prepping is something only wealthy families can do. No matter where you are financially, you can get started simply. You just have to be a bit more careful with your planning.

Get $5 or $10 cash back each time you go grocery shopping with your debit card. You can either use this money for an emergency cash supply or take the money to buy prepper gear at the end of the month.

When something is on sale at your grocery store, buy one or two extras. Put these in your prepper pantry. A great example is the time my prepper-conscious parents found macaroni and cheese on sale for 11 cents a box. I’m pretty sure that was all we ate for the next four years.

Head to The Dollar Tree with $10 and pick out items for your pantry or bug-out bag. You can get canned goods, boxed foods, water bottles, pens, notebooks, first aid supplies, vitamins, razors, and toothbrushes. This store also offers seasonal items, which means that during the winter you’ll also be able to buy cheap hand warmers. You may even find gloves or hats.

Check out Target’s $1 bins for their mini planters. You can get a package of seeds, a small pot, and dirt to get you started for just a buck. While this isn’t going to feed your family for a long time, it’s a great way to start growing your own herbs and vegetables to enjoy during an emergency.

Visit your grocery store right after major holidays. Food items will holiday packaging will be on sale. Shopping right after Thanksgiving is a great time to buy canned cranberries and pumpkin bread mix pretty inexpensively.

Clip coupons. No, it’s not necessarily a lot of fun, but clipping coupons can save you a lot of money. Websites like The Krazy Coupon, Money Saving Mom, and Hip2Save all have regular deals and coupons so you don’t even have to stress out about finding coupons to use.

When you can’t afford to spend a lot, go back to basics. Shop for ingredients like flour and baking soda or opt for plain foods like rice and beans. When you buy boxed mixes or manufactured camping food, you’re going to spend more than when you keep things simple.

Shop for what’s on sale, not for what you want. While you might have an idea of the types of foods you want to prep, focus on cheap foods when you’re on a budget. If you wanted to stock up on canned fruit this week, but beans are on sale for 50% off, buy the beans.

Can your own foods whenever possible. Canning is very simple and is a wonderful way to start your pantry stockpile. Sometimes buying a bag of apples and canning them yourself is less costly than buying commercial applesauce or canned apples. If you have a garden, canning is essentially a free way you can save the food you’ve grown.

Practice cooking with the pantry foods that you buy. Try to learn several recipes that are easy to make. The more different ways you can prepare the same ingredients, the more likely your family is to enjoy the foods you’re cooking. Eating the same meal day after day, no matter how good it is, gets old.

Gardening

Why garden?

Instead of simply stockpiling food that can go bad and lose its flavor, gardening offers a reasonable, inexpensive alternative. Not only does gardening mean you’ll have fresh food during power outages and economic disasters, but it also provides you with a set of tangible skills. Learning to garden means that you’re learning how to grow something from nothing. You’re learning what it takes to grow food to give your family.

Because gardening is a learned skill, it’s important to start honing your horticulture skills long before you need them. Every new gardener makes mistakes. The time to have problems growing food is now, before disaster strikes. Don’t let your family be hungry because you failed to learn how to properly grow vegetables and failed when it counted most.

In addition to the physical benefits of gardening, working with your hands has many emotional and psychological benefits, as well. Gardening offers a wonderful way to clear your thoughts and to focus mentally on one thing. If you’re constantly stressed, worried, or anxious, it’s possible that gardening can offer you the relief and the stress reducer that you need.

Benefits of growing your own food

Perhaps the biggest benefit of growing your own food is simply that you have a guaranteed way to get basic ingredients for your cooking and meals during times of difficulty. Whether you’re planning to prep for an economic collapse or simply a personal disaster, being able to easily and quickly acquire food is essential.

Another benefit of growing your own food is that you’ll know exactly what pesticides or chemicals your food has been exposed to. You can grow cheap, organic food that you’ll know is safe for your family to eat. There’s no worrying involved.

Perhaps one of the coolest aspects of growing your food at home is that you’re going to save money. You won’t have to pay grocery store prices for foods that you can easily grow yourself at home. Especially if your family prefers organic vegetables, food isn’t cheap. Growing at home will save you quite a bit.

Note: you’ll want to be cautious if you do suspect that you’ll have major storms in your area, especially if these storms occur during growing season. You may want to consider utilizing container gardens. Container gardens are simply small containers that hold your soil and plants. You can use plastic tubs, large pots, or even small Rubbermaid containers. Container gardening is great if you want to grow things during the winter or you want to make sure that your plants survive harsh winds and weather.

Storing food you’ve grown

While growing your own vegetables and fruits is fantastic, keep in mind that you will need a way to store your food. If you have a large yard and plant a sizable garden, you probably aren’t going to eat your entire harvest before it goes bad. Because of this, start thinking about how you’d like to store your food.

If you have a deep freezer, you can simply freeze most of your vegetables. Freezing your vegetables means that you don’t have to do much besides place them in plastic baggies inside your freezer. Unfortunately, the downside to this is that your vegetables will be good for only a few months. After that, the risk of freezer burn ruining your veggies is going to go up.

The other, more popular alternative to freezing your vegetables is to can them. Canning is a simple process that takes time, but that anyone can do at home. Consider doing a YouTube search for “how to can carrots” or “how to can apples” for some ideas on simple recipes you can try at home. For the best experience, you’ll need a canner and a few other supplies, so this does require a small investment on your part.

Parenting

For parents, the thought of prepping with kids can seem overwhelming and frustrating.

We worry about our kids frequently, so it’s natural to wonder if we’re going to be able to keep our little ones safe and secure during a storm or disaster.

Just remember this: you’re prepping now so that your kids will be safe. You can’t possibly plan for every factor that will come into play during an emergency, but you can prepare to the best of your ability. That’s all any parent can really do.

When you do make preparations for emergencies and storms, don’t just let it be a hobby that you work on alone. Instead, try to get your kids involved. Remember that they’re going to be grownups one day, too. The more that you teach your kids now, the better off they’re going to be when it’s time for them to move away.

Involving your kids in your prepping offers several benefits:

It empowers your kids. Prepping shows your kids that they can take control during an emergency.

It bonds them to you. Prepping is a wonderful way to spend time together as a family and to learn more about each other.

It teaches them. Prepping provides your kids with real skills and powerful knowledge that they’ll be able to use for years to come.

It helps them help others. If something happens when you aren’t around, having a kid who helps you prep means that your child is going to know what’s up. He’s going to be able to take control of a situation and help the people around him even when you aren’t there.

How to talk with your kids about emergencies

Bringing up the topic of disasters can be tricky. If you have sensitive children or kids who have already been through disasters, the idea of bringing up hurricanes or tornados might seem cruel. After all, why worry your kids about something that you can’t control? Why talk with them about something that could damage your house? Why bring up the idea of a horrifying storm if there’s no guarantee that it’s even going to happen?

First off, just relax. Remember that knowledge is one of the most useful gifts you can give your child. The more that your child knows about different disasters, the better off he’s going to be. The more prepared he’s going to be. Not talking about disasters doesn’t make them not happen. In fact, the only thing that avoiding the topic of storms and emergencies does is handicap your child. Ignorance renders your child unable to care for himself or others during an emergency.

Do yourself and your children a favor: talk with them.

There are plenty of ways to bring up storms and disasters with your kids, but here are just a few ideas:

Watch the weather channel with them. Sound too boring? Just watch for a few minutes and talk with your kids about how weather is different in each place and how it changes from day to day.

Ask your kids if they remember a time when they were in a storm. Talk with them about that day. What do they remember most? (You might be surprised! Maybe your kids don’t remember be scared. Maybe they remember that you built forts in the living room.)

Visit a children’s museum that has a science area with a wind room or pretend tornado.

Explore a science museum together. Spend extra time in the weather section.

Tell your kids why you’re buying extra bandages, batteries, or food. Explain that you want to have them on hand in case the power goes out.

Draw pictures of storms together.

Talk about the weather in different movies you see.

Take a first aid class with your kids. Talk about different ways you can use first aid during real-life storms and emergencies.

If there is a storm in your near future, explain to your kids what’s going to happen so that they aren’t caught off guard or shocked when the power flickers. Let your little ones know that there is going to be a flood. Explain what they should do if the windows leak or water starts seeping into your living room. Remember that your kids need to know what to expect AND what to do when something bad happens.

Keeping your kids calm

The next important step is to help your kids stay calm during an emergency. Whether your child is five or 15, it’s possible that he might feel scared when something unusual happens. Of course, you may also have that child who thinks storms are the coolest thing ever and who wants to sit with his face glued to the window the entire time. You never know.

If your child does appear to be unnerved or anxious, make sure that you spend some time helping him calm down. Explain that everything is going to be okay. Remind your child that you’re there to protect him. Let your little one know that even if something breaks, you’ll make sure he’s fine. Tell your child that the reason you prepared ahead of time is so that your family can stay safe now, during the storm.

Here are a few other things you can do to help your kids relax during an emergency:

Listen to soft, relaxing, or familiar music on your iPod or cell phone. While you shouldn’t run the battery down completely, there’s nothing wrong with helping your little one relax.

Wrap your child in a blanket so that he’s warm and cozy.

Cuddle with your little one on the couch.

Let your child sleep in your bedroom during the storm.

Give your child a small toy or book that you set aside just for the storm. Toys from The Dollar tree are great for this.

Draw pictures with your child

Read a book together.

Sing songs together.

Play dress-up.

Get out a deck of cards and play something together.

Maintain your daily routine as much as possible so your child has a sense of normalcy.

Finally, remember that sometimes, no matter what you do, your child is just going to be scared. That’s okay. Avoid becoming frustrated or impatient with your child. Remember that this may be the first time that your child has ever experienced anything like this before. Even something as simple as losing power for awhile can be devastating and scary to a child. Your child is just that: a child. Instead of yelling at your little one or becoming irritated that he’s crying, try to focus on making him as comfortable as possible and just getting through each moment together.

Giving your kids responsibilities

Another part of prepping is teaching your kids that they are capable and able of helping you out. There’s no reason that your kids can’t be part of the team when it comes to organizing the pantry, shopping for supplies, working in the garden, or learning first aid. Don’t be afraid to give your child responsibilities. While you certainly shouldn’t overload your kids, you can offer them reasonable responsibilities and chores. Let your kids help you as you prep. Remember: they’re going to be on their own someday. It’s important for them to learn these skills now while they still live at home.

If you want to really help your child learn about responsibility, consider giving your child a special emergency task. If your family needs to evacuate, for example, it could be your teenage son’s job to grab the bug-out bags. You could have your pre-teen daughter be responsible for getting your family’s important documents and paperwork. Your elementary aged child could be the one who gets the family pet ready to go. Make sure that you talk with your kids ahead of time, of course, to make sure the task is something that they’re comfortable with.

Pack extra clothes

Kids are messy.

As a parent, you probably know this better than most.

When you’re prepping with kids, always plan to have extra clothes on hand. This is especially important for your bug-out bags. While most guides recommend that you have at least one change of clothes, consider how many outfits your toddler goes through on a daily basis when you’re deciding what to pack.

In addition to clothes, always pack extra zippered freezer bags. If your child becomes sick, throws up on an outfit, has an accident in an outfit, or simply dirties her clothes, you’ll be able to safely and neatly store the soiled outfit until you’re able to wash it.

Shout wipes also make a great addition to any bug-out bag. I’ve used this countless times when my kids spill things on their clothes and I just need a quick clean. You can pick up individually-wrapped Shout wipes at any store. They’re typically available with the laundry detergent, but you may also be able to find them in the travel section.

Include extra formula

If your child drinks formula, make sure that you pack more than you think you’ll need. Remember that even after an emergency, stores could be out of regularly stocked items for awhile. If you suspect that you won’t be able to access clean water for making your child’s bottle, consider using premixed formula. You can get this in the baby section at any store.

For nursing moms, make sure that you include anything you’ll need to breastfeed, including a hand pump, nipple shields, and nursing pads if necessary. Even if you exclusively breastfeed, it’s not a bad idea to include formula just in case. Remember that when your body is stressed or anxious, it could be difficult to produce enough breast milk. I’m not suggesting that you don’t nurse your baby. It’s one of the best things you can give your child. I’m simply recommending that you plan ahead in case something happens where you aren’t able to nurse.

Plan for your kids to be sick

Kids get sick at the most inconvenient times.

Unfortunately, this means that during an evacuation or crisis, your kids could be sick.

What types of things do you need to have on hand in case your child becomes ill and you aren’t able to get to an urgent care center or pharmacy?

What health issues does your child have that may become a factor during a crisis?

Are you ready to take care of a sick child if you have to evacuate your home?

Your bug-out bags should include things that your child might need during an illness. This includes vapor rub, prescription medications, ice packs, a thermometer, a battery-operated nebulizer, and any over-the-counter medications your little one typically relies on when he becomes ill.

Remain patient

Finally, make sure that you always keep your cool with your kids. Even if you feel like you’ve done a great job preparing them, they could feel scared or nervous when something bad actually happens. Crying, yelling, hiding, and even whining are all normal reactions from a child. While you may feel frustrated or think that your child is acting “like a baby,” remember to take a deep breath and stay calm. Things like thunder, lightning, and even tornado sirens can all be incredibly overwhelming. Try to put yourself in your child’s shoes and help them understand that everything is going to be just fine.

Sanity hacks

One of the most important things you can think about before an emergency is your sanity.

While prepping for food and water is important, so is making sure that you don’t go crazy trying to survive. Here are just a few ways you can save your sanity even while you prep.

Pack lavender essential oil to use on bug bites. Place a few drops of the oil on each bite to prevent itching.

Place lavender oil on your wrists or the bottom of your feet if you have trouble sleeping during an emergency situation.

Use cinnamon or peppermint oil to keep ants away from your pantry.

Soak a t-shirt with some teabags. Put the t-shirt on to reduce the pain of a sunburn.

Use teabags for diaper rash. Simply place a dry teabag in your child’s diaper and switch it out with each diaper change until the rash is gone.

Back up your personal files and important data on a flash drive. Store this in a plastic bag with your other emergency supplies.

Keep a pair of warm winter socks, a pair of gloves, and a hat inside your winter boots. If you have to leave your house in a rush, you won’t waste time looking for mittens.

Soak a cotton ball in peppermint oil. Place these cotton balls around your house if you suspect that you have a mice problem.

Buy a fire extinguisher now. If you have a small fire, you’ll be able to quickly put it out. Make sure that you check the expiration date on your fire extinguisher and that you learn how to use it before you need to do so.

Invest in waterproof matches. While these might seem far too expensive, they’re going to be gold if you need to start a fire after getting soaked in the rain. Another option would be to make your own waterproof matches by dipping the ends of matches in hot wax. When the wax melts, it will form a protective covering over the matches. To use your match, simply scrape off the wax and light as usual.

Learn where to shut off your home’s water supply ahead of time. Again, this is going to save you precious time in an emergency.

Take time to relax. If you find that you’re becoming so stressed that you can’t think straight, try to take a few minutes to relax. Even if you can’t escape a crowded room or get some “alone” time, just take a few deep breaths, close your eyes, and remind yourself that everything is going to be fine.

If there are any major obstacles to your prepping or any problems you foresee happening during an emergency, make sure that you take the time to try to address these issues now. If, for example, your kids always leave toys on the stairs and you’re worried that the power is going to go out, consider placing a basket at the bottom of the stairs so that your kids can throw their toys in it. This will save you from tripping over the toys in the dark, but it’s also a really easy fix to the problem.

Hurricanes

As with any type of natural disaster, there’s only so much you can do to prepare.

You’d better believe that that preparation is absolutely, essential, though.

Even if you can’t prevent damage to your home, roof, or vehicles, you can take as many steps possible to ensure that you escape the storm in one piece and as sane as possible.

Living on the East coast was my family’s first experience with hurricanes. While we lived a few hours from the beach, we still experienced strong winds, flooding, power outages, and heavy rainfall.

It was a lot of things, but it wasn’t fun.

After one particular hurricane, we lost power for days. Our surrounding neighbors lost power for a week. Some lost it for 10 days.

A storm that lasted only a few hours in our area left us with damage that would take weeks to repair. It affected us in ways we hadn’t expected. And even those of us who got our power back right away were surrounded by people who hadn’t.

Not only did this mean that many grocery stores and restaurants simply weren’t open, it also meant that health care workers were tired, exhausted, and overwhelmed with their own personal situations. It means that local teachers were struggling. It meant basically every person we came into contact with was having the worst week of their life.

Preparing ahead of time for what comes after the storm is just as important as preparing for the storm.

Before you experience a hurricane, one of the most important things you can do is to clean up your yard. If you have toys, a trampoline, or bicycles in your yard, you need to secure them to something or put them in your garage until after the storm. The reason for this is simple: anything loose in your yard can become a projectile.

Remember that part of preparing for a hurricane means not only keeping yourself safe, but your neighbors, as well.

If you have a large trashcan that sits on your curb, this should also be tied to your home or placed safely in your garage. While it’s not fun to think about a stinky, smelly trashcan in your garage, it’s better than the alternative of having it disappear during the storm.

This is also a good time to make sure that your family has plenty of water, any necessary medications, and snacks to last you throughout the storm and in the days after. Remember that transportation could be delayed. If you’re expecting that your grocery store is going to be stocked, you could be mistaken.

Before your area is hit, make sure that you unplug important electronic devices in case you lose power. This includes your television and computers. Even if you have a surge protector, it’s possible that your electronics could be damaged when the power comes back on. Play it safe.

During the storm, make sure that you stay away from windows. If you’re dealing with a hurricane for a long time, trying to keep your kids in an interior, windowless room may be impossible. Focus on keeping family members away from windows that may shatter or break.

When you do go outside after the storm, make sure that you wear shoes. Watch out for broken glass, tree limbs, and standing water. Unfortunately, many items will break or become damaged during the storm, so you’re going to want to watch your footing for awhile.

Floods

Heavy rains have you worried?

Flooding is something that can happen anywhere. Whether you live in a tiny mountain town or in the middle of Kansas, flooding is something to be cautious about.

If you suspect that you may encounter flooding in your area, there are a few things you can do ahead of time to ensure your family’s safety.

First off, call your insurance company to make sure that you actually have coverage should your home flood during an emergency. Keep in mind that you can’t call while it’s raining. You actually need to have coverage prior to the storm. After you deal with a flood, contact your insurance company again to file a claim if you need to. They’ll be able to let you know what supporting documentation you need to provide.

Talk with your kids about flooding. Let them know what to do if the house starts to flood. Make sure that each child has a good, sturdy pair of shoes to wear and that they know to stay away from the water. Consider keeping a pair of tennis shoes in a basket in the hallway by your child’s bedroom. This way, there will be no running around at the last second trying to find shoes to wear.

Make sure that you move furniture away from flooded areas. If possible, move important items to a higher floor. If you only have a single story home, do what you can to keep important items away from the water. If you have important documents or flash drives in your home, make sure that you store these securely in waterproof containers prior to rainfall.

One of the most important things you need to know during a flood is to stay inside. You might think that the water doesn’t look deep or that you’ll be fine, but the truth is that many people are swept away by currents. Do NOT go outside during a flood unless you absolutely have to for some reason. Stay indoors with your family and focus on keeping everyone dry and safe.

After a flood, make sure that you throw away any food that was exposed to floodwaters, as it could be contaminated. When in doubt, toss it out. It’s far better to throw away some food and know that your family is safe than to risk feeding your kids contaminated and bacteria-covered foods.

Blizzards

During a blizzard or even just a cold winter storm, your main focus is typically going to be keeping your family warm.

If you lose power, it’s going to get cold.

It’s going to get really cold.

Make sure that you check on your kids throughout the night or simply have them sleep in your bedroom during a winter power outage. While I know having a bunch of kids in your bedroom isn’t always fun and doesn’t always result in the best rest, it’s important to make sure that your little ones are as warm as possible. Load up on blankets and create “nests” on your bedroom floor for your kids. They’ll love it and you’ll be able to sleep knowing that they’re safe.

If possible, consider how you’ll generate heat to your home. Some families choose to invest in space heaters or generators to handle cold winter storms. Others have a fireplace. No matter what type of dwelling you live in, make sure that you know how you’ll keep your family warm. Keep in mind that if you live in an apartment, you may not have to worry about heat as much because the apartments around yours will hold some heat, at least for awhile. You should, however, still know what you’ll do to heat your home if your place does get chilly.

One way that you can reduce the amount of cold air in your home is to seal off your windows. Use large plastic tarps or heavy shower curtains and duct tape these around your windows. While this won’t completely seal your home from cool air, it will minimize the amount of cold bursts that creep into your home. You can also do this with blankets.

Of course, you’ll also want to make sure that you have enough food and water on hand. With a blizzard, make sure that you also have candles, matches, and lighters available, as well. Oil lamps offer a small source of heat while providing light to your home. Camp stoves are also helpful during a winter storm. Of course, keep the threat of carbon monoxide at the back of your mind when using alternative sources of heat. Consider installing a carbon monoxide detector if you do not already have one.

Power outages

If you live in an area that has a lot of power outages, you realize that it doesn’t take a storm to cause a rift in your daily plans.

Power outages, when they aren’t accompanied by a storm, are usually pretty annoying.

After all, when the sun is shining but the power is out, you can’t cook on your electric stovetop. You can’t surf the Internet. You can’t read on your Kindle. You can’t play games endlessly on your cell phone.

In other words, power outages are boring.

Before a power outage happens, make sure that you have easy-to-make snacks available at your home and plenty of fun, non-electric activities.

This could include:

Board games

Card games

Books

Drawing supplies

Craft supplies

Portable DVD player with extra battery

Journals

You could also play hide-and-seek, sort through those boxes in your garage, clean the living room up, work on a sewing project, or even chat with your neighbors. If you don’t have kids, a power outage is a great chance just to relax and take a nap.

You should also:

Get a battery-operated fan in case it gets hot.

Have premixed baby formula available.

Buy wet wipes to deal with spills or sticky hands.

Have a car charger for your cell phone.

Get a battery-operated radio so you can get local updates.

Contact your power company to let them know that your electricity is out.

Have a glass of wine. You deserve it!

The biggest thing to remember with a power outage, though, is to stay calm and have fun.

Sometimes taking a little break from technology really is nice.

Sometimes it’s frustrating.

But no matter how you feel about the situation, it’s important to avoid freaking out and getting upset. Remember that when you have kids, they’re going to be looking to you for advice and insight. They’re going to respond in similar ways to you. If you laugh it off and view the power outage as a way to have a good time, chances are that your kids will, too.

About the author

Penelope Hoyt is an urban survivalist and city prepper. She has written 37 books designed to help moms, dads, and caregivers become prepared for natural disasters and financial emergencies. In addition to her work on prepping, Hoyt has written several books designed to help moms and dads alike develop their homemaking skills, including how to create freezer meals and how to prep their homes for holiday guests and parties.

Hoyt runs The Nerdy Survivalist blog, which addresses many issues that urban survivalists face, such as how to start a pantry when you live in an apartment or how to create a bug-out bag that's going to work.

Contact her through her blog, The Nerdy Survivalist, or sign up to receive email updates here.