Whether it’s just seeing what you have on hand due to an upcoming storm or or preparing for Doomsday, you’ll need one thing. And that’s a checklist.
You’ll appreciate that checklist as you prepare and stockpile food, water, and bug-out bag items. It could be very simple, such as a small pad and pen attached to your pantry.
- If you’re getting things on the go, begin moving the older things to the front or the top of the pile (FIFO – First In, First Out). I will soon address about how long food stays edible in cans and other means of long-term storage*. For now, I will say that it is much longer than the expiration date on the can.
- If you’re home canning, a checklist would be a great way to help keep a balanced approach to what you’re canning.
- If you stored food using different spices and herbs, you’ll want to know if that frozen meat has Asian or Italian seasonings. Use your checklist so you’re balancing out what you’re seasoning and storing so you’re not over-or-under buying.
But checklists aren’t just for food.
- For items you’ve gathered for an emergency, and for your car or in a storage space. A checklist means you never have to guess or what is where and needs to be updated.
- For those “housekeeping” items that either we don’t do or would rather not think about. Your HVAC maintenance. The dog’s yearly vet exam. An oil change. List out those tasks, put it on your phone’s calendar to be recurring monthly or yearly. Maintenance is boring and may cost money. But as the expression goes. “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
Tip: A spreadsheet can work as a checklist whether you’re logging your food storage, supplies, or even all those crazy passwords you need to remember.
As a beginning prepper, you may be unsure if you have anything you need right now. I have what I call “The Essential Prepper Checklist” available, which would be an excellent starting point. I provide this checklist for FREE and you can find it here. Having my checklist will help you determine what needs to be obtained, updated, or replaced. You will also note items you want, so even if you can’t get them right now, you can budget for them. Now, you have something tangible as a reminder to assist you in reaching your preparedness goals.
As single women, especially those with children, there’s a lot on your plate. There are little things we avoid because we feel other things are more important. However, prepping is all about efficiency. If you don’t have to think about the what, where or when, that means you can function more efficiently. A checklist lets execute your emergency plans in a moment when you may barely remember your name.
https://ask.usda.gov/s/article/How-long-can-you-keep-canned-goods#:~:text=High%20acid%20foods%20such%20as,worst%20danger%20in%20canned%20goods.
Is It Okay to Eat Expired Canned Food?
https://www.businessinsider.com/long-lasting-foods-apocalypse-2018-10#canned-fruits-vegetables-soups-and-even-meats-will-last-from-one-to-five-years-10
https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/health/how-long-can-you-keep-medication-past-its-expiration-date-a-doctor-weighs-in/3241371/#:~:text=When%20it%20comes%20to%20medication,out%20after%20the%20expiration%20date.
https://www.uhhospitals.org/blog/articles/2023/08/expired-medications-dangerous-or-just-less-effective
