12 Months of Prepping – The First Year

The Survival Woman

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Back in September 2011, when I first wrote about 12 Months of Prepping, I was excited and highly motivated to share monthly checklists with the beginning prepper.

Leading up to the 12 months article, I had done a lot of reading and a lot of research. It was overwhelming to learn and to recognize just how much I did not know. I tried not to become alarmed and applied my typical pragmatic approach to moving forward, not only for the readers of Backdoor Survival, but also for myself. Most assuredly, I had some gaping holes in my own preps and what better way to fill the gaps then to break things down into manageable chunks?

The overwhelming popularity of the 12 Months of Prepping series took me by surprise. I was astounded. What started as a basic roadmap for a modest number of readers, expanded and grew to where in each month, I was receiving hundreds of emails asking me questions, offering tips and lending support for my monthly prepping articles.

Thrilling? Yes. Humbling? You bet. Challenging? You have no idea.

Now, as we approach the end of the calendar year, I am updating the original article and posting it again with a few more tips plus links to the individual monthly posts. For those of you getting started, I hope you will find this useful as begin your journey toward self-reliance.

And for the experienced prepper? Please take this time to review your supplies, gear and skills and fill in any blanks just as I have done. We have twelve new months of prepping starting soon and for sure, you will want to be ready.

12 Months of Prepping – Year 1

The roadblocks to getting started are many. Time, money and moral support from reluctant family members all play a role in putting off or procrastinating when it comes to your prepping efforts. And then there is fear: not only the fear that something may happen and you will not be ready but also the fear of the something itself.

Let us put those fears and concerns aside for now and instead, focus on setting those roadblocks aside and moving forward. Let me help you break down the overwhelming task of emergency and disaster preparation by providing you with a month by month calendar of things to do, tasks to complete and items to purchase. You will have a manageable number of things to do in a short period of time with a limited amount of time or cash outlay. And instead of looking at a task list 10 pages long, you will have a short list that is eminently doable in 30 days or less.

Does this sound like a plan? And are you ready to start?

MONTH 1

Link: Getting Prepared Month 1: Supplies, Gear and Tasks to Get You Started

SUPPLIES & GEAR:

  • Water-3 gallons per person and per pet
  • Hand-operated can opener and bottle opener
  • Canned meat, stew, or pasta meals – 5 per person
  • 2 flashlights with batteries

TASKS:

  • Inventory the disaster supplies you already have on hand, including your camping gear
  • If you fill your own water containers, mark them with the date they were filled
  • Date cans of food and food containers if you have not already done so

MONTH 2

Link: Getting Prepared Month 2: First Aid, Personal Hygiene and Home Safety

SUPPLIES & GEAR:

  • Canned vegetables – 4 per person
  • Toilet paper – 3 rolls per person
  • Sanitary napkins – 2 months’ supply
  • Instant drinks (coffee, tea, powdered soft drinks)
  • Family sized first aid kit

TASKS:

  • Change the batteries and test your smoke detectors. Purchase and install smoke detectors if you don’t have them
  • Make an inventory of home contents for insurance purposes. Take photographs (digital are easiest) of your house and contents. Store a copy away from your home.

MONTH 3

Link: Getting Prepared Month 3: Special Foods, Fire Drills and Home Safety

SUPPLIES & GEAR:

  • Canned fruits – 3 cans per person
  • Any foods for special dietary needs (enough for 3 days)
  • A large plastic tub or bin for storage of food and other emergency supplies.

TASKS:

  • Conduct a home fire drill
  • Locate the gas meter and water shutoff points and attach/store a wrench or shutoff tool near them. Also store special shutoff instruction, if any.
  • Establish and out-of-state contact to call in case of an emergency
  • Identify a location for your storage of plastic bin or tub.

MONTH 4

Link:Getting Prepared Month 4: Prescription Medicine, Cash, and Things to Keep Us Warm

SUPPLIES & GEAR:

  • A Minimum of a 7 day Supply of Critical Prescription Medicines
  • $100 (or more) in Small Bills
  • Pet Supplies
  • Infant Supplies
  • Extra Storage Containers

TASKS:

  • Package your prescription medications in a storage container and date for annual rotation purposes
  • Pack up warm blankets, sleeping bags, socks and other cold weather items
  • Review your storage area and put stray items in containers that are well marked

MONTH 5

Link: Getting Prepared Month 5: Sanitation Supplies and Establishing a Community of Like Minded Folks

SUPPLIES & GEAR:

  • Liquid dish soap
  • Plain liquid bleach
  • White vinegar
  • Empty spray bottle
  • Liquid hand soap and hand sanitizer
  • Bar of soap
  • Disposable hand wipes
  • Disposable latex or nutile gloves
  • Canned, ready-to-eat soup – 4 per person
  • Portable am/FM radio with batteries

TASKS:

  • Make two photocopies of important papers and put one in the storage container, and one away from your home.
  • File an electronic copy of your important papers on a flash drive
  • Talk with neighbors about organizing a neighborhood preparedness group.

MONTH 6

Link: Getting Prepared Month 6: Fitness, Energy Bars and Face Masks

SUPPLIES & GEAR:

  • Box of granola or power bars – 1 per person
  • 6 rolls of paper towels
  • Box of N-95 or N-100 face masks – 1 per person.

TASKS:

  • Check to see if stored water has expired and needs to be replaced
  • Put an extra pair of eyeglasses in the supply container
  • Find out about your workplace disaster plans and the disaster plans at your children’s schools

MONTH 7

Link: Getting Prepared Month 7: Gear, Tools and Skills to Save Lives

SUPPLIES & GEAR:

  • NOAA Alert Weather Radio
  • ABC fire extinguisher
  • Jug of juice – 1 per person
  • Adult and children’s vitamins
  • A pair of pliers and/or vise grip
  • 100 feet of rope or paracord

TASKS:

  • Take a first aid/CPR class
  • Show family members where and how to shut off utilities

MONTH 8

Link: Getting Prepared Month 8: Adding Supplies, Tasks, and an Emergency Preparedness Kit for Your Vehicle

SUPPLIES & GEAR:

  • Box of crackers or graham crackers – 1 per person
  • Dry cereal or instant oatmeal – 1 weeks’ worth per person
  • 1 box of large, heavy-duty garbage bags

TASKS:

  • Make a small preparedness kit for your car. Include food, water, blanket, small first aid kit, a list of important phone numbers
  • Secure water heaters to wall studs (if not already done)

MONTH 9

Link: Getting Prepared Month 9: Duct Tape and Drills

SUPPLIES & GEAR:

  • Extra batteries for flashlights, radio and hearing aids (if needed)
  • Duct tape
  • Add an additional 3 days of water to your supply per person and per pet

TASKS:

  • Follow up on efforts to organize your family and your neighborhood
  • Conduct an earthquake drill at home: stop, drop and hold, then go outside. (Remember, and earthquake can happen anywhere as recent events have demonstrated.)
  • Swap out stored medications with fresh versions. Review your prescription medicines and add those that are missing from your kit.

MONTH 10

Link: Getting Prepared Month 10: Practice Going Off Grid

SUPPLIES & GEAR:

  • Take the month off from purchases. Yay!
  • Or, for extra credit, add:
  • Axe
  • Hatchet
  • Pocket Knife
  • Portable (Folding) Shovel

TASKS:

  • Become earthquake ready by taking steps to secure appliances, shelves, cabinets and drawers to prevent them from falling and/or opening during a tremor.
  • Imagine your house with no electricity. Better yet, shut off the power for 4 to 24 hours and try to live off-grid.

MONTH 11

Link: Getting Prepared Month 11: Stock Up on Disposables & Build a Neighborhood Contact List

SUPPLIES & GEAR:

  • Package of paper plates
  • Package of napkins
  • Package of eating utensils
  • Package of paper cups

TASKS:

  • Exchange work, home and emergency contact phone numbers with neighbors for use during an emergency

MONTH 12

Link: Getting Prepared Month 12: Food, Water and the Motivation to Keep Going

SUPPLIES & GEAR:

  • Expand your food supply
  • Purchase some comfort food or condiments
  • Heavy work gloves

TASKS:

  • Check your water supply and rotate if necessary
  • Check over your stored food and rotate if necessary

MONTH 13

Congratulations. You have completed your year of preparations. Now is a good time to go back to month 1 and review, replenish, rotate and drill. Good job!

Moving Forward to 12 Months of Prepping – Year 2

Now that you have been bit by the prepping bug, your life has undoubtedly changed. Trips to the grocery store now include searching out bargains on dry goods and canned goods so that you can purchase one for now and one for later. Family outings now focus not only on having a good time, but on learning how to cope in the outdoors and making do without all of the creature comforts that come with a roof over your head.

As we move forward to year two, you will find a greater focus on singular skills such as building a shelter, learning how to start and maintain a campfire and cooking with the merest of basics. These things and more will be covered in year two. In addition, I will share some insight into food preservation, gardening and the gear you will need if you are required to bug out.

In each month there will be suggested activities, recommended purchases, viable alternatives, budget saving strategies and references to more reading material. I hope you will join me.

The Final Word

Perhaps not readily evident is that as I write and as I research, I am standing side by side with you during this prepping journey. Like you, I continually strive to expand my knowledge and increase my survival skills. For us, our common goal is to learn to depend on ourselves not others for our basic well-being – no matter what.

I consider myself to be an ordinary citizen, who again like you, is just trying to get by in these uncertain and chaotic times. And as trite as it sounds, I hope that what I learn, what I do and what I share will make the road to self-reliance just a bit easier for the next person.

The final word for today is this:

Emergency preparation is your journey and should be unique to your circumstances, your family, your geographical location and your financial resources. Yes, it can be a chore. But as I have said before, it should be a chore with a happy ending.

Enjoy your next adventure through common sense and thoughtful preparation!

Gaye

More from Backdoor Survival:

  • How to Stockpile Antibiotics for Long Term Survival
  • 40 Items to Barter in a Post-Collapse World
  • Budget Prepping for A Buck
  • Is Being Prepared an Addiction, an Obsession or a Chore ?

Bargain Bin: Being prepared for an natural disaster or a grid down situation can be daunting at best. By pacing yourself, you can build up your food supplies and gear over a period of time. Starting with the basics of food and water, then moving on to basic items such as flashlights, lanterns, radios and the all-important bug out bag will put you on the path toward survival. Here is a list of some items to help you along the way.

Kaito Voyager KA500 Solar/Crank Emergency AM/FM/SW NOAA Weather Radio: A lot of different hand crank radios are sold but this one is one of the the most popular as is the Ambient Weather Emergency Solar Hand Crank Radiowhich is becoming a popular choice with Backdoor Survival readers.

Cyalume Snap Light Industrial Grade Chemical Light Sticks, 6″, 12 Hour Duration: These are great when the power is out or if you need something to light your way when stranded along the roadside. Very inexpensive although the price can vary by color

Emergency Mylar Thermal Blankets (Pack of 10): You will be surprised at how warm these will keep you. Be sure to test one out in advance so that you have the confidence to trust the blanket in an emergency. You will be amazed at how small and portable these are; a packet will easily fit in a back pocket.

Emergency Shelter Tent: The Emergency Tent is a lightweight and compact emergency shelter. It is wind and waterproof and easy to set up and is roomy enough for two people. Less than $10.

Emergency Sleeping Bag: Another low cost item designed to keep you warm in an emergency situation.

Swedish Firesteel: Using this basic pocket fire-starter, you can get a nice fire going under almost any conditions. This is a small, compact version. About $11.

Rothco Type III Commercial Paracord: You can get 100 feet of Paracord for about $8. This is a real bargain but be aware that price can vary substantially depending on the color.

Coleman Rugged Battery Powered Lantern: This sturdy Coleman has a runtime of up to 28 hours on the low setting and 18 hours on the high setting but does require D cell batteries. Personally, I have both a battery operated and Propane Lantern. Of course by now you know that I like redundancy with my preps.

Fiskars 7855 8-Inch Hatchet: The Fiskars products are easily sharpened and will last a lifetime. For less than $25, what is not to like? Oh, and while you are at it, you might also like the Fiskars Axe & Knife Sharpener for an additional $10.

Nano Light Keychain LED Flashlight: I have dozens (literally!) of mini-LED flashlights. They are in my purse, my car, my nightstand, my desk drawer and the pockets of my parka and coat. This one is especially nice because it clips to a key-ring.

Kershaw OSO Sweet Knife: This “oh so sweet” knife is solidly built, stainless steel knife that comes razor sharp right out of the package. It will pretty much cut through anything the price is amazing. Another popular knife is the SOG M37-N SEAL Pup.

Windstorm Safety Whistle: This particular whistle can be heard a long distance away and above howling wind and other competing sounds. About $5.

Holding Your Ground: Preparing for Defense if it All Falls Apart: You need this book if you care about defending your homestead.

AA and AAA Solar Battery Charger: Another popular item. This unit will charge up to 2 pairs of AA or 1 pair of AAA batteries via USB or solar power.

EcoZoom Versa Rocket Stove: Burning twigs and pinecones, this stove will cook a big pot of rice in under 20 minutes. The stove is solidly built and will burn charcoal as well. There is also a version that only burns biomass for slightly less money. Another option is the highly portable Solo Stove which is an amazing 9 oz. and easily fits in a backpack.

And last, is the Backdoor Survival Gear Bag, with a number of well-thought out basics to get you started in a rugged, military grade pack. The price is $119.99 and shipping is free.