What Do I Have Stored For Emergencies?
I think it’s appropriate to talk about what do I have stored for emergencies today. When I started my blog, my sister Carol helped me make printable PDFs for my readers covering the various items we need when emergencies happen. Here’s the deal: It can seem overwhelming to try and be prepared for the unexpected. One aspect is forgetting what we have or need to purchase to be properly prepared, and I hope I can help you with that chore.
As you know, Mark and I moved up north in Utah and built a small ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit) behind our daughter’s home. It is a small home for us, totaling 1000 square feet. We are getting older and want to be closer to family, and this location seemed the perfect central location for family. It took three grueling years to build it; the city was new to ADU units, so getting permits was very stressful, and it took almost 1-1/2 years to get them approved. Then, another 1-1/2 years to build it.
It’s not done, but it’s, for the most part, liveable. We are generally pleased with the results, but it cost more than we had expected. Like everything else, the cost of building supplies has increased over the last four years.
Expenses Are High When Providing For a Family
Nowadays, I don’t know how families are feeding themselves. Food, gas, medical supplies and treatments, and home prices are out of control. How much more can families afford to pay for clothes, shoes, kitchen appliances, and furniture? Adding to that the cost to have provisions stored for emergencies could feel overwhelming.
I don’t want to make this a political statement, but please vote for the person you believe can restore our long-held American goals and values. Please talk with your family and explain to them how important this election is for the good of our country.
We need a leader with experience balancing budgets and keeping as much money here at home as possible for the benefit of our citizens. You have the right to vote, so please do it. Read what each candidate will do for Americans. I will not tell you who to vote for; look at current national challenges and decide for yourself who may take us in important directions.
I better get off my soapbox, but I am begging you from the bottom of my heart to vote for the person who is a leader and knows how to run a business and get the most out of our government structure. We need a change to take care of those in the USA.
The Past Few Weeks Have Been a Major Challenge for Many Americans
Although I dislike cold weather, and particularly snow storms, I have to admit that living in Utah has been easy compared to those living in the Southeast part of the country. With Hurricane Helene wiping out many communities in states like Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina, having to shovel some walks and wear a heavy coat seems pretty simple.
Now many of these same people, along with thousands of others, are having to deal with the devastation of Hurricane Milton. It’s hard to believe that as I write this post, millions are still dealing with power outages, flooded homes and businesses, closed grocery stores and gas stations, and no access to healthcare facilities for those needing treatment.
The experts are calling these storms “once-in-a-generation events” and as such, it will take months, even years, to recuperate. Although many families would have been in trouble even with emergency supplies on hand, we’re hearing it’s the families who were better prepared who are helping their neighbors survive.
Every Community Is Prone to Experience Natural Disasters or Other Issues
The recent hurricanes have caused major damage from tornados, much like you’d expect in the mid-west or “tornado” alley. Many western states like Utah and California have frequent earthquake tremors with little property damage, but we’re told to prepare for “the big one” that could come any day with major devastation!
This has been a tough fire season for many U.S. locations due to drought conditions. Mark played golf last week in the mountains east of where we live and he said it was hard to see the full length of some golf holes due to the smoke from fires miles away.
The recent short-lived dock worker’s strike caused many people within the national supply chain structure to be laid off or have hours cut back. It was interesting to see shelves in stores like Costco become empty as people rushed to get toilet paper, not realizing that toilet paper doesn’t come on shipping containers on the East Coast.
We’re reading that this may be a tough flu season with new strains of the flu virus. There are other viruses causing challenging health issues. With that being true, the breadwinner in many homes may get sick and unable to work.
What Do I Have Stored For Emergencies?
I wanted to outline some scenarios where families are facing the risk of losing the ability to provide for themselves. We never know what might be headed our way, and we need to put together an emergency plan based on the most likely event in our particular area. I haven’t gone into detail regarding what you and your family need to have stored, but I have tried to set the stage for you to brainstorm and then take action. Once you have a plan in place you can use the printable charts that follow to help you track what you have stocked in your food and water storage. Please be prepared before you need to be.
Final Word
I hope you can use these printables to help you organize the food and water you have stored. Please print them on cardstock if you have some and place them in plastic sheet protectors. Part of being properly prepared is to plan ahead, acquire what you feel you’ll need, then keep track of usage and replace items needed. May God Bless this world, Linda
Hi Linda, As someone who has lived in CA, the Mid-West, and now Florida I have experienced many of the natural disasters. On the political front, I fear something worse then the riots of 2020 will happen no matter who wins this election. As far as prepping goes I think the best way to do it is have food in cans (with a pop-off top or have a manual can opener handy) along with the #10 cans of emergency that can last up to 25yrs. We don’t know if water will be available, or if you’re going to be able even to cook. So have things that you eat cold. Also have water, you can only live 3 days without it.
Keep up the get articles that you put out.
Hi Barb, thank you for your kind words, my sweet friend. Yesterday, after living here three years we finally were able to fill our water tanks. I have two 160 gallon tanks and one 250 gallon tank. We finally got them situated in our garage even though one family was not happy Mark and I wanted them filled. Such is life. The big one will be filled today. Luckily a granddaughter came into the garage and said, wow, this is awesome, did you see what happened with Hurricane Helene? They have NO water! RIGHT ON!! Linda
Great post, Linda.
I love your comment about voting!! I have been voting for 53 years (since 1971 when 18-year-olds were given the right to vote). I have not missed a general election yet! I have missed voting in all of the primaries and in some area’s special elections but not the general election. My feeling is this: IF you vote, you have the right to voice your opinion. I feel that if you don’t vote, you have NO right to voice your opinion!!! I know people who do not vote and tell me so. Then when they start complaining about who is in office, I actually tell them to shut up and that they lost the right to voice an opinion because they did not vote! Ok, off my soapbox!!
Knowing what I have is a challenge in my little, tiny house (perhaps 600 sq ft) with no garage, no outbuildings. I just have 2 bedrooms, a living room and a very small kitchen and tiny bathroom. So, storage space is very limited. I have a space for my FD foods but since I moved here a year ago, I could not tell you what I really have! That said, I do tend to store what I eat and eat what I store. Most of my food storage is in constant rotation. I don’t have a lot of water stored and that is my main concern. I am purchasing the smaller water bricks but fitting them into my budget is slow going!
Hi Leanne, Oh I hear you on on the space, although we do have a single garage. Mark and I just organized our FD dried food and some have expired because as you know some only have an 8 year shelf life, like butter and eggs. Well, my food storage was in a climate controlled storage unit for 3 years, oh well. That’s life. Linda
Thanks for this article, Linda. Yes, we all need to vote and I believe there will be riots/civil unrest no matter who wins. My son is concerned about losing his job. The company he works for has been laying off people and restructuring everything from the top down. He’s a prepper as are the husband and I. We hope we can make it through whatever is coming down the pike.
I’d love to have a pantry like that one. I don’t even have one in my house. Oh well, I do have food.
Hi Deborah, It’s not really a pantry, but thank you. It’s a wall with shelves. I wanted a pantry but my house is too small. Oh well, we both have food. I’ve been trying to organize it and it’s hard. I had to wait until I was 74 going on 75 to get a wall pantry. I was hoping to put doors on it but there is no room. This is a tiny home, but Mark and I have what we need. I have water lining mmy bedroom wall. Oh well, I have water. I’m hoping to get the water tanks filled next week in the garage. Moving is a big job. Linda
I don’t have a wall in my kitchen big enough for even shelves like that. And no room in the breakfast room. Dining room is separate. Even though we have 1800 square feet, there is no storage or pantry room. The “laundry” room is a closet with the water heater and room for the washer and dryer. We got a stackable washer/dryer so I could put a shelving unit to hold the laundry soap and other items.
Kitchen has no space for dishes and food. 2 upper cabinets. There’s lot of counter space, just not by the sink. You live in a house and learn what to look for.
Add me to the group that thinks we are going to have riots and unrest in November, no matter who wins, I want to be prepared for that. I hope the unrest will be short lived and non-violent, but unrest and violence between the last election and January 20, 2021 scares me. I expect problem with shipping food and goods and increased inflalation. Regardless of who wins.
Property values, and therefore property taxes, have increased so much on our home that our last hope to stay in our home is to rent out the walkout basement as an apartment. That will eliminate my food storage location and we have to make other plans. Due to the extreme heat in the summer and extreme cold in the winter, the garage and attic are not suitable to store food or water. We are going to have to be creative and store behind sofas, under beds, and other places. At a time where I would like to reduce my short term food storage, I think I need to increase it.
I’m beginning to wonder if property ownership is even worth it in today’s economy. We are in one of the most taxed states in the country and so many retirees are selling and moving out of state so they can still afford a home.