How to Be Prepared Before You Need to Be
October 9, 2025 by Linda Loosli 16  Comments

How to Be Prepared Before You Need to Be

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We never know when life will throw us a curveball, such as a natural disaster, power outage, food shortage, or medical emergency. Preparedness isn’t about fear; it’s about peace of mind. Being prepared before you need to be means you’ll have the essentials when everyone else is scrambling.

I have been prepared for just about any unforeseen disaster scenario for most of my adult life. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I managed to survive without needing to go to the store every week. Part of why I started my blog was to help you be prepared before you need to be.

When you are prepared, you don’t have to stress or be worried when something happens. Today, I am going to share some great ways to get started with being prepared!

Be Prepared Before You Need to Be

Life happens, and we don’t always know what is going to happen. The key to being prepared is thinking ahead. Here are some ways to start doing that!

How to Be Prepared Before You Need to Be

What Could Happen?

The first step is to consider why you need to be prepared. Each person will need to prepare differently, depending on their circumstances, location, and potential local risks.

For example, I prepare for several situations that could happen, which include: fires, flooding, earthquakes (I live in an area where they are frequent),  and pandemics. Maybe you have wildfires, earthquakes, or blizzards where you live.

Please consider the potential events in your area, and visit my blog for help preparing for various scenarios. Here are a few good posts you may want to check out:

Start Preparing!

Once you have figured out what you need to prepare for, start doing it! No matter what natural disaster or unforeseen scenario could happen, you will need some necessities, such as food and water. If you haven’t started prepping, I would encourage you to read my post “Prepping For Beginners: A Guide to Get You Started.”

Be Prepared with a Garden

Another great way to be prepared for the inevitable is to be self-sufficient. Right now, you can buy things all day long at the store, and you can have a year’s worth of food and water saved up, but what happens if you can no longer go to the store? You have to know how to grow at least some of your own food.

Start learning how to get that Green Thumb! If you haven’t grown your own food before, I would suggest reading “The 8 Easiest Vegetables to Grow for Beginners.”

Be Prepared With Water Sources

The truth is, we can stock up on water and store enough for several months or longer, but if we can’t purchase more, we need to know how to obtain it on our own. If you are starting, read “How to Store Water for Drinking and Cooking.” In addition to storing water, it’s essential to know how to locate water sources and purify water for drinking. To be prepared before you need to be, I suggest reading the following posts:

Water

  • Why it’s critical: You can only survive about 3 days without water.
  • What to store:
    • 1 gallon per person per day (minimum). I prefer 4 gallons per person per day.
    • Water filters (LifeStraw, Berkey, Sawyer Mini).
    • Water purification tablets or unscented bleach.
    • Collapsible water containers or 55-gallon barrels.

Food

  • Why it’s critical: Keeps energy and morale up during crises.
  • What to store:
    • Canned goods (vegetables, meats, beans, soups).
    • Freeze-dried or dehydrated meals.
    • Grains (rice, oats, pasta) and dry beans.
    • Peanut butter, honey, and powdered milk.
    • Manual can opener.

Shelter and Warmth

  • Why it’s critical: Exposure to cold or heat can be deadly within hours.
  • What to have:
    • Emergency blankets or sleeping bags.
    • Tent or tarp with paracord.
    • Extra clothing and sturdy shoes.
    • Hand warmers, gloves, and thermal layers.

Fire and Heat Source

  • Why it’s critical: Needed for warmth, cooking, and sterilization.
  • What to store:
    • Waterproof matches, lighters, or ferro rods.
    • Small stove (propane, butane, or wood).
    • Fuel (stored safely).
    • Candles and lanterns.

First Aid and Medicine

  • Why it’s critical: Medical help may not be available.
  • What to include:
    • A fully stocked first aid kit.
    • Prescription medications (rotate regularly).
    • Pain relievers, bandages, and antiseptic wipes.
    • Tweezers, scissors, gloves, and gauze.
    • Emergency medical guidebook.

Light Sources

  • Why it’s critical: Power outages make navigation and safety difficult.
  • What to keep:

Communication Tools

  • Why it’s critical: To receive updates or call for help.
  • What to have:
    • Battery-powered or crank emergency radio (NOAA).
    • Whistle or signal mirror.
    • Fully charged power banks and solar chargers.

Personal Hygiene and Sanitation

  • Why it’s critical: Prevents illness and maintains comfort.
  • What to store:
    • Soap, toothpaste, toilet paper, baby wipes.
    • Trash bags, a bucket with a lid for an emergency toilet.
    • Hand sanitizer and feminine products.

Tools and Multi-Use Gear

  • Why it’s critical: Useful for repairs, protection, and survival tasks.
  • What to include:
    • Multi-tool or Swiss Army knife.
    • Duct tape, rope, tarp, and plastic sheeting.
    • Small shovel or hatchet.

Important Documents and Cash

  • Why it’s critical: Needed for identification, insurance, and transactions.
  • What to store:
    • IDs, passports, insurance papers, deeds.
    • Emergency contact list.
    • Small bills and coins in a waterproof bag.

Don’t Forget to Stock Other Essentials

Food and water are the essentials you should stock first! You can’t live without food and water. However, you also want to be prepared with other things you may not think about. Here is a list of different items I would recommend having a stockpile of for any disaster scenario:

  • Personal Hygiene Items: This includes toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, soap, and for women, pads or tampons. Adult Wet Wipes
  • Cleaning and sanitizing supplies: Bleach is number 1! Not only can you clean anything with bleach, but it can also be used to purify your water for drinking. 
  • First Aid Kit: Without access to a doctor, you’ll need supplies to stop bleeding, including some surgical supplies. 
  • OTC Medications: You probably aren’t a chemist and wouldn’t know how to create these medications. So, it is essential to stock up on medicines like Benadryl, fever reducers, and cold and flu medications. 
  • Paper products: If you can’t wash dishes, you will want disposable items that can be burned or thrown away. Things like paper plates, plastic utensils, and cups are good to have on hand. 
  • Toilet Paper: We all know how quickly stores can run out of toilet paper. That is often the first thing to go in an emergency. So, stock up now when it’s available! Also, learn to make reusable toilet paper.

Think about Bartering and Trading

This year, we have seen a coin shortage, which tells me we may be trending towards a cashless society. I always keep cash hidden and out of the bank for any scenario, but that doesn’t mean it will be useless at some point.

Therefore, it is always a good idea to consider bartering or trading to obtain what you need without cash. Please keep some money hidden in case you can’t withdraw it from the bank. But also, know how to barter and trade. Here are some posts to get you thinking:

How to Be Prepared Before You Need to Be

1. Start with the Basics

  • Water: Store at least one gallon per person per day for two weeks.
  • Food: Build a 30-day supply of shelf-stable foods your family actually eats.
  • Shelter: Keep blankets, a tent, and other ways to stay warm in case of a power outage.

2. Build Your Emergency Kits

  • Home Kit: First aid, flashlights, batteries, cash, hygiene items.
  • Car Kit: Jumper cables, food bars, extra clothes, and a phone charger.
  • Go-Bag: Keep one ready for evacuation, including copies of important documents.

3. Learn Essential Skills

  • Basic first aid and CPR
  • How to cook without power
  • How to filter or purify water
  • Communication plans for your family

4. Get Your Home Ready

  • Have fire extinguishers and know how to use them
  • Store fuel safely
  • Have backup lighting (solar lanterns, candles, flashlights)
  • Know where to shut off water, gas, and power

5. Financial and Digital Preparedness

  • Keep small bills on hand
  • Back up important files to the cloud and a physical drive
  • Have copies of IDs and insurance in a waterproof folder

6. Practice and Rotate

Preparedness isn’t a one-time task. Rotate your food, water, and fuel. Test your gear. Update your plan each year.

1: What does “being prepared before you need to be” mean?
It means taking proactive steps to ensure your family’s safety, comfort, and survival before an emergency happens.

2: How can I start prepping on a budget?
Begin with water, shelf-stable foods, and basic first aid supplies. Buy one or two extra items per grocery trip.

3: How often should I rotate my food storage?
Check and rotate food every 6–12 months, especially canned and dry goods.

4: What are the most critical preparedness items?
Water, food, light sources, first aid, and a reliable means of cooking or heating.

5: Why is preparedness important?
Emergencies rarely give warning. Being ready ensures your family’s safety and reduces panic and stress when disaster strikes.

Final Word

When it comes to being prepared, we may not think of everything, but the more we prep, the better we will be in any situation. Being prepared isn’t just about preparing for a significant disaster or collapse; it’s about being prepared even for conditions that can come our way, such as a job loss, personal health issues, the death of a loved one, etc. Remember, luck favors the prepared. May God bless this world, Linda

Copyright Images: Beneath the Asphalt Deposit photos_49226117_s-2019

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16 Comments

  1. Good morning All. Great post, Linda! We all need to be reminded to prepare for whatever can happen in the area we live in. I need to be working on our list of what we have and what we need.

    Reply

  2. This year is a tutorial about why we need to be prepared. My mother knew this, she grew up in the great depression. She was living with me, when my friend and I were putting things together for storage. She asked what we were doing, and I answered “We are putting things up in case there are bad times”. She sure understood this.

    It is arrogant to think that we couldn’t have something that would cause us to be, (at least temporarily) without things we need.

    Thank you Linda, for all you do to help us be prepared!

    Reply

    1. Hi Janet, I went to Costco yesterday to pick up a prescription, oh my gosh. I had Mark go get the prescription while I walked to the back to see how supplies were holding up. Oh my gosh, it was comical! They limited the toilet paper, paper towels, and kleenex to one package per member. Well, I parked my cart to observe, and what a show I witnessed. One guy was yelling at another guy that he couldn’t have two packages of TP. You don’t need that much to wipe your butt but he didn’t say butt. Wow, I saw some anger management issues right before my eyes. I can laugh about it because I have plenty of TP. I live in Southern Utah by the way. Just FYI. I would hate to see what would happen to that guy if he didn’t have food for his family. I think a few people are starting to understand about being prepared. This is why we prep ever so quietly. Stay safe, Linda

      Reply

  3. Another good article, Linda. My husband went to our local Sam’s Club last week to pick up a couple of grocery items and walked back to see if there was any TP. We don’t need any but he was checking. There was NO toilet paper and NO paper towels. That whole area was completely empty. I have noticed people being a little more panicked when they shop for groceries. I ran in to get milk last week and there were several at my Wal Mart who had grocery carts heaping full of food. One woman was pushing a cart AND pulling one, both piled with groceries. People just seem to be uneasy about the future…

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  4. Uneasy about our future!! So true. I just watched a video put out by the governor of Washington State. We are now again limited to what and where we can go, size of groups outside our household; stricter self isolation/quarantine, etc. These new restrictions are not nearly as stringent as they were back in March 2020 but stronger than they were a couple of months ago. Sure hope he gets a post in Washington DC with the next president’s cabinet (it is a good possibility!).

    So, with all that being said, I am feeling secure in what I have stocked up on. Oh-I want to get some things to make holiday candies and other goodies (I have some but want to get more!). I don’t need TP/paper towels/tissues. As for tissues, I have some paper but I also made reusable handkerchiefs a couple of years ago so I am not worried about getting tissues and I cut up several old t-shirts and hemmed them on my serger for rags so I don’t feel the need for paper towels. I can also use those rags for a substitute for TP if needed. I also have a good supply of cloth napkins. I am trying very hard to cut down on the number of disposables that I use – not just because of the pandemic though.

    I have also stocked up well on cold/flu necessities like herbal teas, cough drops/syrup, vitamin C and Zinc. So I feel well prepared for that.

    Reply

    1. HI Leanne, I’m leaning more and more toward cloth products. Several years ago I bought cloth paper towels that work out great. We use them as napkins as well. I kept a lot of my cloth napkins in case we want to use though as well. You and I are about as prepared as we can be. Now we need this election stuff over. God bless this Country! Linda

      Reply

    2. I saw that video by your govenor-who-would-be-king Leanne, and it sounds like he and Cuomo are studying the same playbook. Our hope is to send Cuomo to Washington if God forbid, the worse happens. Our pantry is in good shape and short of some Christmas candy to complete the advent calendars, I am half done with the Christmas shopping, and hope to finish in the extra week, if I can get my kids to co- operate and let me know what they want. I am secure and content with where our preparations are at this point. Stay safe and healthy everyone.

      Reply

      1. Chris ~
        The frightening thing is if our governors (make that many of the governors of the US) all go to Washington DC, that might leave us with even more distressing state leadership! to say nothing of the federal leadership. Perhaps it would be best to keep the devil we know about and not have to worry about someone worse!

        Christmas gifts for my grandkids will be here early next week so I will be done with Christmas shopping once they arrive.

        Prayers go out for all of you in New York!!

        Reply

  5. Great point about how preparing means we don’t have to fear. The peace of mind knowing I don’t have to worry about dinner even when there isn’t a disaster.
    We routinely eat food out of our pantry. It’s a great way of rotating the older food out. Then, I wait until the item goes on sale to replace what we ate.
    I rarely have to buy groceries that are not on sale. Lowers the food costs tremendously. The 25 year freeze dried food is not in this rotation, of course.

    Reply

    1. Hi CAddison, It really is a good feeling not to HAVE to go to the grocery store for items to make dinner. Rotation is the name of the game for sure. Mark and I decided we are now eating our freeze-dried food. I starting purchasing freeze-dried food around 2010 or so. Thankfully 99% of what I have is from Thrive Life which closed down down as well as NutriStore going out of business. I only purchased fruits, vegetables, meats, milk, and cheeses. I never purchased meals, but they are an easy option for people. My husband will be 80 next year and I am 75, we are now eating our freeze dried food. Our kids will not want it, I can guarantee that. But I love it, so we rarely go to the grocery store now. We have enough for our lifetime, we have no fear. Linda

      Reply

      1. I’m 75 and husband, 86. I’m still bagpiping in a band that did 161 performances last year. All related to police, fire, EMS, military and veterans. Too many funerals, but it is what we do. Para- military. I’m one of the soloists. I also run a trust that benefits a large children’s hospital. I think it was easier working at my job on Miami’s streets! Dan has health issues, but still pipes. I’ve no health issues. Always been something of a health nut. Now I see that paid off.
        Not getting into the freeze dried food, but it’s only about 4 years old and we live on an island.
        I figure if someone gets hungry enough, our food will be welcome!
        Your website and newsletters make a difference.

        Reply

  6. Couldn’t agree more with the being prepared gives you peace of mind.

    I have been prepping for years for all sorts of scenarios. I started with storm prep – hurricanes and ice storms since I’m up in the Northeast. But as I went along researching about other possibilities I figured that just adding this or that would mean I was ready for that too. Fast forward to the Ebola scare back in 2014 and I added specific preps for scary pandemics and not just flu outbreaks.

    So when Covid-19 was starting to spread inside the US I was able to assure my wife that we were prepared for this and we didn’t have to worry. We had plenty of supplies to deal with the supply chain disruptions and we were able to help out some relatives down in Texas who couldn’t get a few items due to localized shortages.

    Going forward I keep on researching possible disasters and going over our plans and supplies to see if I need to add a little something to make things easier for us if the scenario plays out. Otherwise I just keep rotating perishables and short-term preps while keeping on top of world events to know if/when we need to take action to protect ourselves from the oncoming storm, so to speak.

    As always a big thanks for all the work you do to keep folks informed and prepared! Stay safe out there, the world is getting weird….

    Reply

    1. Hi DMWalsh, I love your comment, we must prepare for who knows what these days!!! Funny, not funny! LOL! Today I turned on the news and there was an explosion in Tennessee, people are missing. A company who builds military explosives as I remember, not sure. But those families lives have now changed forever. I have a nephew in the military, not getting paid right now, he has 7 kids. I’m sure others have family and friends in the same situation. This is why we stock food and water. World events can change in a split second. The world is getting weird….Mark and I went to California for a ten day trip and it was great to see family but we were glad to get home to the safety of our tiny home. Stay safe, my friend, Linda

      Reply

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