Hello everyone.

I want to start this by saying I am naturally Type C. The least organised woman about.

I have a three year old son and lately have started to worry that if something happened that caused a big disruption, I would be screwed. I’ve seen somethings written in here lately and government warnings and thought I should try to get some things in order.

This is what I have…

Tinned food- enough for 3 days and buying more all the time.
A gas canister and a decent BBQ.
1 bottle of water (I know I need water and I’m going tomorrow but how much? And how long can I keep shop bought 5L bottles? Sorry if that’s daft.)
First aid kit although not sure I could do much with it tbh. Paracetamol. Ibuprofen.
Extra medication for my son.
Blankets/clothes.
Bleach and anti bacterial wipes.
Batteries

Don’t have a radio or power banks yet.

Thank you for your help. Sorry if it’s been asked.

A thought for anyone tempted to buy a big survival knife for their prepping kit. Why not invest in tools you'll actually use and enjoy in everyday life?

A good hori hori is brilliant for gardening, digging, planting and all sorts of outdoor jobs. A decent set of kitchen knives makes preparing food a pleasure rather than a chore.

I've had both of these for around 10 years, and they've given me a lot of joy over that time. They're tools I genuinely use and appreciate, rather than things sitting in a cupboard waiting for an emergency.

My two recommendations:

🌱 Niwaki Hori Hori: https://www.niwaki.com/hori-hori/#NHH

🍅 Opinel Olive Wood Kitchen Knife Set: https://www.opinel.com/en-gb/couteaux-de-cuisine/les-essentiels-du-cuisinier/olive-4-essentials-knives-box-set

Preparedness doesn't have to mean buying kit for an imaginary apocalypse. Sometimes it's about investing in good tools, learning practical skills and getting more enjoyment out of ordinary life now.

And if you never need them in an emergency? You've still had 10 years of good use and enjoyment out of them.

My prepping list:

Log store = full (our house os heated by log burner and infrared heaters.

Jackery powerbanks (x2) = purchased and charged, with solar panel in wait.

Clothing, blankets etc = ridiculous amounts of through home includng thermal sleeping bags.

Homegrown food- fair proportion of fruit and veggies home grown, but not a lot happening this time of year.

My shortcomings (that I can think of)

Food = currently at standard weekly shop level. This needs to be improved,

Water= hmmmmm. How do we store good quantities of drinking water? Many bought bottles or?

I was looking at buying 1 or 2 1000litre IBC tanks, but I know this won't be drinkable- would be good for washing etc.

Any tips/advice gladly welcomed

Thank you